Beneteau Swift Trawler 50 IPS

By John Armstrong

I had the pleasure of running and reviewing the Swift 50 when I was in Annapolis last October; the boat was supplied by Beneteau America and was moored at Annapolis Yacht Sales.

The French-built Swift 50 encompasses a traditional trawler look but with her twin 435 hp Volvo Penta IPS 600’s performs like a sedan bridge or a sport cruiser, topping out at 24.8 knots in calm seas. With the dynamic stability there was very little roll in all the conditions we encountered. The boat has vertical pilothouse windows that gives you a panoramic view from the helm. There is a joystick docking control at the lower helm as well as on the flybridge helm plus an an optional third joystick in the aft cockpit.

The Swift 50 has well thought out accommodations which make it a very comfortable boat for onboard living. I will be writing a full review on this outstanding boat in a future issue, so once again stay tuned!

Length Overall: 49’2″ / 14.99 m

Hull Length: 43’9″ / 13.33 m

Beam: 15’3″ / 4.65 m

Light displacement: 35,264 lbs / 16,000 kg

Fuel Capacity: 2 x 317 gals / 2 x 1,200 L

Water Capacity: 2 x 106 gals / 2 x 400 L

Max Engine Power (hp) : 2 x 435 HP Volvo Penta

IPS 600

Price: US $900,000

Photo Captions:

1) The innovative design of the bottom is specially conceived for the IPS dirve system and enables a range of over 100 miles at crusing speed and a fuel consumption of less than 30 litres per hour.

2) You’re aboard an authentic traler, where every detail is designed to respond to a primary function: sailing long distances, in full safety and the utmost comfort.

Video Gallery

Bennington 22 MSB

By Andy Adams

If you’ve already had firsthand experience with a pontoon, you will easily understand the appeal of the Bennington 22 MSB. But if you haven’t, let’s start by reviewing a few of the reasons why pontoon boats have become top sellers in markets across North America.

Pontoon boats began in the early 1950s as basically four steel drums lashed to a frame. They were not unlike the log rafts of ancient cultures and not much more sophisticated at first.

Read More

Destinations

The Best of Two Worlds

By Mathew Channer

Interior British Columbia might not be as famous for recreational boating as Canada’s Great Lakes, yet it is no less a world-class boating destination. The mountains offer their own flavour of marine adventure with their series of long, deep ribbon lakes, and there is perhaps no area that embodies this more uniquely than the iconic Okanagan basin in southern B.C. One could be forgiven for assuming this valley was purpose-built for nautical fun, with a few delightful perks thrown in to make the area entirely irresistible (wine-tasting, anyone?).

Read More