These are great boats. Just as an update, the Volvo engines are no longer an option, it has Yanmars now. Also, the Raymarine Axioms on the fly bridge are 9”, but you can upgrade them to 12”, there’s no 7 inch options. The teak in the shower stall is standard. There an option for davits on the swim platform that’s a roller option and it comes with an electric winch to get the dinghy up onto the platform. Apparently the mast and tackle option on the Swift 44 that put it on the fly bridge was prone to failing so they went with a more heavy duty option. This boat actually replaces the 44 in the lineup since it’s actually 44’ long. You really don’t need the stern thruster since with the twins and the bow thruster it’s pretty easy to move around the marina if you have a clue what you are doing. Your estimate of range is about right, it can get about 900 statute miles at 7 knots. Nice review.
I still wonder how to manage a tender on this boat. Obviously a tender is a "necessary accessory" for cruising, and I see no room for the tender, nor a tender engine, etc. How is this fixed? Thanks for the nice presentation!
You ask a great question. The earlier Swift boats had a boat deck and hoist on the second level. That feature has been done away with to use that space for sunning. That leaves the swim platform with davits as your only option. You may have seen that I use the Trick Davit system on the 400 Sedanbridge which has an extension option to provide a little more room for carrying a dinghy. You are limited to the size of dinghy you can carry but anything with a beam up to 6' should work. Happy to discuss further.
Carver is about the closest boat builder I can think of that could possibly be considered a competitor to the Beneteau Swift line, even the Jeanneau's are more of an express-cruiser design. Another option, although in most cases you lose the comfortable cruising in double digits, are some of the pilot house boats (like the Helmsman 43). Nice walk-around, and I like that you could get the S41 pretty much loaded for around $750k. Does the radar mast fold fairly easily? Hopefully with the mast and bimini down you could get under the 15'6" fixed bridges along the western Erie canal route.
Todays Carver boats are very nice indeed. Although they tend to be powered for a faster cruise. The swift trawlers occupy an interesting segment of diesel semi displacement cruiser, that offers a lot of value. In a smaller size, the Cutwater cruisers and Ranger tugs offer something similar. For that mater Nordic Tug and American tug are similar but at a higher price point.
