TWO HULLS BETTER THAN ONE?
Only a handful of years ago this would have been a rather one-sided affair. Power catamarans of old would struggle to hold a candle to a well-sorted monohull produced by a yard like Beneteau. A power cat used to mean a sailing catamaran with its mast sawn off and two pathetically underpowered motors tasked with shunting it weakly through the water. Times have changed.
The modern power cat has all the finesse, technology and dynamic ability of its single-hull rivals and Fountaine-pajot produces one of the best: the MY40. Being just 40ft 5in (12.35m) in length it feels manageable despite its width and with the only engine options being IPS (400 or 500), its joystick control takes the edge off potentially knee-knocking mooring manoeuvres.
The 44ft 1in (13.43m) Swift Trawler 41 is, in our opinion, the best model in Beneteau’s pseudo trawler range and though it’s 6ft (1.83m) narrower than the MY40 its brilliantly well thought out interior, practical deck spaces and abundance of storage make it an equally capable long distance cruiser or even liveaboard. Its selection of trusty twin diesel Volvo Pentas on shaftdrives are sure to keep the traditionalists happy, too. In this company it also represents good value for money, undercutting the cat by €180,000 in base spec. The MY40 is certainly a lot of boat for the money but can it justify the extra outlay?
EXTERIOR LIVING
The Fountaine-pajot gets off to a strong start on deck and its extra beam is felt most obviously on the enormous side decks. At 2ft 7in (0.66m) they dwarf the asymmetric decks of the ST41 but the Beneteau counters with an arrangement that gives more space to the starboard deck, which aligns with the extra wide side door adjacent to the helm. This is what makes the ST41 such an appealing choice if you tend to cruise as a couple or single-handed on a regular basis. Within seconds you can step from the lower helm to the side deck to the pontoon via a boarding gate and attach a line from the cleat amidships.
The power cat also scores a space advantage on the top deck where there is enough room for a dinette and wetbar amidships, with a clever sunpad arrangement across from the helm with various panels that lift to create backrests so guests can sit and face forward on the move.
As standard the MY40 comes with a rather poky single helm chair at the flybridge helm so it’s well worth ticking the box for the optional double bench to give the skipper some company on longer passages. The Beneteau makes do with a single helm chair but it is flanked by bench seating with reversible backrests so a couple of guests can sit either side and enjoy the ride. Like much of the ST41’S design, the helm layout is practical and unflashy, covering the basics very well. Being positioned in the middle of the boat also makes for clear sight lines and is especially useful when coming in and out of a berth. The ST41 has the upper hand when it comes to storage at the helm with a combination of cup holders and a handful of trays to keep loose items secure; the MY40 falls short here with its sparse dashboard and lack of cubby spaces.
There is no hardtop option on the Swift Trawler but a canvas bimini offers some shelter above the helm and dining
area. The robust central radar mast adds to the sense of security up here, providing a focal point for the deck and something to grab on to as you move around at sea. The helm seat swivels to meet the table but there’s a flaw here which means you can’t move past the chair to get to the forward end of the dinette so it can be awkward to get in and out of the seating when dining.
The MY40 isn’t without its black marks either, the main one being how low all of the furniture is, with long seat bases and short backs on the dinette seating meaning it’s not a particularly comfortable place to spend long periods of time. It’s the more attractive place to sit thanks to a generous smattering of teak on the wetbar fascia, pop-up lights set within the table and a beam of timber overhead if you opt for the €31,000 hardtop with its built-in manual sunroof.
easier boat to run if you’re short of crew
ON THE FOREDECK
Both boats make the most of their coachroofs but it’s advantage Fountaine-pajot and its sociable sunken well that guests can arrange themselves around and make the most of the individual sunpads with adjustable backrests. There is also a table that slots into place above a deck hatch that lifts to reveal a cavernous deck locker to supplement the storage space around the engines within the twin machinery spaces. The Swift Trawler can’t compete with this but it too has a huge lazarette in the cockpit - with easy access via a short ladder - and a trick up its sleeve in the accommodation that transforms onboard storage levels. More of that later.
The ST41 is the easier boat to run if you are light on crew or on your own but there is a luxuriousness to the breadth and easy flow of the MY40’S deck spaces that the trawler can’t compete with.
INTERIOR LIVING
It’s inside where the most striking advances have been made aboard the Fountaine-pajot. Gone is the wipe down, charter friendly finish of old and instead there is a pleasant mix of contemporary timbers and upholstery with a far greater focus on how components look and feel. It suffers from too many sharp corners on counter tops but the use of space is so much better than it used to be on previous models, which still managed to feel pinched despite their beam advantage over equivalent monohulls. It’s bursting with storage and there’s the added bonus of a domestic fridge/freezer opposite the main galley; the Swift Trawler’s is smaller but it is at least a standing unit and not tucked underneath the galley counter top.
Neither boat is short of light but the Swift Trawler’s deep windows and huge side door make a difference and the door is especially good for natural ventilation. On the Sedan version, its roof hatches, combined with the door and a wide sliding window to port, mean you can quite comfortably ventilate the main deck without the need to power up the air-conditioning, an option on both boats. The saloon has a little more work to do on the trawler because it also converts into an extra double berth by dropping the table down and using in-fill cushions. There is a curtain in place to provide some privacy if those fortunate enough to have earned a cabin want to make an early cup of tea. The presence of the berth makes it all the more surprising that Beneteau hasn’t thought to put some power outlets anywhere near the dinette so charging cables for phones
and tablets need to be draped across the galley, probably with an extension cord. More thought has gone into the helm seat which swivels 90° on a gas-assisted mechanism to create two additional spots at the dinette. This type of ingenuity isn’t required on the spacious cat but for €6,425 you can have a powered dinette table that raises and lowers to transform from coffee table to dining table in a matter of seconds. There is no option for a convertible berth in the saloon but with three such good cabins below decks that isn’t much of an issue.
The MY40’S lower helm is a better effort than its counterpart on the flybridge but oddities remain. Why, for example, are the switches for the horn, windscreen wiper and screen wash mounted above your head and not on the dash where there is plenty of empty space? Having a single windscreen wiper in front of the helm is a pain as well; if there is heavy rain or lots of sea spray then vision out of the port side of the windscreen is going to be obscured very quickly. And call me old-fashioned but I much prefer the combination of the clear analogue engine readouts and digital screens that the Swift Trawler has – a better solution in my opinion than the MY40 where all information is split across two multi-function displays. In fact, the ST41 has its catamaran rival licked at the lower helm. I’ve mentioned the brilliant connection to the decks but the side door adds so much more than that and on a calm day offers a wonderful connection to the water that you just don’t get from the hemmed in helm on the MY40. You can sit or stand so comfortably at the lower helm and there is a refreshing no-nonsense simplicity to its upright dash layout. It says much that I took to the Fountaine-pajot’s flybridge to move it around the marina whilst on the Beneteau the lower helm is where you want to be – on deck level with your crew, able to help out with handling lines if needed and with excellent awareness of your surroundings because you can lean out of the side door. The materials aren’t as plush as on the MY40 though, and there’s a fair amount of white plastic on show, which throws up a bit of glare in direct sunlight.
licked at the lower helm
CABINS AND BATHROOMS
It is the lower deck where the catamaran outstretches its arms, flexes its muscles and makes the price discrepancy between the two boats look justifiable. You would need to invest in a monohull at least 10ft bigger to get a similar level of sleeping accommodation and even then the master suite is unlikely to be as spacious and comfortable. The master, which resides in the port hull and gobbles up the entire length up to the engineroom bulkhead, is a stunning space. It appears to go on forever, beginning with a lobby area accessed directly from the saloon and sprawling forward to the main sleeping area with an athwartships island bed and culminating in a bathroom that features a walk-in shower and spacious separate toilet cubicle.
On the opposite side of the boat guests fare well, too. There is a VIP towards the stern with a double bed and generous headroom. It’s separated from the third cabin in the bows by a shared bathroom. The forward cabin can be specified as a small double or, as our test boat had, with a pair of bunks, which make the cabin feel bigger and more flexible if you want to accommodate two people who aren’t a couple.
Frankly, the Beneteau can’t compete below decks but it lands a few blows here and there. Its master is a spacious and well-designed cabin with a good dose of natural light and enough storage to keep you going for extended cruising. The bathroom is split with a toilet and sink sectioned off to port and a dedicated shower room to starboard with teak highlights and a powerful, full-standing shower. The guest cabins are pokey in comparison to the cat but the main guest cabin to port has a pair of decent berths and a big wardrobe of its own.
What will endear the ST41 to those who intend to live on board for weeks on end is the flexibility of the third cabin/
utility space. It sways more towards the latter with a bespoke spot for a washer/dyer and deep stacks of shelving for storing dry supplies. The flat bench on the outboard side of the cabin can be used as a work bench but as an option you can specify a single mattress to add an extra berth, taking the total number of sleeping spaces to seven (including the convertible double berth in the saloon). For a couple who intend to spend weeks or even months on the water the addition of this enormous dry storage space will be a major attraction. In fact, feedback from existing Swift Trawler owners led the designers to incorporate the utility space from the outset. A separate bathroom is shared between both guest cabins though neither of them has ensuite access to it.
QUALITY CONTROL
The lower deck is where the cost savings that give the Beneteau such an attractive starting price are felt most acutely. The floor panels squeak underfoot and cabinet doors and latches feel built to a price. They will no doubt stand the test of time but there is little lustre to the woodwork on the lower deck. The squeaking from the interior trim let the side down a bit during our test, dampening the tough demeanour that the ST41 demonstrates elsewhere, especially in the way it goes to sea. Beneteau has assured us that this has improved since our test of an early model and let’s hope it has because this is the only aspect of running the ST41 that would be hard to ignore.
Being that much quieter on the move than the Beneteau, any issues with squeaks or rattles from the MY40’S interior would be even more noticeable but it feels robust and well put together. It isn’t at the level of premium monohulls from the big British or Italian yards but it’s closer than ever before.
Both boats have an air of usability, however, and you won’t be too precious about wet feet entering their interiors.