Motor Boat & Yachting — November 2017

The Swift Trawler 34 has been a bit

of a phenomenon for Bénéteau,

a true masterclass in maximising

the available space in a 36ft hull. The

design team faced a real challenge in

improving on the original so it’s more

of a case of small enhancements here

and there that improve the package

as a whole rather than a total rethink.

The styling, penned by Nuvolari

Lenard, mimics the more rounded

lines of the 30 and adopts the smaller

boat’s more striking glazing along the

covered starboard side deck. The

ST35 also pinches its smaller sibling’s

split transom and adjustable flybridge

steps, which can nestle up to the

cockpit doors to provide more space

in the cockpit.

The flybridge is one of the

more significant changes over the

predecessor. It no longer provides

storage space for a tender, which

is now stowed using transom davits.

Gone is the cumbersome flybridge

crane, replaced by a radar arch,

beneath which is a larger seating

area with higher, more comfortable

backrests. There is still space aft for

some freestanding chairs but this

area isn’t as large as the ST34’s.

The saloon layout is much the

same, though there is now a privacy

curtain for those using the sofa bed

and a reworking of the galley leaves

space for a cushioned perch that

guests can use when the boat is in

motion. Below, the master cabin has

elongated windows to significantly

AT A GLANCE

Length 37ft (11.29m)

Beam 13ft 0in (3.96m)

Engine Single Cummins 425hp

Top speed 18 knots (estimate)

Price from £258,134 inc 20% VAT

Bénéteau Swift Trawler 35

increase the amount of natural light

and a lower island double that is

easier to climb into than the ST34’s.

The guest cabin still uses bunks,

which is slightly disappointing, but

they are wider and less claustrophobic

and there’s a touch more space to get

changed in than before.

Both cabins share the same

bathroom but it has been redesigned

to incorporate a separate shower

cubicle in place of the wet room-

style bathroom and its clingy

shower curtain that the 34 had.

One thing that hasn’t changed is

the engine, and that’s good because

the single 425hp Cummins motor

is an absolute gem. It’s reliable,

punchy, smooth and mated to an

accomplished semi-displacement

hull shape. It’s the beating heart

of this mid-range Swift Trawler and

a key contributor to its no-nonsense,

dependable attitude. The new 35

punches well above its weight.

Contact See Bénéteau website for

details. Web: http://www.beneteau.com

63

STARS OF SOUTHAMPTON

Much more glass than

the ST34’s saloon

The master cabin is

much brighter than

its predecessor’s

Engine access is below

the saloon fl oor

This boat is a true

masterclass in space

maximisation