Beneteau Swift Trawler Owners?

Any Swift Trawler owners having trouble keeping their prop anodes on? I seem to "drop" one off every couple of months. Do you spouse locktite?? Thanks!

Greetings Swift Trawler owners. I just took the plunge and am buying a 2011 ST 34 with 1260 hours. Boat passed the survey and oil analysis just fine and I plan to bring her home up the ICW to the Pamlico River, NC in a few weeks. Been surfing the web looking for any serious Swift Trawler negatives and am pleased to say I really can't find a one! If there are any suggestions, ideas or "make sure to check this item", etc. please let me know ASAP. I am looking forward to sharing ideas, etc. with fellow Swift Trawler owners. Cheers, Skip

Many positives. The two most common negatives are through hulls and anodes. Keep an eye on both.

Thank you! Good advice.

During the survey haul out last week we replaced the Hull, (2)trim tab and prop anodes (see before photo). All the through hulls appeared fine. The current owner did say the anodes seem to go quick but that is often a factor of the marina power situation and water type where electrolysis varies (or too many idiots let their shore power cable dangle in the water!). Maybe Swift's need larger/more anodes?

The large SS rudder had a very slight (like 1/16th inch) wobble at the rudder through hull. I climbed into the lazarette to inspect the top end of the rudder post/steering attachment and there were (2) Phillips head SS screws missing around a donut sized plastic collar around the rudder post above a large fiberglass box molded to the interior transom that is not removable. I assume there is a much more robust rudder mounting bracket/system inside that box but it is permanently attached so I will look for design diagrams just to see what is inside that box?

Needless to say I am quite excited about the new boat as it seemed to offer the best combinations of fuel economy, power when you need, handling, deck and helm layout and comfort. It is hull #77 and I believe Beneteau is up to production counts of 400+ ST34's. Is yours a 42 or 44 and how many hours do you now have.
Thanks again. Skip

I don't have one, just know many who do. The vast majority of owners seem to be very happy with them.

Hi Skip, congrats on the purchase! We love our ST44. Yes, these trawlers do burn through anodes/zincs. Especially the props. I installed a galvanic isolator last year and it has decreased the loss a bit. I was replacing prop zincs 3x per year and now it is twice. Bottom line is that boatzincs.com will become your friend and yes, they do carry the prop zincs for the swift, but not for the thrusters.... I get those from the manufacturer online.

Starting my search for a ST44. Hoping to purchase this year and do the great loop next year or the year following. Please message me if any of you are planning to sell. Thanks!

Ilike the looks and reputation of the swift trawler. It looks like a serious boaters boat, not something you buy to show off your wealth, bu you buy because you're serious about your boating

Looking for a 44 let me know if you are selling

I am completely new to boating and looking for my first boat.

The idea is to buy a used boat to do trips around the Mediterranean along the coast (Spain, France, Italy) and on occasion open sea for a maximum distance of 190 nm, Menorca to Majorca would be the longest trip in open sea.

My first experience was a 3 hours boat trip on a Bayliner 3055 Ciera year 2002 with wind force 4 to 5 and 2ft to 3ft sea. The ride was fun for about 30 minutes but became very uncomfortable. The second experience was a 40ft Rodman. Again, the same experience but slightly better that the first one. The Rodman is clearly a different boat than the Bayliner.

It was clear that the med sea is no lake, the selection of the boat will be more technical than simply on looks.

I have been following the sea state during months in the south Alicante / Ibiza area using the iPAD APP “windy”. It became clear that swells less that 2ft are exceptional. During The week swells are more in the range 2ft to 3ft. Swell period is around 6 seconds.

Poke around the internet and it became clear that there are different boat types for different kind of boating. Have been looking to Nordhavn, Selene, Kadey Krogen, Defever and other full-displacement types. I guess that these ships are a bit of an overkill for the trips I am planning to make. There is a big step between understanding the difference in hull shapes and having some experience with different type of boats. So I need help from people with experience.

I like a boat with safe and wide sidewalks, sundeck, possible for overnighting for 1 couple and two couples on occasion but most of all a comfortable ride for the Mediterranean with 2ft to 3ft sea.

So, I came to the trawlers, Grand banks and Beneteau Swift type of boats. I hope that semi-displacement boat types will give a more comfortable ride. Speed, who needs speed? Having the possibility to go a bit faster than 8 kn for a full-displacement is well appreciated. This means we are in the semi-displacement type of boats. Full-displacement is still an option if it makes an enormous difference on ride quality and or safety. In case of full-displacement a stabilizer will be needed.

Comfort and hull quality build will guide my choice. I have been looking to Trawlers and Flybridge types in the 39 to 42 feet range. There is more choice in flybridge types than trawlers any idea on difference in ride comfort? What hull type is a typical flybridge? Is it a semi-displacement or planing hull or something between?

How will the swift 42-44 perform vs typical Flybridge (Prestige, Azimut, Princess) vs Fischer-Fly types (Beneteau Antares, Rodman)

Need to understand you a little more to make recommendations. Why is it you want a boat? What is your boating experience? I'm asking because you mention two trips in mild conditions and you indicate you only enjoyed about 30 minutes and then were uncomfortable. Some people aren't really boaters. Some people want moderately comfortable. Some only enjoy it in the perfect boat in perfect conditions.

There are many boats that are excellent med boats, depending on what you're after. I'd mention Sunseeker and Riva as two you didn't mention. However you don't indicate an interest in the speed they'd have.

Many would enjoy a Beneteau ST, but they won't give you as smooth a ride as a Nordhavn. What else are you seeking in a boat? Do you want a flybridge. Perhaps you should charter some boats to refine your thoughts. How many people will typically be aboard and how many of those can assist at the helm or with docking and anchoring? Are you thinking new or used? What price range have you established?

Thanks for your reply,

Please find all information in my original post.
I was looking for information on sea keeping quality (med 2ft to 3ft sea) between a Semi-displacement ST 42-44 and a typical Flybridge like Azimut, princess, prestige in the 39-42 ft range.
Difference between Beneteau Antares and ST42-44

Difference at displacement speed and in the range 13kn to 18kn

no one wants to sell?!

Hi, I discover today this forum and I'm happy to share my experiences.
I apologize for my english cause I am italian and here we don't study too much the language...
I am the proud owner of the st42 hull #48 bought New in 2005, the first arrived in Italy, and I spent the last 12 years customising my boat, that now is almost perfect...
I have the yanmar engines, with 1600+ hours with minimal problems, and I had travel a lot in the mediterranean sea, in all reasonable conditions of sea and wind and I'm absolutely satisfied of the ride, even if in certain conditions is prettamente wet. The first improvement I did was on the trim tabs... The originals were too small to have some effect; the New ones, that are lenco double piston model, have the maximum size that is possible to Mount between the props tunnel and each side of the transom and, I've to say, changes the quality of the ride at planing or displacement speed.

I had made other, countless, modifications... i.e.

1. Automatic discharge of the shower's water (it was boring to push the button)
2. New light sistem, and camera sistem, in the engines room (was pretty dark)
3. New custom swimplatform (the original was too small)
4. New dual color (red and white) internal light sistem (for overnight transfer)
5. New multifunction oven (the original has no microwawe)
6. New bilge pump sistem (the original was too small for a serious problem of entering water,
7. New electric winch on boom and mast (to handle easily a serious tender)
8. New separation between water tanks (to mantain the boat in the right position... My boat is naturally port inclined )
9. The generator (onan e-qd 11 kw) has a supplementary inlet to give energy to other boats
10. New shower on the flybridge with New drain for the water
11. Additional electric socket on the starboard side of the salon
12. New victron 1 kw inverter to make the icemaker working without generator and for many other applications
13. Second battery Charger for the enlarged (480 ah) house battery Bank
14. New 220v electric socket on flybridge
15. New noise isolation for aircon motors
16. A 12v hella fan in each cabin (very silent and useful)
17. New hot air estraction sistem for icemaker and fridge

And so on... Too much to remember now...

About the zincs... I never had the problems i read... But there are a lot of factors that influences the galvanic corrosion... I can say that I always disconnect the shore power cable when i leave the boat and I put it in the storage locker and, until now, it was enough to avoid problems.

Alex,

Just some questions

What is your definition for "all reasonable conditions of sea"?
In Spain, south Alicante from march to September we have swell 2 to 3 feet and this upto 4 days a week. This are official figures according the APP "Windy".
I was wondering how your ST42 is performing in this conditions.

Can you compare the sea kindness of your boat to others like Belliure 48, Grand Banks 42 - 46, Bayliner 4588, Beneteau Antares, Elling, any other typical planing vessel with flybridge.

On my list i have

Grand banks 42/46 (a few Stabilized)
Hatteras 53 MY most likely be the best boat for stability (will need a budget for upgrade and US import, no stabilized versions available in EU).
Bayliner 4788
Belliure 48
ST42/44
Elling E3/E4
Aquastar 47
Mainship 430 (good condition and stabilized)

This is my selection criteria
1. Sea kindness
2. Trawler style semi-displacement, easy walkaround
3. No need to go on plane to sail in comfort, this rules out planing flybridge types.
4. Sleeps 4 to 6
5. Flybridge
6. No risk on core problems in the hull, underwater.
7. Stabilized (if it makes a big difference)
8. Potential resell after 10 years
9. EU registered boat.

Any comment and experience well appreciated,

Hi Bfod,
In my opinion is reasonable Any conditions that, at the moment you untie the Lines, you can easily handle even, in the med sea, the sea state can change quikly; What is reasonable for a 20 miles trip isn't for a 200 miles trip... In Any case the 2 to 3 feet swell is absolutely normal in my usual cruising ground too. At this point is necessary to say that the key for a comfortable ride is to keep the keel "glued" to the water surface as much as possible and, to do this, you have to find a speed and an asset that consent this... The more is the height of the wawes the less is the speed you can comfortably mantain at a certain cog... In some cases Could be very useful change the course of some degrees to mantain an adequate speed and a more comfortable ride avoiding to stress boat and guests. The ST42, or at last my st42, has a lot of plus that consent to manage the situations

• The range of planing speeds begins at 13,5 knots
• The big flaps give a wide range of possible regulations
• The hull is quite thin under the bow and very open(11 degrees) under the transom, this say that is not a fast boat but is comfortable at low speeds
• The small underwater keel is useful to keep the course without stress
• The noise in dinette, and on the flybridge, is very low
• The wipers works very well...

If necessary, and this is nearly unique in the planing or semiplaning hulls, you can slow the boat at displacement speed ( 8,0 knots or less) and face quite Any reasonable (and for reasonable I intend the Max of 10 feet swell) sea condition always remembering to have time to reach the mooring with the daylight... Isn't. a good idea to be at the sea with 10 ft wawes in the night with this boat...
At this point I can say that the st42 is a very good seakind boat and a honest seakeeping boat.

In order to compare the st42 with other boat I can say that:

• I was, only for four hours, on a 1980 not stabilized GB 42 MY with the ford motors and honestly has a superior woodwork, a bigger interior space, a bigger autonomy, but she has a cruising speed of 8 to 9 kn, a terrible access to the swimplatform and a fastidious roll even in far from challenging conditions; a stabilized one (makes a BIG difference), maybe in the "Europa" version could be a good option and even better if recent because of the bigger engines and higher cruising speed but is in higher price range compared with a st42/44;
• The Antares 10,80 is a boat that I rented for a long time before to buy this boat and she is very honest, but is a pure planing hull with a higher planing speed, that gives an uncomfortable ride even with 4 ft Waves, she rolls more and is, of course, smaller than the st42;
• The Elling, that I only see at the boat shows seem a great boat and, on more, in 2008 Made the transatlantic passage (check MBY 04/2009);
• I can say nothing on the other boats but, regarding your needs above mentioned, the st42/44 seems the right boat.