Beneteau Swift Trawler 37 Fly Review (2025 Edition) by Aquaholic

On Deck

The 35 had its glass angled the opposite way, but on the Swift Trawler 37 the screen leans forward instead, opening up a broad area above the helm. Left bare it’s a clean GRP panel, but you can spec it with sliding hatches for extra airflow or fit solar panels if you’re going for the silent-running package.

Aft, the bathing platform is cleverer than it first appears. A whole transom module slides fore and aft depending on whether you want more cockpit room or a longer platform. Into that same structure slot stainless davits capable of handling a tender of about 2.3m. Drop-in sockets also take a passerelle, and a swimming-pool style ladder lives on board to hook over the transom when you’re in holiday mode. Even if that’s stowed away there’s a secondary ladder beneath the platform, complete with a handle, so you can always climb back aboard.

The cockpit enclosure is offered in two ways. Standard spec gives you a simple transom gate and rails. Most buyers, though, are likely to choose the sliding section shown here, which unbolts and runs across on tracks to maximise either cockpit floor or bathing platform. A cockpit shower is fitted close by.

The side decks are asymmetric. The starboard run is the main thoroughfare, broad enough for easy movement and perfectly positioned beside the helm’s big sliding side door. That door, combined with the bulwark gate and a cleat right there on the deck edge, makes short-handed berthing very manageable. The port deck is narrower but still usable, and its extra height helps claw back interior volume. Hardware is noticeably upgraded, with stainless cleats now fitted into the bulwark and anti-chafe plates to stop lines grinding into the gelcoat.

At the bow a flat foredeck gives you space for loose cushions if you want them, but it’s still a working area first. The anchor sits in a bow roller, with windlass and chain locker directly behind. The forward seat hinges and drops flat for running, or locks in a couple of different positions for use in harbour. The forward hatch over the owner’s cabin lifts clear without blocking the deck.

The flybridge version brings another set of toys. There’s a fridge drawer, dining table and a reversible backrest that flips to create forward-facing seating beside the upper helm. Electronics here include a 16-inch multifunction display with provision for a second. Zip-wake controls, autopilot and proportional bow and stern thrusters all fall easily to hand.

Aft on the bridge you’ll see something new driven by owner requests. The radar mast is designed to fold forward on a simple hinge so the boat will slip under Great Loop bridges in the US. Pair that with the option of a small davit crane and paddleboard racks moulded into the coachroof sides, and you’ve got a very practical upper deck.

Opt for the sedan instead and you lose the bridge entirely, replacing it with a flat deck edged by waist-high guardrails. That space can be kitted out with lifestyle bars for kayaks and bikes, or laid with teak-style decking for sunpads. Either way, the stair and hatch remain, so you don’t lose the access.

On the 35, the galley was forward with a sideboard opposite and a small two-seat sofa that pulled out into a bed. On the 37, the galley has been moved aft to port and the whole saloon feels better for it. What you get now is a U-shaped dinette rather than two benches staring at each other, and it makes the space far more sociable. The table drops down too, and because the backrest cushions are shaped to match the angled seat backs, they drop neatly into place to create an infill and turn this area into an extra berth when you need it.

Shifting the galley aft also frees up the forward end of the saloon. High-level lockers now line the space above the helm because they’re no longer blocking the sightlines, so you gain more storage as well. This boat shows the optional tall fridge-freezer in place of the standard half-height version with wine rack. Cooking here is all-electric, though gas is still available as standard.

Worktops are Corian rather than laminate, lockers are edged with curved solid wood, and veneers are twice as thick as before. The hardware feels reassuringly solid, with German latches on the cupboards, and things like the sliding windows run flush rather than inboard, giving a cleaner, more expensive feeling finish.  

There’s a track above the dinette for a curtain so guests can sleep there with some privacy. Overhead, a handrail runs the length of the cabin, a proper trawler detail that makes moving around under way safer. The big vertical wheel and broad side door at the helm carry on the same theme. Step out through that door and you’re straight onto the starboard deck with a cleat right at hand for a line.

The helm itself is set up with the usual upgrades on this boat with proportional bow and stern thrusters, Zip-wake controls, and those neat sliding hatches overhead that can also be swapped for solar panels. Visibility is excellent thanks to the thin mullions and forward-sloping screen, so the whole wheelhouse feels bright and airy.

There’s also space now for a lovely companion seat. On the 35 crew had to perch on the galley counter with a cushion. Here two people can sit comfortably beside the helm, and there’s a flip-up section with sockets and USBs that doubles as a small desk - handy if you’re working from the boat.

Owner's Cabin

The forward owner's cabin is a proper island double with big hull windows on either side, complete with opening sections for fresh air, and an overhead hatch.

Detailing has been lifted a notch over the basic spec. The wardrobe door, for example, is standard timber on the base boat, but here it’s been upgraded with a mirror front, leather trim and louvres - nice touches if you want to dress it up a bit. Storage is everywhere you’d expect it to be: shelves to one side, hanging space with a rail, bins under the bed. Reading lamps have USBs tucked into the ends so you can plug a phone in right where it rests on the headboard.

The big change, though, is the ensuite access to the heads. On the 35 you stepped out into the passageway to get into the bathroom, which was fine but less private. On the 37 they’ve managed to sneak in a second door directly from the cabin. To make room they’ve pinched a little volume from under the helm and nudged the bulkhead forward, which trims a touch of floor area in here but gains you a separate shower stall instead of the old wet room. It’s a clever trade-off and doesn’t feel cramped. You still get decent light, ventilation, and a proper space to get cleaned up without soaking the whole compartment.

Guest Cabin

Drop back a step from the owner's and you find the second cabin, and again it’s had a little bit of fettling compared to the 35. It’s a twin set-up, and they’ve eked out a bit more space at the head of the berths so you’ve now got somewhere to drop in a shelf and a small locker. It makes the room feel less boxy and more useful day to day.

Each berth has its own reading light, and just like in the master these lights have USB sockets tucked into them, so phones and tablets can stay charged overnight without trailing cables across the floor. There’s a small overhead hatch for airflow, plus proper opening portholes for a cross breeze. Storage is better thought through too - you’ve got cubbies, shelving, and lockers dotted about.

Even the door hardware is nicely done. Flush catches sit completely flat, then click positively into place when you push them in. Battery isolators are mounted neatly in the passage, so they’re right where you want them but not intrusive.

It’s not a huge cabin, of course, but the upgrades make it a nicer place to be. And just like the rest of the boat, the sense is that they’ve listened to how people really use these spaces and found ways to make them a touch more practical without adding cost. There’s also a space for a small TV - on this boat it squeaked a little in its mount, but it shows the thought has gone in to make the guest cabin a proper, useable spot rather than an afterthought.

Steps in the cockpit lift to reveal the lazarette first. It’s a proper usable space, not just a void. On this boat there’s a generator down here – labelled as such, no guessing required – plus a neat set of steps for safe access. You’ll also spot the emergency tiller stowed against the bulkhead. Slide the aft seat back and you’ll find the socket it drops into, so if you ever lose steering you can slot it in and carry on. The stainless davit bars for the tender live here too, ready to slot into the sockets on the bathing platform when you want to lift a dinghy.

Lift another hatch and you’re looking straight down at the machinery. It’s a single-engine set-up, shaft drive, with the gearbox hung off the back and the shaft running straight out. This boat is fitted with the optional 440hp Yanmar (400hp is the base engine) and the decision to move from Cummins to Yanmar came off the back of good results with them in the bigger models. Access is sensible, with multiple saloon and cockpit panels lifting clear for servicing, and a freestanding cockpit table section that’s removable if you need more elbow room.

Because the 37 is so new there aren’t official numbers yet, but using the 35 as a guide you’d expect top speed to be in the 20-knot bracket. Cruising will be anything between 6 and 14 knots depending on what you’re doing, and at the low end (around 6 knots) you’re probably looking at a range of about 700 nautical miles. Zip-wake trim tabs help level her, and with proportional bow and stern thrusters she’s easy to nudge around in tight spaces.

For the first time, a new Swift Trawler has come in cheaper than the model it replaces. Like for like, the flybridge version of the 37 is around 10% less than the 35 was, and if you go for the sedan version without the upper deck, it’s about 15% less than the outgoing flybridge. Prices start at around €323,000, which makes this a very sharp entry for a 37ft trawler.

That lower ticket doesn’t come from stripping things back either - if anything, the opposite. Corian worktops instead of laminate, thicker veneers, curved solid wood edging, better latches, and flush-fit sliding windows all make the boat feel more solid and upmarket than before.

Day-to-day running should be sensible too. A single-engine shaft drive is about as simple as it comes - easier servicing, fewer moving parts. Fuel use will depend on how you run her, but with the hull happy cruising anywhere between 6 and 14 knots, owners who like displacement speeds can stretch to about 700 miles between fills. That makes the boat especially attractive to retired couples or owner-operators who want plenty of time on board without paying commercial-scale bills.

Options like the silent-running package (solar panels in place of some hatches) cut back generator use if you spend nights at anchor. The aft-sliding transom and passerelle fittings make handling tenders straightforward, and the big sliding side door by the helm, with a cleat right there, means short-handed docking isn’t stressful. All those details save on crew costs and make ownership easier.

So what you’ve got is a trawler that costs less to buy, feels more expensive once you’re aboard, and won’t sting you with complicated systems. And that’s pretty rare.

If you’re weighing alternatives at this size, two rivals worth a look are the Jeanneau NC 37, which takes a sportier approach with as standard sedan styling and big open living spaces, and the Azimut Magellano 43, which sits slightly larger but plays in the same “long-range cruising made easy” category.

In a market where boats often get bigger, glossier, and pricier, the Swift Trawler 37 goes the other way - compact, seaworthy, and sensible to run. It’s a trawler that matches modern cruising habits but still holds onto that traditional, go-anywhere feel. For many owners, that balance will be exactly what they’re looking for.