Trawl to the top-end

By ROBIN BAILEY


Two new releases from the giant French Beneteau yard emphasise the company's traditional skills in building workboats and its expertise in turning out fast high-performance cruising sailboats.

In business for more than 100 years, Beneteau first began building trawlers for the local fishing fleet in 1884.

Now comes the Swift 42 Trawler, which is a fishing boat in name only.

The ST42 is a highly functional offshore-capable passage-maker in the trawler style with a luxurious and accommodating interior.

The other new release is the Beneteau 57, which complements the company's range of performance offshore sailboats.

The 57 is the latest product of the liaison between the company and New Zealander Bruce Farr's design office.

The final design came after feedback from owners of Beneteau sailboats, who were asked what they would like to see in the ultimate blue-water cruiser.

The result is a yacht designed to eat up the miles short-handed, quickly, safely and in complete comfort.

Features include a sea-kindly hull with high topsides and large aft deck with built-in swim platform.

The cutter rig sail plan is easily controlled in all weather conditions and the running rigging is led back to the centre cockpit, which provides for extra safety and good all-round visibility.

The yacht comes fully equipped, with generator, electric manoeuvre winch, windlass and bow-thruster for ease of docking in all conditions.

The spacious interior is practical and - as with all the company's production sailboats - luxurious.

The sweeping saloon is finished in light wood and the galley is designed to provide top-end catering while remaining functional in the worst sea conditions when the yacht is being sailed short-handed.

The ST42 has been created with the American market in mind.

Company research has indicated that in the United States the demand for powerboats with a 30-35 knot capability appears to be declining as more boaters are seeking safer cruising at a comfortable 18-20 knots.

Gary Erceg, head of the local Beneteau agents Yachtfinders Global, believes there will be a similar response to the ST42 in New Zealand, where our coastal and offshore sea conditions call for a "good sea boat".

The Beneteau design team spent five years working on the ST42.

They are close to the Bay of Biscay, which has some of the worst weather in the world, so the design emphasised capability to travel at cruising speed in a 2m chop without unpleasant motion or jeopardising safety.

The company says it has achieved long-range seaworthiness and good cruising speed through sharp entry and a semi-planing hull with stepped sides that gives a smooth ride even in steep seas.

Power comes from either 200 or 370hp twin engines and the top deck has a sizeable flybridge with dual helm station.

On-board comfort is ensured by a 360-degree panoramic saloon with adjoining galley, big master stateroom with walk-around queen-sized berth, ensuite and separate shower, plus guest accommodation. Interior fit-out is neo-classical with varnished cherrywood joinery.

Details of both boats are at Yachtfinders-Global

SPECIFICATIONS

Trawler ST42

Design: Beneteau

LOA: 13.5m

Hull: 12.17m

Beam: 4m

Light displacement: 10,000kg

Maximum power: 2 x 370cv

Fuel capacity: 1500l


Beneteau 57

Design: Farr Yacht Design

LOA: 17.20m

LWL: 15.0m

Beam: 4.98m

Draft: 2.6m or 2.1m

Light displacement: 21,500kg

Sail area: 165 sq m

Fuel capacity: 480l