Construction includes the use of a cored hull with a bonded, load-bearing internal stringer system. The deck and superstructure are cored with balsa to provide a stiff, lightweight and sufficiently insulated structure. An internal molded-fiberglass liner contributes to strength and the trawler's clean appearance.
Maximum displacement is 33,000 pounds, and fuel and fresh-water capacity are 395 and 169 gallons, respectively. Each of the two Yanmar 6LYA-STP six-cylinder turbocharged diesels delivers a maximum of 370 hp at 3300 rpm. The light weight of the engines-3.04 pounds per horsepower without marine gear-accounts for a significant part of the boat's high-speed performance.
Though the company had not yet performed the final propeller tuning, we obtained a wide-open-throttle speed of 25.4 knots. Yanmar's rating for these engines allows continuous operation at 3100 rpm-the maximum minus 200 rpm. Running the engines at this speed produced a reading of just over 23 knots on the GPS. More conservative skippers may choose to run their engines a bit slower-say, at 2900 rpm (a maximum sustained cruise-speed rating common to many engine manufacturers). At this rpm the engines were delivering only 75 percent of their rated power, yet the boat was cruising at 20.6 knots. The 42 is indeed a swift trawler.
At this power setting, we ran the boat into a 2-foot chop and 12 to 15 knots of wind on Tampa Bay and found the ride to be completely comfortable. The boat was stable and responded immediately to helm commands, including maximum-effort turns. Except in the turns off the wind, there was a notable lack of spray on the windscreens.
The ship's electrical panel is aft on the port side and commendably small- unlike those that would be more appropriate at a major power-generating station. The skipper can conduct routine engine inspection without removing the saloon deck, but if needed, the sections can be removed for unobstructed access to all machinery. One small item in the engine compartment really delighted us: The sharp ends of the band-type hose clamps had slip-on plastic covers.
The primary fuel filters and seawater strainers for the engines are mounted on the after side of the fuel tanks, at the forward end of the engine compartment. At present, access to these critical service points requires passing between the engines. Though ventilation here is outstanding moving past all that hot iron is, at best, an unattractive idea.
The Beneteau Swift Trawler 42 balances the comfort of a sailboat interior, the efficiency of a slow-paced trawler and the quickness of a modern motoryacht. Anyone will find this well-done package tempting-even owners of the builder's entries in the world of wind.
Contact: Beneteau USA, (843) 805-5000; www.beneteauusa.com. For more information, contact: (866) 922-4877; www.yachtingnet.com/yachting/productinfo.
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