Top Trawlers 

The following 15 trawlers are all vessels we’ve written about. They are listed in no particular order.

• Nordhavn 96: Built for an owner who desired to self-sufficiently while cruising the world, literally.
• Beneteau Grand Trawler 62: This trawler can travel nonstop for 1,000 nautical miles.
• Kadey-Krogen 52: This twin-engine-capable, all-oceans trawler is a solid fit for voyaging cruising couples.
• Bering Yachts B76: The B76 is the builder’s first fully custom trawler in this size range.
• Ranger Tugs R-43 Command Bridge: This vessel is equally comfortable at a 7-knot stroll or an 18-knot jog.
• Beneteau 48 Swift Trawler: Based on the builder’s Swift Trawler 47, this yacht has a resin-infused fiberglass hull.
• Kadey-Krogen 50 Open: The 50 Open can cruise at 6 knots nonstop for 5,000 nautical miles.
• Outer Reef 620 Trident: It has a three-stateroom layout and optional 600 hp Cummins diesels.
• Grand Banks 60 Skylounge: This yacht is efficient across a variety of cruising speeds.
• Krogen Express 52: Headroom to spare, two staterooms, a chef-ready galley and long range define this trawler yacht.
• Grand Banks 85 Skylounge: Grand Banks’ V-warp hull form makes for a level running attitude, seakindliness and long range.
• Vicem Yachts 82 Classic: Construction is in cold-molded, strip-planked mahogany with epoxy.
• Outer Reef 610 Motoryacht: Power on this Outer Reef is a pair of 500 hp John Deere 6090 diesels.
• Nordhavn 59 Coastal Pilot: Did someone say this is a 20-knot Nordhavn?
• Marlow 58E: A high level of customization and admirable performance are at the heart of the Marlow 58E.

Nordhavn 96

The Nordhavn 96 is the yacht builder’s second-largest yacht its 17-model fleet, which ranges from 41 to 120 feet length overall. (There is a new 112 on the drawing table.) The builder says the N96 is based on its earlier 86-footer with a 10-foot cockpit extension, which increases both main-deck, skylounge and below-deck volume. The N96 we reviewed was built by an owner who previously had an 86-foot Nordhavn, but with his plans for extended cruises to remote destinations, the 96 was the right size for his voyaging plans. In fact, since the owner took delivery of the boat, it has been on a continuous circumnavigation.

Quick Specifications

Beneteau Grand Trawler 62

Beneteau’s Grand Trawler 62 has 1,000-plus-mile range and 20-knot speed with twin 730 hp i6 MAN diesels. The Grand Trawler 62 is the builder’s flagship in its Trawler series, which also includes the Swift Trawler 35, Swift Trawler 41 Sedan,  Swift Trawler 41 Fly and Swift Trawler 48. Small touches set the Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 apart. They include sea rails on all lockers to keep stowed food and gear in place, leather-wrapped interior handrails for security in a seaway, and leather drawer pulls like those found on larger yachts. Long-range cruising accommodations include a full-beam master stateroom aft, a forepeak VIP and twin-berth guest stateroom. A Quick X3 gyrostabilizer helps mitigate any potential rocking and rolling on rough days.

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Kadey-Krogen 52

The Kadey-Krogen 52 is the trawler-yacht builder’s smallest offering in its raised-pilothouse series, complete with a Portuguese Bridge. Owners can choose from either a two- or three-stateroom layout, and between a single-diesel engine or twin-diesel engines, for owners seeking redundancy. The standard engine is a 231 hp John Deere diesel. With the single-engine setup, draft is 5’5” and with twins it’s a shallower 4’6”. At 6 knots, range is an ocean-crossing 4,850 nautical miles. At 7 knots, it’s 3,300 nm. At 9 knots, it 1,700 nm. The builder states, “The entire Krogen 52 is built from only three molded pieces for maximized structural integrity. There are no additional secondary bonds or caulk joints that can inevitably cause issues. All deck and superstructures are cored and vacuum-bagged to maximize strength while minimizing weight.” Additionally, six longitudinal stringers enhance overall strength.

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Bering Yachts B76

Lemanja is the first custom boat that Bering has built in this size range. The yacht is notable for its steel hull and aluminum superstructure, and for its 4,000-nautical-mile-plus range with its twin 404 hp Cummins QSL9 diesel engines. As rugged as the Bering 76 is built on the outside, it also offers homelike comforts in its skylounge inside, offering panoramic views out large windows surrounding the space. Sole-to-ceiling glass offers similar views in the open-plan salon. Accommodations are fox six guests in three staterooms with a master stateroom and two guest staterooms, plus crew accommodations. In addition to its traditional diesel engines, the B76 has a solar-rechargeable battery bank for hybrid propulsion.

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Ranger Tugs R-43 Command Bridge

The Ranger Tugs R-43 Command Bridge is a long-distance cruiser with creature comforts. Our expert found the R-43 Command Bridge to be a solid candidate to cruise The Great Loop. We agree. Twin Volvo Penta IPS450 pod drives give the boat efficient low and high cruise speeds at 7 and 18 knots, respectively. For those that have work during their cruise, the R-43 Command bridge’s master stateroom is set up with an office with a desk. Long trips require extra stowage and a way to clean salty clothes, so on the R-43 Command Bridge there is a washer, dryer, auxiliary refrigerator/freezer and stowage under the dinette, which rises on electric rams. Voyagers who buy a R-43 Commander Bridge can opt for a Factory Delivery Experience, which is three days of instruction on Puget Sound, and includes in boat systems, handling and maintenance.

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Beneteau Swift Trawler 48

The Beneteau Swift Trawler 48 has a 1,300-nautical-mile range at 8 knots, but can also speed away at 26 knots if the weather goes south in a hurry. Based on the builder’s 47-footer, the three-stateroom, two-head Swift Trawler 48 has a resin-infused fiberglass hull. Power is a pair of 425 hp Cummins diesels. The main-deck layout includes a galley aft setup, which is accessible to the cockpit. There, the seating and dining area can be fully enclosed, with tracks in place for side curtains. The helmsman is kept comfortable on long passages with a bolstered, pedestal bucket-style seat with a flip-up footrest. The Swift Trawler 48 we reviewed had upgraded 12-inch Raymarine HybridTouch displays (9-inch screens are standard).

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Kadey-Krogen 50 Open

Designed for serious extended cruising, Kadey-Krogen Yachts 50 Open provides owners with amenities that will enhance those longer passages. The galley is fitted with a Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer, a four-burner Wolf range, a microwave and an optional dishwasher. Unlike in many trawlers and their traditional pilothouse design, the galley is located on the same level as the helm and salon. Belowdecks is the master stateroom amidships with two hanging lockers, 12 cabinets, additional drawers for stowage and an en suite head, shower and two sinks. Forward of the master is an office. The 50 Open’s hull has soft chines and a curved after end, much like the characteristics of a sailboat built for cruising. The result is an efficient hull form that provides a gentle landing into troughs when the sea gets a temper. This trawler can cruise at 6 knots for 5,000 nautical miles; 7 knots for 3,000 nautical miles; 8 knots for 2,100 nautical miles; and 9 knots for 1,200 nautical miles.

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Outer Reef 620 Trident

Outer Reef Yachts 620 Trident delivers a three-stateroom layout and optional 600 hp Cummins diesels that allow this vessel to approach a top hop of 21 knots. Cruising speed is a little over 16 knots, burning about 34 gallons of fuel per hour at 2,750 rpm. The amidships master stateroom has 6-foot-8-inch headroom, a walk-in closet and a shower enclosed in smoked glass. In the forepeak VIP stateroom, there are seven drawers, a hanging locker, a 31-inch Samsung TV and 7-foot headroom. The portside guest stateroom can convert to an office, too. The aft galley has a U-shape countertop, a three-burner electric cooktop, a Bosch microwave and a Vitrifrigo refrigerator and freezer. Cherry, walnut and oak are the available wood options.

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Grand Banks 60 Skylounge

It’s obvious after a quick peek inside the Grand Banks 60 Skylounge that the Grand Banks Yachts trademark external DNA is retained. The deck, cabin house and skylounge are all composed of infused carbon fiber, reducing weight aloft and creating a lower center of gravity. With twin 900 hp Volvo Penta D13 diesels, the 60 Skylounge can accelerate to 31 knots and cruise at about 25 knots. The 60 Skylounge can also travel up to 2,000 nautical miles at 10 knots on a 1,530-gallon fuel tank. Twin 1,000 hp Volvo Penta IPS1200s are also available.

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Krogen Express 52

The Krogen Express 52 runs on twin 440 hp Yanmar diesels and can cruise at 8 knots for 1,680 nautical miles or at 16 knots for 500 nautical miles. Top hop:  22 knots. In the interior, Krogen Express has outfitted the 52 with a master stateroom and a guest stateroom. The former has a queen island berth, more than 7-foot headroom, hanging lockers and smaller cubbies to port and to starboard, and an en suite head with a molded fiberglass shower stall with a seat, a VacuFlush toilet and a granite countertop. A power lift elevates the berth and grants access to more stowage underneath. The Krogen Express 52’s salon has a 26-inch HD LED TV and a home-theater system, leather Stressless chairs to port and a built-in, L-shape settee to starboard. The galley boasts granite countertops, a three-burner Force 10 propane range with an oven, a refrigerator, a GE microwave oven, a deep Elkay sink and a pullout sprayer faucet. There is a Buff Ultraleather Stidd helm seat for extra comfort during long runs.

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Grand Banks 85 Skylounge

The Grand Banks 85 Skylounge comes in at more than 87 feet length overall and displaces 108,000 pounds, with a 22-plus-foot beam and an air draft of just under 26 feet. Owners can choose either a three- or four-stateroom layout. The standard motors are twin 1,000 hp Volvo Penta IPS diesels, twin 1,300 hp MAN straight-shaft diesels are optional. With the larger engines, owners can also choose an optional stern thruster, in addition to the standard bow thruster. With the IPS diesels, top speed is 26.5 knots and fuel burn is 100 gallons per hour, resulting in a range of 699 nautical miles. At a 21-knot cruise speed, fuel consumption drops to 57 gph, and range climbs to 972 nm. At a 9-knot jog, fuel burn falls to 9 gph, and the Grand Banks 85 Skylounge can cruise nonstop for about 2,500 nautical miles.

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Vicem 82 Classic Flybridge

The Vicem 82 Classic is a flybridge model built in cold-molded mahogany, which creates a stout hull form with reduced weight. The yacht is notable for its timeless Downeast lines and strong joiner work. For cruising enthusiasts, the Classic 82 Flybridge is powered with twin 900 hp Volvo Penta D13 diesels. The yacht has a top-end speed of 17.8 knots, and the cruising speed is 15 knots. At 9 knots, and considering a 10-percent fuel reserve, range is reportedly 1,100 nautical miles.  Accommodations three en-suite-equipped staterooms. The master stateroom is full-beam and amidships with a king-size berth is on centerline. The starboard-side guest stateroom and a forepeak VIP each have queen-size berths.

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Outer Reef 610 Motoryacht

Built for an enthusiastic cruising couple after a three-year boat search, the Outer Reef Yachts 610 Motoryacht (part of the builder’s Classic series), was customized with a fore-and-aft berth in the owners’ stateroom (as in, not athwartships), and berths rather than bunks in the smaller of two guest staterooms. This Outer Reef 610 was designed to be used as a liveaboard vessel, so the salon is not set up for dining (there are tables in the pilothouse, on the aft deck and on the bridge). A pair of swivel chairs in the salon face the built-in couch and the pop-up TV to port. The 610 is built with hand-laid fiberglass, PVC coring above the waterline, resin infusion and a vinylester barrier coat against osmosis. Power is twin 500 hp John Deere 6090 diesels turning ZF transmissions. The 610 tops out at about 13.5 knots with full tanks and 21 people aboard. The engines burn 20 gph at 1,800 rpm for 11 knots at 45 percent engine load. Those numbers should allow it to cross oceans without shortening engine life.

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Nordhavn 59 Coastal Pilot

Nordhavn has long been known for its stout circumnavigation-capable craft, and the Nordhavn 59 Coastal Pilot carries on the the tradition of a beefy build with addition of…speed. Twenty-knots-plus, actually. Twin 715 hp Cummins diesel inboards and a new semidisplacement hull form are said to be key to the performance equation. The Nordhavn 59CP has a 777-nautical-mile range at a 9.3-knot cruise, and a 255-nm range at its 20.3-knot top-end. Construction is a solid fiberglass hull bottom supported by full-length longitudinal stringers and a series of transversal supports for added backbone. High freeboard should keep the decks dry in a seaway, while rails keep the crew secure during transits. Nordhavn says the 59CP has a “CE category A unlimited offshore rating, ensuring the vessel has the seakeeping and strength capabilities to take on most serious coastal cruises up to 1,000 miles.”

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Marlow Yachts 58E

Following on the successful Marlow 57, the Marlow 58E was started from scratch on a blank sheet of paper. The essence of the 58E is that it has better performance and more internal and external volume than her predecessor. The centerline length grew 10 inches over the 57, but the waterline length increased 16 inches and the beam widened 4 inches. If you were to examine the two boats out of the water, you would see more bell-shaped forward sections making for a soft impact with the vee’d portion. Power options start with twin 575 hp Caterpillar C9 diesels, but the 58E we got aboard had beefier twin 1,015 hp Caterpillar C18 diesels. Top speed: 27.9 knots. At 8 knots, the Marlow 58E can cruise nonstop for 1,400 nautical miles.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a trawler yacht?

A true trawler typically has a full-displacement hull form and robust construction to handle open-water operation, and it’s designed to operate self-sufficiently for long periods of time. They are slow-cruising vessels, but over the years, hybrid yachts called fast trawlers have emerged to offer displacement-speed operation as well as the ability to run at planing speeds when desired.

What is a full-displacement hull form?

A displacement-hull form is known is for its rounded nature and deep draft. Full-displacement vessels do not plane on the water, but rather push through the water. This hull design makes displacement-hull vessels incredibly seakindly, but it also makes them relatively slow (think 5, 6, 7, 8 knots) when compared to semidisplacement- and planning-hull designs.

Is a long-range cruiser the same as a trawler?

While all trawlers are certainly long-range cruisers, not all long-range cruisers are trawlers. True trawlers will have full-displacement hull designs and not all long-range cruisers have them.

The post Top 15 Trawlers for 2023 appeared first on Yachting.

Beneteau’s Grand Trawler 62 has admirable fuel consumption and long range, but the most important number you need to know is 24. That’s how many wine bottles fit in this yacht’s chiller, and it might govern the range of your adventures more than something like mere diesel fuel.

The Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 itself is kind of like a fine French wine: robust and full of fun, but with hidden notes that become apparent upon closer examination. Take the cockpit, for example. Instead of the usual forward-facing settee, the 62 has an L-shaped settee with a folding table tucked into the forward port corner. Thus, the view is not of the salon, but aft through clear Lucite panels in the railing—a much more pleasant panorama. And set up against the house and protected by teak-slat “fashion plates,” the settee is out of the wind and sun. For boarding, easy steps lead from the hydraulic transom platform, which has a ladder that unfolds automatically when the platform is lowered.

Thoughtful details extend beyond creature comforts. In the cockpit, there are husky mooring bitts on each corner with warping winches and roller chocks. There’s also a tidy opening to stash stray lines so no one trips. Another welcome design element is the two separate stairways to the bridge, both gentle with good rails. One leads from the cockpit, while the other is just abaft the lower helm so the skipper can easily scamper to and from the bridge.

The Alpi-veneer, gloss-oak salon is light and bright, with a U-shaped sofa aft facing a pop-up TV. The galley is amidships for minimal motion, which should delight chefs balancing full pots. The galley, in keeping with European tradition, is separated with full bulkheads. They can have openings, and snack grabbers can get in via a sliding door. On Euro versions of this yacht, the galley bulkheads have glass windows. Amenities include a four-burner Siemens cooktop, a Miele dishwasher and a full-size Vitrifrigo fridge. A sliding door connects the galley to the side deck and makes provisioning easy. An L-shaped settee with a dining table is opposite the galley on the pilothouse level for casual meals.

At the helm, the skipper and a companion have upholstered bucket seats. Their raised position allows a commanding view through the forward-raked windshield, above triple Raymarine displays. Bow and stern Side-Power thrusters—with a “hold” feature for docking—pair with the Aventics joystick controller. (A mini helm station is in the cockpit.) A sliding door to starboard should make shorthanding easy, with another large bitt just outside. A settee for guests is tucked to port by the helm, enabling them to watch the action.

A curving stairwell next to the helm leads to the lower foyer, with the full-beam master stateroom located aft. The 62’s almost 18-foot beam is put to good use, and a nearly king-size island berth offers stowage underneath. Adding to this stowage are six drawers and lockers to starboard, and a vanity to port. Natural light is courtesy of rectangular hullside windows. The en suite head has a stall shower with a Lucite door and seat. There is 6-foot-8-inch headroom, and the space exudes luxury.

Next off the foyer is a twin-berth guest stateroom to port. The VIP stateroom is forward with an angled berth and an en suite head that doubles as a day head.

The flybridge is full-beam, with a U-shaped dinette, space for chaises aft, and a bar and grill abaft the twin helm bucket seats. A double-wide settee is to port, and a 6-by-11-foot sunroof opens in the fiberglass hardtop.

At the foredeck are sun pads, two 4-by-3-foot clamshell lockers for deck gear and fenders, and the anchor windlass stowed in a locker, as well as a snubbing capstan atop the coaming for dock lines. Teak-planked decks make for secure footing, and the 20-inch-wide side decks have high bulwarks—up to 4 feet, 2 inches forward of the helm—for safety when handling lines. There also are double-welded rails forward.

Power for the 62 is a pair of 730 hp MAN i6 diesels. The engine room is laid out for owner-operators: It has diamond-plate soles for security, the engines are a whopping 50 inches apart, and there is 5-foot-10-inch headroom. The 62 I got aboard also had a 7.5 kW Onan genset, which was equally serviceable. Access to the engine room is via the crew quarters, which have crisscross berths and separate shower and head compartments.

Underway in the Gulf Stream, we saw lumpy leftover seas with a few 4-to-6-footers mixed in, and the 62 ate it up. This yacht had an optional Quick MC2 X3 gyrostabilizer. Even when the captain put us beam on to the seas, the 62 remained as stable as a table. The most devout landlubber’s stomach could enjoy this ride, which, despite the lumps, was at just over 20 knots when desired.

The Grand Trawler 62 is the largest vessel in Beneteau’s power fleet, and the builder has raised its own bar for finishing and details. The yacht is delivered with a full set of dishes and flatware, so all owners need to bring is a toothbrush. And oh, yes, the 24 bottles of wine.

Grand or Swift

Beneteau debuted its Swift Trawlers in 2003. So far, 1,300 of the hulls have been built. The full- displacement Grand Trawler is aimed at the voyaging set, with a range of 1,045 nautical miles at 9 knots (burning 7.9 gph), although it can hit 20 knots when needed.

Details, Details

Small touches set the Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 apart and make it one of the more luxurious trawlers on the market. They include sea rails on all lockers to keep stowed food and gear in place, leather-wrapped interior handrails for security in a seaway, and leather drawer pulls like those found on larger yachts.

On an Even Keel

Quick is an Italian stabilizer company that’s been in the marine market since 1983 and that builds marine electronics, refrigeration, air conditioning and electrical systems. It established Quick USA to provide technical assistance. The Quick X3 gyro produces 3,900 newton meters (2,876 foot-pounds) of torque with a spool-up time of 10 minutes.

Take the next step: beneteau.com

The post Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 Reviewed appeared first on Yachting.

Trawler owners are a different breed. They know boats—that is, they really know boats. By and large, the trawler owner—oftentimes ex-sailors or longtime serial boaters—eschews the frail daintiness of the crystal Champagne-flute luxury lifestyle in favor of liveaboard comfort, with its solid, fist-to-table ruggedness, one-with-the-sea efficiencies, and devotion to the pure deliciousness of life’s simple pleasures.

It’s been 20 years since French mega-brand Beneteau introduced the first Swift Trawler, but in those two decades this series has dominated the 35- to 50-foot trawler market segment worldwide. So, when the company unveiled its next-generation trawler evolution in the form of the voluminous Grand Trawler 62 perched atop a full-displacement hull, the proverbial record scratched and all eyes took notice.

Economical speeds, space and comfort are mainstays of a trawler design, and the Grand Trawler 62 takes these features to the next level. While the nontrawler prospect might be enticed by the 62-footer’s robust and contemporary profile, spacious interior accommodations and plentiful alfresco deck areas, even the trawler purist can appreciate the ample 17-foot beam, wide symmetrical side decks, unbridled use of glass in the superstructure, and full-displacement hull form.

Full-Displacement Superpower

Aside from the 14-foot leap in LOA, the Grand Trawler 62’s full-displacement hull is the most significant deviation from its semi-displacement, semi-planing-hulled sisters. And yes, while a full-displacement hull does yield a more voluminous interior within which to nestle an enviable three- or four-stateroom layout, the raison d’être behind this design departure was more carefully calculated.

“We analyzed all of the engine-hours data provided by the engine manufacturers and followed this up with a survey of our Swift Trawler owners to gather feedback on their average cruising speeds,” says Beneteau product manager Robert Chaffer. “With the exception of one client who regularly exceeded 20 knots, we found that the majority of our customers stick to speeds between 8 and 12 knots, but they like the security of having the reserve power to go up to 20 knots when necessary. So, we thought, why not design a hull that sees optimum efficiency in the 8- to 12-knot speed range?”

Designed by Beneteau naval architecture partner MICAD, the new hull allows for long-range, low-speed comfort and seaworthiness coupled with optimal fuel efficiency. Onboard comfort is enhanced by the displacement hull form and the directional stability-keeping skeg keel. While they provide the reserve power to achieve a 20-plus-knot speed, the Grand Trawler 62’s twin MAN i6 730 hp diesels operate at a 35 percent power deficit at 9 knots, sipping 30 percent less fuel than with an equivalent planing hull.

Interior Wow and Flow

Of course, interior volume is the secondary byproduct of the full-displacement hull form, and the Grand Trawler 62 takes full advantage of this space with an inviting three- or four-stateroom layout, which is enhanced further by plentiful natural light through the generous windows.

Italian firm Nauta Design crafted the Grand Trawler 62’s interior configuration, which balances large social spaces with comfortable private areas. Nauta Design carefully selected a range of materials and textures to enhance the feeling of elegance, while waxed oak and walnut woods allow for easy maintenance.

Forward of the U-shaped salon, the galley can be fully enclosed with a sliding door and an inboard glass sliding hatch. A space-saving convertible dining table for eight slides outboard to reveal a handrail when not in use, and dedicated storage is set up for the folding dining chairs. Nauta’s chief designer Massimo Gino has flawlessly executed an interior that is fresh, clean and usable, where owners have the option to weave in their identity through color and soft goods.

Show Me the Practicality!

Now, the trawler traditionalist will say all of this design is lovely, but is it practical? Not to worry, the Grand Trawler 62 cleverly incorporates every practicality expected of a trawler and then some. 

As with all trawler builds, interior-exterior circulation is a critical factor, and the Grand Trawler 62 features carefully designed and logically situated storage throughout. Every area has been considered, whether it is dedicated dishware, glassware and cutlery storage adjacent to the dining table, dedicated storage for the aft cockpit covers in the overhead deck head, plentiful overhead and bulkhead grab rails, port and starboard transom and bulwark gates, all-starboard service ports, and even a portside galley door that accesses the galley’s trash bin from the exterior.

“Our boats have been designed with the help of the owners, many of whom are very experienced sailors with extensive career engineering backgrounds,” Chaffer says. “We’ve paid attention to how they use their boats and implemented features to facilitate this use into the next-generation designs.”

The transom area of the Grand Trawler 62 is another departure from the flagship’s older sisters and just another example of the intuitive boating ideology incorporated into the design. While most boats feature cockpit seating that faces the salon doors, the layout here is orientated to enjoy water views. A transparent coaming and sliding port, and starboard transom gates allow for an uninterrupted connection with the water, just three steps down on the transverse swim platform. A dual-use day head with a separate shower is accessed through a gull-wing hatch on the port side.

The lazarette area offers convenient access to the engine room and can be arranged for storage or as a separate space for crew. The forward guest-cabin arrangement sees either a full-beam master amidships with a twin to port and a VIP in the bow, or two convertible twin cabins amidships in place of the master to comprise four staterooms. Thoughtful storage and use details appear at every turn, and the option for the Luxe Package steps up the interior design another notch with louvered woodworking throughout.

“It’s not about the glamorous looks,” Chaffer says of the Grand Trawler 62’s stylish design, “but we do like a clean boat, where the chairs, the fenders, the Bimini has its own space. Everything in the trawler is simple and has a home.”

Focused on the Future

The Swift Trawler line’s success draws from a collective history of boatbuilding that extends well before 2003, beyond the decade of Beneteau fishing boats and even further back—to the story of Benjamin Beneteau’s engine-powered fishing-boat design of the early 1900s. The Grand Trawler 62 builds upon this heritage and the accumulated knowledge of the Swift Trawler series while implementing forward-leaning applications, like the six solar panels affixed to its hardtop. In fact, Groupe Beneteau has begun implementing renewable woods in lieu of teak and has taken other steps toward sustainability in its builds, such as recyclable resin and upholstery materials. 

“We monitor the life span of our products and look to constantly evolve the range,” Chaffer says. “Customers change over time.”

While you might not catch one on the Great Loop this summer, if the fundamental focus of the trawler owner is one of pure, intuitive boating bliss, then the Grand Trawler 62 provides flawless passage-making in an atmosphere of refined simplicity.

For more information about the Grand Trawler 62, visit beneteau.com

The post A Grand Trawler appeared first on Yachting.

Feeling the command behind the wheel of a yacht is almost unmatched. The boat is under the control of the skipper, and where it goes is entirely up to who’s at the wheel. Whether you’re seeking a premium dayboat for the weekends, a flybridge model to feel the salt or a long-range cruiser, there’s something here for all on-the-water enthusiasts. Here are nine owner-operator yachts under 100 feet that are ready for a new season on the brine.

Maritimo M55

As we turned the bow north, the Maritimo M55 met 6- to 8-footers, with some 10s mixed in. Our captain, Shawn Minihan, didn’t hesitate when he pushed the throttles down. After that point, we regularly went astronaut (you know, totally weightless) on more than a few launchings at 20-plus knots.

The M55 was a rock, cleaving the seas even though we were sluiced with solid water onto the windscreen of the enclosed bridge. There was not a squeak or groan even though we were moving somewhere around 35 tons of yacht into the air and then back into deep, green-water valleys. — Chris Caswell, “Maritimo’s Sea-Tamer: the M55”

Jeanneau DB/43

Powered with a pair of 380 hp Volvo Penta D6 Duoprop sterndrives, the Jeanneau DB/43 I got aboard topped out at 32 to 33 knots at two-thirds load with 39 percent fuel, 100 percent water and seven people aboard. At a 25-knot cruise, the engines burned about 29 gph, which translates to a theoretical range of 170 nautical miles. At 8 knots, expect 340 nautical miles.

The yacht felt nimble at the wheel and turned tightly. The Michael Peters-penned hull form romped through the lively seas. Close-quarters maneuvering with the joystick was easy as well. These latest sterndrives and their electronic clutches are streets away from the old, clunky installations of the past. They slip in and out of gear smoothly. — Phil Draper, “Jeanneau’s DB/43 Reviewed”

Sunseeker Predator 65

Based on the same hull as its sistership, the 65 Sport Yacht, the Sunseeker Predator 65 has an even purer profile. It eliminates features such as the 65 Sport Yacht’s upper deck, extra stairs, and sports-fly setup with a low-slung driving position, and instead offers a sliding carbon-fiber-and-glass sunroof—which means a proper open-yacht vibe on the main deck. There’s also a foredeck terrace and various cockpit furniture choices, along with a swim platform that can combine with the garage to create a beach club. Suffice it to say, during the day, the outdoors is awesome. — Phil Draper, “Sunseeker Predator 65 Reviewed”

Absolute Yachts 56 Fly

It’s hard to give us more without sacrificing what we already have and want to keep, but that’s exactly what the Absolute Yachts 56 Fly has achieved. It falls in the boatbuilder’s lineup between this past year’s 60 Fly debut and next year’s 52 Fly, and it’s a yacht with serious personality. This Italian-built yacht is, as the builder says, all about charisma.

The 56 Fly has a snub-nosed bow and big windows forward that, to my mind, look like the eyes of a sea turtle. Those full-height picture windows to the sides benefit hugely from notched, cut-down bulwarks, as does the aft deck from the fretted quarter rail. These design elements are all about boosting the views out and underscoring the connection to the sea. — Phil Draper, “Reviewed: Absolute Yachts 56 Fly”

Beneteau Swift Trawler 48

For traditional trawler enthusiasts, the Beneteau Swift Trawler 48 offers a range of 1,300 nautical miles at a leisurely 6.7 knots, or 1,000 nm at 8 knots. Owners can run nonstop from New York to Miami or San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

And yet, with the twin 425 hp Cummins diesels on the Swift Trawler 48 that I got aboard (380 hp Cummins are standard), owners also can scamper for home at 26 knots, if foul weather threatens or reservations for dinner ashore are waiting.

In other words, yachtsmen can have the best of both worlds: range when wanted, speed when needed. — Chris Caswell, “Beneteau’s Swift Trawler 48 Reviewed”

Azimut Verve 42

Blasting off waves, the Azimut Verve 42 landed softly thanks to the 22.5-degree transom deadrise and Michael Peters hull form. Yes, there was spray, but most of it was thrown aside, courtesy of double strakes and a wide spray chine/rail. We were in flat water long enough to see a top speed of 45 knots, and then the Gulf Stream dictated our speeds while we occasionally pushed the envelope. — Chris Caswell, “Azimut Verve 42 Reviewed”

Viking Yachts 64 Convertible

The cockpit’s uncluttered layout is the result of thousands of hours of experience aboard other Vikings in big-game tournaments around the globe. The 64C I got aboard had a leaning post/rod holder that bolted into an aluminum backing plate laminated in the cockpit sole, with double-hatch fish boxes on each side. Abaft that, a rounded teak cap rail held a livewell. Overlooking the whole scene was a mezzanine for crew to keep an eye on the spread, along with tackle stowage and a cold box. This 64C also had a Dometic ice machine on the port side for chilling down the fish boxes. — Chris Caswell, “Reviewed: Viking Yachts 64 Convertible”

Hinckley Yachts 35

This 35-footer has notable speed, thanks in part to a pair of optional 350 hp Mercury outboards. The 35 I got aboard made 40 knots on the pins running at 6,000 rpm with a full load of fuel and a half-tank of water. This thoroughbred-level gallop burns 60 gallons per hour. At top speed—and considering a 10 percent fuel reserve—range is about 180 nautical miles. At 4,000 rpm and a 24-knot cruise speed, fuel burn plummets to 23.5 gph and range jumps to 276 nautical miles.

It’s admirable performance when you consider that those engines are pushing a boat displacing 13,174 pounds. Hinckley also offers Yamaha outboards, and the 35’s standard engines are twin 300s, from either Mercury or Yamaha. At press time, Hinckley had sold 15 hulls, and all the owners had picked the bigger engines, Bryant says. — Patrick Sciacca, “Hinckley Yachts 35 Review”

Riva 68 Diable

A pantograph-framed canvas awning protects most of the aft deck when desired. The whole space forms one big, open main-deck lounge, effectively seamless from the swim platform through to the helm console. As with the smaller Dolceriva and Rivale hardtops, the 68 Diable incorporates air-conditioning ducts, but there’s still plenty of headroom beneath—at least 6 feet, 6 inches. The cockpit furniture that isn’t optional is symmetrical on each side of a central corridor. Two L-shaped sofas extend along each side, with a dining table to port (this table could be specified to starboard instead, or on both sides). On Hull No. 1, this table is mahogany and inlaid with the Riva logo. It’s on a pedestal than can rise or drop at the flick of a switch, creating a day bed. A pop-up TV is abaft the observer bench to starboard. — Phil Draper, “Riva 68 Diable Review”

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For traditional trawler enthusiasts, the Beneteau Swift Trawler 48 offers a range of 1,300 nautical miles at a leisurely 6.7 knots, or 1,000 nm at 8 knots. Owners can run nonstop from New York to Miami or San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, making it a top choice for a long-range trawler.

And yet, with the twin 425 hp Cummins diesels on the Swift Trawler 48 that I got aboard (380 hp Cummins are standard), owners also can scamper for home at 26 knots, if foul weather threatens or reservations for dinner ashore are waiting.

In other words, yachtsmen can have the best of both worlds: range when wanted, speed when needed.

The Beneteau Swift Trawler 48 is based on the builder’s 47-footer, with a resin-infused fiberglass hull. It’s also based on owner feedback, with a three-stateroom, two-head layout, including a near-king transverse berth in the master stateroom.

In the salon, the galley is aft and accessible to the cockpit. There, the seating and dining area can be fully enclosed, with tracks in place for side curtains. Just forward of the galley is a dinette; at the touch of a button, it disappears flush into the salon sole, leaving a wraparound sofa.

The skipper has a bolstered, pedestal bucket-style seat with a flip-up footrest. The 48 I got aboard had upgraded 12-inch Raymarine HybridTouch monitors (9-inch displays are standard), with backup analog dials and a separate Cummins engine monitor. Side-Power bow and stern thrusters are a savvy option, especially for short-handed cruising. Speaking of that, a sliding door allows easy access to the side deck right at the boarding door through the coaming, for hopping out to help with the lines. I liked the helm door stops that let the door slide to various opening widths for fresh air. And, like all the doors, this one had pullout screens to defeat those pesky no-see-ums.

Opposite the helm and under the windshield is a dead giveaway of the 48’s cruising intentions: an oversize locker for full-size charts (because some of us still like paper backups).

The dinette and lounge to port is raised 8 inches, giving guests a panoramic view through side windows, but Beneteau recognizes that not all of us are Michelin-starred chefs, so a sizable backsplash keeps spills from intruding on the dinette. This galley has all the amenities for making extended voyages, including a 9-cubic-foot Vitrifrigo full-height fridge, Miele convection oven and Kenyon two-burner stove. There is also a dishwasher, an undercounter ice maker and a wine chiller. The eye-level cabinet to starboard—almost a decor item with Lucite doors—was fitted for highball glasses on this 48.

The cockpit has more thoughtful touches. First, the ladder to the bridge not only has double handrails, but also the whole unit slides out of the way when owners want to free up deck space to entertain guests. Double doors lead to the transom platform, which, on this boat, had the optional hydraulic lift for a tender up to 700 pounds. The folding swim ladder has hinged rails.

Because the sitting area is offset to starboard, a Lucite door is fitted at the end of the side deck to protect against spray or wind. The port side is accessible via a pair of teak steps from the cockpit.

Up on the foredeck, I liked the solid double stainless-steel rails from the cockpit to the twin anchor rollers—a good setup for cruisers who need anchors for mud and sand, or want to swing on two hooks. Both rodes are handled by the Lewmar windlass with a gypsy for chain and a capstan head for either rode or for warping dock lines, with controls at both helms as well as a wired remote. The cabin top forward has a sun pad that flips up to become a forward-facing couch. And the 16-inch cleats all around the decks can handle the oversize lines that cruisers might encounter at marinas.

Up top, the flybridge is arranged for lounging as well as dining, with L-shaped settees on both sides and a dining table to starboard. Next to the radar mast are a Kenyon grill, sink, fridge and ice maker. The skipper, again, has a bucket seat, but this time there is room for companions; the backrests for the two settees flip to face forward. Just abaft the galley is a deck to stow water toys or put out chaise-style chairs for lounging.

When the party’s over, the master stateroom down below is forward with a queen island berth that has walk-around space on each side. Two windows with opening ports add brightness to an already cheery space with standard light-oak decor (teak is available). The en suite head, with Villeroy & Boch sinks, has two ports, and there’s an overhead hatch to get rid of the steam from the stall shower, which has a teak seat.

Just aft is the guest stateroom to starboard, with the optional washer/dryer hidden away, and another guest stateroom to port with twin berths. The twin stateroom has direct access to the second head, which also serves the guest stateroom across the hall and functions as the day head.

I also give the Swift Trawler 48 points for the engine room, which is accessed via two oversize hatches in the cockpit sole. Even with the upsized 425 hp Cummins diesels, all the service and maintenance points were within arm’s reach. There was a 7.5 kW Mase genset with convenient access for maintenance, as well as Webasto air conditioning. On deck, the fuel and water fillers are on the starboard deck.

In the lumpy Gulf Stream at 18 knots (2,370 rpm), this Swift Trawler 48 ate up the miles comfortably with nary a drop of spray on the windshield. For owners looking for a yacht that can either cast off tomorrow for faraway ports or harbor-hop with enough speed to get everyone home for work on Monday, the Beneteau Swift Trawler 48 is worth a look.  

An App for That

A feature unique to certain Beneteau yachts, including the Swift Trawler 48, is Seanapps, a proprietary program that lets owners monitor yachts from smartphones or tablets. The program can request routine maintenance, order a pre-departure wash or fuel-up, monitor battery and bilge levels, or check on interior temperature or water-tank levels. It integrates a maintenance logbook to schedule service.

Euro Certification

The 48 meets the standards of Euro Category B Offshore, which means it’s deepwater-rated for winds up to 40 knots and “significant” seas up to 13 feet with 14 people aboard. With 16 aboard, the yacht is Category C Inshore for winds up to Force 6 (27 knots) and 7-foot seas on coastal waters and large bays.

Take the next step: beneteau.com

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Rick Brown, who is in his 60s, is old enough to know that you never pet the puppy. The problem is, he got on the bus. And at that point, his fate was sealed.

Brown and his wife, Brenda, had retired to Florida about 14 years ago from their lakeside home in Indianapolis. There, they’d owned a 20-foot pontoon boat for dinner cruises. In the Sunshine State, they focused their leisure time on golf. In 2018, they decided to try some distance cruising while they were still young enough to enjoy it. On the advice of friends and local captains, they bought a Beneteau Swift Trawler 44.

Then came the bus. In 2020, their yacht club in Punta Gorda organized a bus trip to the Miami International Boat Show, where they saw the Beneteau Swift Trawler 41, the boat they own today.

“That was a classic ‘don’t pet the puppy,’ because if you pet the puppy, you’re liable to leave the store with it,” Brown says with a chuckle.

Their story is notable because it says as much about the Beneteau brand as it does about the Browns themselves. In just those few years that the couple had been cruising-boat owners, Beneteau Groupe had managed to improve the design of the Swift Trawler model line so much that they felt like they were getting a lot more boat in a shorter length overall. Brown particularly liked the 41’s seating, which was better laid out than the 44’s. He also liked the fact that the 41 had three staterooms compared with the 44’s two. The couple could use that third stateroom for stowage, freeing up even more livable space in the interior.

“It’s just more comfortable,” he says. “Especially on something like a three-night trip or when we go over to the Bahamas, we can just put a lot more gear and spare parts on the boat and have it out of the way.”

What the Browns experienced was a step in a design process that Groupe Beneteau had begun years earlier, rethinking and revamping its models specifically to appeal to American boaters. While the France-based company—which dates to 1884—has built powerboats for decades, it has more recently placed a strategic focus on building the kinds of powerboats Americans prefer. Beneteau never had a problem as a brand connecting with Americans who prefer to sail, but today, it’s a brand that more and more yachtsmen think of as a premiere builder of powerboats.

“Now, at boat shows, we’re hearing less and less, ‘Oh, I didn’t know they made powerboats,’” says Barrett Canfield, owner of the Beneteau dealership South Coast Yachts in Southern California. “The satisfying thing, the confidence-building part of that is the brand Beneteau is very respected in the world. Beneteau has actually built powerboats longer than sailboats.”  

The Shift to Swift

The boat that helped Beneteau make that turn was its Swift Trawler 42, which launched in the mid-2000s. It looked like a trawler and was made for family cruising, but it also had enough kick in the engine room to get up and go faster than a traditional trawler. On the docks at US boat shows, it offered something boaters really hadn’t seen.

Back then, Canfield was selling Beneteau’s sailboats and had never tried to sell the powerboats. He didn’t think his clientele would like their European feel. But with the Swift Trawler 42, he took a chance and brought one into his dealership. The boat’s layout and features, he thought, seemed more appropriate for Americans.

“It was really cool to see the response,” Canfield says. “It’s a very logical boat. It’s like the Suburban of boating. You can put a lot of stuff on it. You can put kids and dogs on it, you can get sand all over it and take it out to Catalina, and it just keeps going.”

That first Swift Trawler also appealed significantly to American sailors who wanted to transition to powerboats, says Justin Joyner, powerboat manager for Beneteau America. The builder soon found itself with a bona fide hit in the marketplace, with a wide range of boaters coming from sailboats, traditional trawlers and more.

“It was an easy stepping-off point into the powerboats for many people,” Joyner says. “The reality is that the trawler market 10 years ago was quite the niche market. Beneteau has produced over 1,300 Swift Trawlers now. In the grand scheme of the powerboat industry, that’s a small number, but it’s a huge number in that niche market.” 

Making the Move 

Les Cross is one of the, well, crossover boaters. He had sailed all his life, starting in his native Australia. “I was in the Royal Australian Navy,” he says. “I was a medic, and we were in the hospital one day, and it overlooked Sydney Harbour. There were all these sailboats out there, and I said to the guy I was with, ‘I’d love to learn to sail one day.’ And he said, ‘I know how to sail.’”

Those early lessons became a life’s passion. After he moved to California, Cross bought a Beneteau Oceanis 58 sailboat. But as he got older, he got the itch to switch to power. He wasn’t sure how to make the change when he found himself riding along with his captain on the delivery of a Beneteau Gran Turismo 45 to California’s Newport Boat Show.

“We liked that, but it didn’t quite feel like the right boat for us,” Cross says. “The next year, it was a Swift Trawler 44, and I said, ‘This is the boat for me. Our next boat is going to be a Swift Trawler 44.’”

He says he liked the trawler styling, and the fact that the boat could do 22 knots. “You had the comfort of a trawler and the look of a trawler, but you could do things like go to Catalina at 19 knots the whole way,” Cross says. “On our sailboat, it used to take us all night to get there. This took four and a half hours.”

After spending some time cruising on his Swift Trawler 44, Cross decided he wanted a little more room.

“Our family is big people,” he says. “My son is 6-foot-3, my daughter is 5-foot-10, and my wife said, ‘If we’re going to have the kids stay with us, we need something a little bigger.’”

This past November, a dealer handed him the keys to a Beneteau Monte Carlo 52. It was 18 months old and still had warranty coverage.

“As much as we loved the Swift Trawler 44, we thought the Monte Carlo would be a little better for having our tall family members on board and spending time with them,” Cross says. “We put in an offer on the MC52, which they accepted, and they had an offer on the Swift Trawler in three or four days.”

With Hawaiian Sol II now headed to a new owner, Hawaiian Sol III will be the first boat Cross has ever owned with Volvo Penta pod drives.

“It’s like flying a drone,” he says. “It’s amazing how responsive that joystick is. And on the MC, you have three stations to control the boat. There’s the flybridge and the salon, and there’s one out on the swim platform. It’s great visibility when you’re docking. You just dock the boat and step off. You don’t have to jump off—you can step off. We were on the boat on Tuesday, planning how to get to Cabo.”

Feeling Comfortable All Around

While the Cross family is organizing their future adventures in Mexico, the Browns—with no regrets about having pet the puppy—are planning to take their Swift Trawler 41, Hoosier Duck, from Florida to the Bahamas this spring.

“We’re heading back to the Bahamas in May, and our plan is to go for two months,” Brown says. “We were over there 28 days last year, and God willing, we’ll be there for two months this year, in May and June.”

And out in Southern California, Canfield is cheering on all of the Beneteau owners he’s come to know over the years. “The world of Beneteau is really focused on that family experience,” Canfield says. “It’s not just about building the boat; it’s about taking care of the customers far beyond the delivery day. Too often, when you buy something, it’s, ‘Here’s the keys, good luck.’ We have a whole plan. Delivery day is when our relationship really starts. We’ll meet you over on Catalina Island or down at the yacht club. You’re part of the Beneteau family, and we’re here to support you the whole time you own this boat.”

That kind of service, Joyner says, is another thing Beneteau is focused on nationwide to ensure that all of its US-based powerboat owners feel supported. Groupe Beneteau is a big organization—it employs some 7,600 people in six countries—but the goal is for each person who buys a Beneteau boat to feel seen, heard and well taken care of, no matter where they go cruising.

“We really do care about these buyers. We know them,” Joyner says. “We’re a billion-plus-dollar-a-year revenue company, but we know these people by name, and we have these types of relationships. I think a lot of times, people are afraid of big businesses. We’re not the size of Ford, where you’re just buying one of a thousand cars that they build a week, but we know our owners.”

The 6 Lines

Beneteau has six lines of powerboats. The Flyer and Antares lines are outboard-powered designs (the biggest is the 36-foot-7-inch Antares 11). The Gran Turismo line has models from a 32 to a 45, while the Swift Trawler line runs from the 35 to the 48 that will premiere this month at the Miami International Boat Show. Larger than that, Beneteau offers the Monte Carlo 52, which has a full-beam stateroom aft, and the Grand Trawler 62, which can accommodate six to eight guests along with crew.

20 knots

Every Swift Trawler that Beneteau builds can achieve at least that speed, according to Justin Joyner, powerboat manager for Beneteau America. Swift Trawlers blend trawler styling and cruising abilities with motoryacht features. Some have flybridges.

The 30 Test

Justin Joyner, powerboat manager for Beneteau America, says growth in the brand’s US following can be seen by comparing the late-model Swift Trawler 30 with the Antares 11, which is similar in terms of LOA. “Our preorders for the Antares 11—preorders—have already exceeded our entire production run of the Trawler 30,” he says. “Now that we’re more mainstream and building boats for that core powerboat market, we’re seeing this exponential growth in our sales numbers in the United States.”

Take the next step: beneteau.com

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The Beneteau Gran Turismo 40 has a raised, on-centerline helm with an adjacent companion seat. There’s another companion seat to starboard. Abaft the helm is a seat that faces the cockpit with L-shaped seating to starboard, a folding table that converts to a sun pad, and a portside bench. 

Belowdecks are a master stateroom forward and a guest stateroom amidships. Standard power is twin 300 hp Volvo Penta D4s for a reported 33-knot top hop; with the optional twin 370 hp Volvo Penta D6s, it’s 38.5 knots. At press time, eight GT 40s were on the market, ranging from $393,246 to $489,000.  

From the Archive

Beneteau’s Air Step hull form “pulls air in through a pair of notches in the chines forward of amidships, then channels the air to a pair of steps in the hull. The introduction of air bubbles reduces drag and provides a cushioning effect in the aft section of the hull. Reduced drag contributes not only to reduced fuel consumption but also to quicker acceleration and a higher top speed.”

—Yachting, December 2016

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Bump it and take it slow,” Capt. Robert “Tiger” St. Romain said as I reached for the throttles.

We were on the flybridge of the Beneteau 44 NautiGator. The metallic steering wheel reflected sunlight in all directions as the 10 a.m. breeze cooled us from the day’s encroaching heat. We had just pulled the bow and stern lines aboard, and we were headed off the coast of Cape Coral, Florida, toward “the Miserable Mile,” a gauntlet of shallows and boat traffic. It stood between us and a day of cruising.

That is, if I could get the boat out of our marina slip. I tapped the port and starboard throttles forward for a half-second before returning them to neutral. I could feel the gentle grumble of the twin 300 hp Volvo Penta D4 diesels. The momentum carried us forward enough that I had room to ease us out. I took a deep breath and shifted the portside throttle into reverse, the starboard throttle forward. We cleared the dock without drawing any attention, which I took as a sign that, so far, I was doing things correctly.

Then, boats were everywhere: sailboats, trawlers, express cruisers, dayboats, tenders, pontoons, powercats. A 30-footer was unwisely at wide-open throttle right outside the marina and made an abrupt stop as it found the bottom—props busted for the day. I checked our depth sounder again, gave another glance at the GPS, and made sure I was still where I should be in the channel. I kept the bow pointed where Capt. Tiger told me to point it. Our speed was a steady 2.5 knots.

Finally, we made it to the far edge of “the Miserable Mile,” and Capt. Tiger gave me the OK to take us up to 9 knots; it may as well have been 40. This stretch of water seemed like freedom itself. With the wind on my cheeks and the gentle sounds of the light chop against the hull, I felt pure joy.

And to think: Just 48 hours earlier, I had zero experience running any kind of boat at all.

I’m one among the countless people who have been flooding into US boating schools since the start of the pandemic, which brought a record number of new boaters onto the water and gave many owner-operators time to learn new skills or prepare for a bucket-list cruise. NautiGator is part of the fleet at Southwest Florida Yachts, which offers power and sail courses aboard its fleet or your own hull. My liveaboard schoolmate for the week was Greg Bergman, a father of seven from Georgia. He’s a single-engine pilot who had passed the written portion of his US Coast Guard captain’s license exam, and he owns a 33-foot center-console back home.

While I was learning the basics, he was accumulating sea time and learning coastal navigation along the Intracoastal Waterway.

“I wanted hands-on experience in navigating the ICW, docking in various conditions, working with marinas, radio communication and anchoring,” Greg says.

Boating courses are available for just about anything nowadays. America’s Boating Club offers courses in junior or advanced navigation, engine maintenance, weather, and more. The BoatU.S. Foundation, along with Boat Ed, offers state-specific boating courses. There are even courses specific to personal watercraft, kayaks and canoes, all with links available online from the US Coast Guard.

I took Southwest Florida Yachts’ Basic Powerboat Handling and Inland Powerboat Cruising courses, which, combined, are prerequisites for the Offshore Powerboat Cruising course. Students also make new friends and go ashore to experience all the fun of the cruising lifestyle.

In NautiGator’s salon, Capt. Tiger showed us navigational charts, dismantled boat-engine parts, and sketches that explained how the boat’s engines interacted with the water. In the engine room, we crouched as he showed us how to check fluid levels prior to departure (and then quizzed us to make sure we’d been listening). On the flybridge, he taught me not to be overly eager with the steering wheel; the slightest nudge of the wheel to port or starboard was all I needed to change the boat’s heading, lest I wanted to spend my whole day overcompensating at the helm.

Practicing docking on a 45-footer for the first time is a humbling experience. Greg took his turn and brought the boat into the marina slip easily enough, and I was surprised to hear applause when I did it too. But my second attempt included a minor collision (oops) between a pylon and the stern’s starboard side. I nudged NautiGator forward, and the pylon bounced upright.

Capt. Tiger took control and readjusted the boat into the slip.

“One more time, Victor,” he said.

The lesson learned was that things don’t always go as planned on boats. A marina may direct you to a slip different from the one you were expecting when you prepped the lines on deck. Another boater may not know the rules of the road, forcing you to adjust course. The air conditioning may act up when you try to switch over from shore power to the generator. You may have to alter your plans so you can remain cool and comfortable.

That’s the main lesson I learned about boating: It’s a whole community of people who seem cool and comfortable. Everywhere we cruised, it didn’t matter what kind of boat people were aboard—small or large, fast or slow, chartered or owned, fishing or cruising—everyone waved hello. I was the new guy (almost everyone I met was at least 30 years my senior with lots of onboard experience), but the biggest concern others seemed to have was that I’d never ordered a Cabbage Creeper rum drink on the island of Cabbage Key. Because of the boat, we were able to find all kinds of common ground, especially when Ozzy Osbourne was blaring from the flybridge.

On our last day, we headed back to the marina. Once again, we found ourselves entering “the Miserable Mile”—only this time, it was Saturday, and the traffic was considerably more chaotic.

And yet, the boats all around no longer intimidated me. I felt confident enough to dole out waves to every passing skipper—albeit, at my comfort-zone speed of 3 knots.

“Wanna bring us in?” Capt. Tiger asked.

I gripped the wheel and let the wind guide me into the marina’s channel, bumping the throttles as necessary. As we made the last turn into the final straightaway, Capt. Tiger headed down to the main deck to prepare the lines, leaving Greg and me on the flybridge; it was now my ship to command. I lined up the boat with the slip and eased in NautiGator.

“Give it a little reverse. We gotta get all the way back,” Capt. Tiger instructed from the stern.

I knew enough to let momentum do most of the work. One bump on each throttle was all I needed to stop the boat, with bow and stern thrusters centering us as the lines were set.

Capt. Tiger sounded proud as he congratulated me on the docking job.

This was the opposite of miserable. And I can’t even imagine what I’ll learn in all the nautical miles I want to explore next.  

Nice To Meet You

The NautiGator’s 45-foot-6-inch length overall played a major factor in the development of my relationships with course mate Greg Bergman and Capt. Robert “Tiger” St. Romain. The stairs belowdecks led straight to the en suite master stateroom in the forepeak: Greg’s room. My stateroom was to port, across from the day head and about two steps away from Greg’s hideaway. Meanwhile, Capt. Tiger graciously slept on the couch aft in the salon. We each had our own space, and we developed the kind of organic bond that is such a big part of boating.

All Are Welcome

At boating schools all across the country, classes are tailored for boaters of all experience levels. I was brand-new to the sport, but Greg Bergman, my course mate, owns and operates a 33-footer. He focused on learning different things than I did, showing the wide range of information that’s part of the program.

Worth it

Southwest Florida Yachts’ Basic Powerboat Handling course ($1,695) and Inland Powerboat Cruising course ($1,895) cost $2,695 combined for six days living aboard a twin-screw boat 42 feet or larger. Students pay for their meals and the instructor’s. Prices include fuel and dockage.

Take the next step: swfyachts.com

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They call Montana “big sky country,” but after enjoying the view from Beneteau’s Gran Turismo 45, I feel that this 48-foot-6-inch express cruiser challenges that 147,040-square-mile state for the moniker. That’s because the retractable hardtop over the Beneteau’s helm deck opens to unveil 48 square feet of sunshine and open atmosphere. Add in the fact that Montana is disconcertingly landlocked—and has not one single leaping dolphin or soaring seabird to gaze upon—and we can call the title officially usurped.

While the sheer size of the Beneteau’s top is one thing, how it opens is noteworthy as well. It slides back nearly silently at the press of a button, then locks into position without so much as an audible click. The same goes for the cabin’s after bulkhead window, which swings up with another button press and then also inaudibly locks itself in place.

Silence matters, especially on a yacht that strives to deliver luxury, and Beneteau went beyond eliminating loudly humming motors and clacking latches. Creaking, groaning and squeaking are also things of the past. The door frames and hatches belowdecks have rubberized gaskets that eliminate rattling. Beneteau opted to core forward sections of the hull, to eliminate the hollow drumming sound so many vessels make as they cruise through a chop.

Net result? I measured sound levels in the forward stateroom, where guests would normally be subjected to the most water noise while running. On smooth water, my meter showed 72 decibels (65 decibels is the level of normal conversation). When the boat was hitting waves, sound levels rose by just 2 decibels. Problem solved.

As much as I enjoyed riding belowdecks, the helm deck is where owners will spend the bulk of their cruising time. And after opening the sunroof and bulkhead window, they can slide back the side windows, prop open the door and bring the outside inside. No one should have any worries about salty breezes interacting with the interior, either. Hardware includes polished stainless-steel pedestals at the dinette, as well as beefy stainless-steel hatch hinges on the wet bar. All the pieces and parts can withstand the elements should one fail to button up when weather dictates. This particular GT 45 also had a solid-teak deck, which offers longevity, easy cleanup and a grippy feel underfoot.

As far as accommodations go, the GT 45 has a two-head, two-stateroom layout with the galley down. Rather than shoehorn in a third stateroom, Beneteau included a lower settee and dinette (across from the galley) in addition to the one abaft the helm up on the bridge deck. This design choice maintains a feeling of excess elbow room throughout the yacht. There are no confining companionways, and the heads—each with a separate stall shower—feel spacious. Hullside windows with opening ports allow gobs of sunlight and, if one so chooses, a natural breeze. Should an owner want more berths on board, the lower salon can be replaced with an optional third stateroom with bunk beds.

The forward stateroom has a scissors-style berth, which provides a pair of singles when separated or a queen berth when closed. The full-beam master stateroom is amidships, with a queen-size pedestal berth and stowage in counters to each side. There’s also a pop-up TV.

As nice as the staterooms may be, when the throttles are at rest, the bow is another area owners will hear calling their names. Like many cruising yachts, the GT 45 has a lounge up there. Ratcheting backrests allow guests to recline however they desire, as opposed to flip-flop backrests that offer just one or two positions. And when the sun is beating down, a mini Bimini top folds out. Grab the bar and pull it up, clip on the support straps, and everyone has it made in the shade.

What about after the sun sets? Fold up that Bimini top and gaze at the Milky Way. Big Sky Country, indeed.  

Double the Fun

Some yachts in this class have either a small transom garage or a swim platform capable of carrying a tender, but the GT 45 has both. The garage—equipped with an electric winch—can house tenders or toys up to 7.5 feet in length. The hydraulic swim platform can raise and lower with a tender or PWC on it. Atop the garage is a sun pad with a flip-open electric grill built into the after end.

Go with the Flow

The GT 45 rides on Beneteau’s Air Step hull, which ducts air under the hull and introduces it at the hull’s lowest point to reduce drag without impeding handling. This latest version of the system utilizes three times the volume of the air compared to the original Air Step. To ensure that there were no issues with air affecting the Volvo Penta IPS drives, Beneteau built a prototype, and Volvo Penta validated its performance before the GT 45 went into production. Powered with twin 440 hp Volvo Penta IPS diesels, the yacht made a top-end speed of 26.3 knots at 3,390 rpm. At 3,000 rpm, the GT 45 made 21.5 knots—and that was on a hull that had been in the water for two weeks without bottom paint. Beneteau’s representative said top-end speed commonly exceeds 30 knots.

Details, Details

Beneteau strove to take fit-and-finish to true yacht level on the GT 45. In the engine room, for example, hoses are double-clamped with rubber caps protecting the sharp edges. Owner-operators will be safe running a finger over the zip ties that secure hoses and wires; not only have the ends been clipped off, but they’ve also been smoothed out to prevent snags or scratches.

Take the next step: beneteau.com

The post Beneteau Gran Turismo 45 Review appeared first on Yachting.

Yachting got on board Beneteau’s Gran Turismo 41 and 45 at the 2021 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Watch the video to see not only the differences between the two boats, but what sets them apart from the rest.

About Beneteau

“Today, there’s a Beneteau powerboat or motor yacht for whatever you’re looking for – from casual cruising to long-distance adventuring, from fishing and diving to water skiing. They can be found on the open ocean, coastlines, harbors, lakes, and rivers. There’s a whole world to discover out there, and there’s no better way to discover it than at the helm of a Beneteau powerboat, trawler or motor yacht.”

To see more from Beneteau, visit beneteau.com.

The post Yachting On Board: Beneteau Gran Turismo 41 & 45 appeared first on Yachting.