Swift Trawler 48 Review (2022 Edition)

Welcome to the easy life. The mix of old-school trawler traits and modern boat-building design combine for one wonderfully relaxed yacht. Across the decks and interior, the flow of space is approaching class-leading for a sub-15m model and a notable improvement in key areas on the Swift Trawler 47 this boat replaces.

The Swift Trawler 47 and 48 are the same three-cabin boat with some key changes to the finish and layout.

The 48 continues with the same overall exterior design that has just enough trawler in it to give off some charm and the excellent, smooth-riding semi-displacement hull, allied to twin 380hp or 425hp Cummins engines. The package delivers a great balance between 20-25 knot performance, some useful range, and good stability at slower speeds.

The decks are near-identical, with the same spacious flybridge and excellent bulwarked starboard working deck retained.

Upgrades & Improvements 

There is a general sense of upgrade across the ST48, no bad thing for a range that just seems to get better and better the more kit and equipment you throw at them. We love the new teak and stainless steel starboard support for the deck overhang, a classy addition that replaces the ST47’s plain white GRP support. However, the similar port-side panel pushes out uncomfortably onto the narrower deck at a key transit point. Perhaps, some more asymmetry is required?

The big design changes come inside. Out goes the old deck salon’s aft lounge and somewhat complex forward helm-galley arrangement, in comes a far more coherent and enjoyable galley aft design that opens up entirely to the aft deck. The lounge then lies forward in a J-shape dinette layout. You do lose the old boat’s facing seats but, overall, it feels a good compromise. 

Below decks, a similarly straightforward new central companionway design has three notably improved cabins feeding off it, with a new ensuite access for the port guest cabin as well as the owner’s stateroom. 

All of the ST48’s design changes work and make for far better onboard experience, with interior space and stowage two notable improvements. But there are two things we miss from the ST47. The first is the split toilet and shower compartments for the owner, a necessity that allows a better starboard cabin. The second is the louvre locker doors that added some trawler charm to the cabin finish, a cost-saving exercise that we implore Beneteau to rethink.

At the time of writing, and unlike the 41, there are no plans for a sedan, non-flybridge, version of the Swift trawler 48.

The ST48’s interior is the big winner from the design overhaul, on every level. The salon feels bigger, brighter, and more practical. The big galley aft is on a different culinary planet from the old forward design. The galley is loaded with stowage and a proper, domestic-level, fridge freezer creating the same level of cold storage as the 62 Grand Trawler flagship, no less. The galley aft design creates room for a long, fiddled countertop and sideboard to starboard, adding masses of storage and a useful food preparation area. The one issue is the lack of a decent splash-back between the sink and dinette backrest, it's there but needs to be raised by a good few inches to protect the upholstery.

The J-shape dinette forward is less convivial than the ST47's facing lounge seating but reaps the benefit of the deep cutaway side windows, creating a great view outboard. You can choose a curtain and convertible table to create a moderately private single berth.

The lower helm’s side-deck door (less a door, more a full-height glass feature) makes the interior feel more open and in touch with the world beyond. In fact, with the cockpit doors, side doors, and side windows all opened up, the ST48’s salon feels incredibly alive.

Good Sense, Front & Center

The new central stairwell, flanked by handrails, leads below decks with the owner’s cabin directly ahead. Little has changed here on the new boat and while we might miss the old toilet shower set-up, the new ensuite is perfectly good with a decent shower stall. The cabin is bright and inviting, if a little plain, missing the louvered locker doors of earlier models. It also lacks a full hanging locker with two half lockers on each side instead.

The spacious port guest cabin was always good, with its hull-side glass full-height locker and excellent headroom. It is now made better with ensuite access to the day head. It is the same story for the starboard cabin that now enjoys more room, courtesy of the central stairwell. This little cabin was arguably the pick of the bunch with its twin ports, headroom, and double berth making the most of the space on offer. The cabin also has two massive, deep lockers that can be optioned with a washing machine, the locker above making the perfect linen cupboard. 

Both the upper and lower helm stations take on a workmanlike, almost commercial style. The consoles make room for twin 12in MFD screens, the lower helm the place for longer cruises but also a useful spot when short-handed, the side door allowing you to nip out on the deck and take a line. The relatively small lower console is packed with dials and cup holders, and the smart stainless steel throttles and oversized steering wheel add a touch of class. 

Both helms have good visibility but the flybridge is, of course, excellent. Aside from the always good forward viz, what impresses is the alongside view, the central helm position allowing you to easily nip left or right and peer over the side. Whereas the lower helm is for one, the upper has space for five people to join in, folding backrests allowing the lounge seating to convert to helm seats. 

The amount of seating makes access a little congested around the flybridge helm but once you’re in it's good and comfortable.

With an identical deck plan to the ST47, it is still worth reminding ourselves of the key features that make it such a winner. The design kicks off with a deep swim platform, an optional hydraulic high-low platform able to take a tender. 

The cockpit is simple enough on layout, but loaded with sense. The flybridge ladder slides forward, so when you don’t need to go up top or want to improve access, you win a nice amount of open deck. The aft bench hides the gas locker, but keeps the deck clear for two hatches leading to an enormous lazarette. 

No Sideshow

Both side decks are impressive, the port side is reached by two shallow steps and is easy to navigate, but you might not ever find out because the walk-through starboard deck is so easy and safe to use that it makes the port almost redundant. The combination of a tall bulwark, the flybridge overhang, and the bulwark gate up by the helm create a superb deck that you simply will not be better at this LOA.

The flybridge is a smart trawler yacht homage, its proud central, funnel-like mast (you can option a stainless steel gantry instead) the centerpiece. The mast and the wet bar that sit beneath it create the divide between an open aft deck and forward lounge seating.

The open deck might seem odd in a market that works overtime to build something into every square inch but it is a trawler norm and perfect for free-standing furniture, stowage boxes, or a small tender. Certainly, with so much fixed seating forward, with two facing lounge seats set around a teak dining table, you don’t need any more. An optional hardtop is also available, sheltering the seating and helm, but keeping the aft deck open.

As complete a cruising machine as the ST48 is, this is still a Beneteau and that means a focus on delivering a low base price with some hefty options for buyers to then work through. The good news is the base boat and its standard engines create a good foundation and there are some easy options packages to do most of the heavy lifting on finish and specification, the £32,000 Comfort Trim package is a better bet than the austere-sounding £30,000 Essentials option.

Our Options & Pick

The press shots might all show a hard top but we would say it's one of the main options you don’t need. If you’re reading this from hotter climates, you can largely ignore everything we are about to say, but, while the hardtop adds some shade and a sunroof it somehow takes away from the ST48’s trawler charm and costs a whopping £30,000. Better to go for the canvas Bimini for around £5,000. 

The high-low swim platform is, perhaps, more of a must, enabling a decent tender to be easily launched and recovered. Its £25,000 cost may make you see things differently, though. 

Elsewhere, the main decision for most buyers will be whether to go for the larger 425hp Cummins engines and push the performance to around 25 knots from the standard 20. We see this yacht as every inch the sedate cruiser, where 10-15 knots is the relaxed, efficient way to go. If you agree, you don't need to pay the extra £30,000.

For serious cruising, there is plenty of room in the lazarette and engine bay for ancillary equipment. A generator will cost from £10k-20k, depending on kW power, and a water maker is around £8,000. Depending on where you plan to cruise, heating is £5,000 and air con only slightly more at £7,000.