Beneteau is launching its new 41 Swift Trawler in the U.S. at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, starting Oct. 30; it just introduced it in Europe at the Cannes show. The new 41 comes in two versions, a flybridge, similar to all its siblings in the Swift Trawler fleet, or a sedan, which would be very appealing to anyone wishing to avoid the bridges in Florida or around the Great Loop.
The 41 is the latest Swift Trawler, coming after the successful launch of the 47, and it replaces the 44. And it has all the space and amenities, plus the performance, to make cruising safe and easy for a family or a group of friends that are looking for a boat in the 40-foot range. Indeed, it has three cabins below, plus a convertible settee in the salon, so there’s room for everyone on a cruising vacation.
I have to admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for Beneteau’s Swift Trawlers, since I spent a week on a 34 several years ago, cruising with George Sass Sr., the photographer, from the top of Lake Michigan down to Hoppie’s below St. Louis. We found that the living was easy and the cruising was fast enough (particularly crossing Lake Michigan) to keep us happy.
The new 41 has some changes from previous Swift Trawlers. The galley is now aft, on the port side; it’s U-shaped and opens to the cockpit to make outdoor entertaining a treat. The helm seat also rotates, so the captain can face aft to join the conversation in the salon. The convertible settee can be surrounded by a privacy curtain at night. And the aft bench seat in the cockpit is on sliders, so you can move it forward or aft, depending on how much room you want in the cockpit or the swim platform.
For cruising, the 41 has the same door next to the helm as on the 34, giving immediate access to the starboard side deck for help with lines or docking. It also has the large destroyer wheel, which made driving fun. Large windows all around, including sliding glass doors aft, provide excellent visibility.
Below, the master stateroom is forward, with the head to port and the shower to starboard. Just aft on the port side is the larger guest cabin, with a modular double berth that converts to a twin. A smaller cabin is to starboard with a single berth.
In the sedan version, you can opt for five solar panels on the cabin top. There’s also an option for a roof rack for paddle boards and kayaks. In the flybridge version, there’s a U-shaped settee to port with a table, a smaller settee to starboard and a single helm seat. In both versions, there’s a large sunpad on the foredeck.
Beneteau is offering two power options for the 41: twin 270-hp Volvo diesels or twin 300-hp Volvo diesels, both with straight shaft drives. The company says the boat tops out at 23 knots and cruises at 16 knots with the larger Volvos
Specs.: LOA: 44’1”; Beam: 13’9”; Draft: 3’9”; Disp.: 24,332 lbs. (flybridge), 23,186 (sedan); Fuel: 309 gals.; Water: 106 gals.; Power: 2×270-hp Volvo diesels or 2×300-hp Volvo diesels.
