Beneteau Swift Trawler 34 advice/opinions
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I'm glad he's happy with his boat but neither Beneteau nor any other mass producer makes a perfect product. Hiding from serious defects like these ball valves benefits no one. The photo below shows a typical Beneteau throughull/ball valve combination. The clamps are of two different metals (galvanic corrosion), there is no backing plate, the throughull is NPS and the nickel plated brass ball valve is NPT and the throughull nut is an unidentified plated metal. Failing to face issues like these may catch up with you someday. I believe it is the interest of all owners to be aware of this issue, particularly if the boat is in salt water.
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rclarke246
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Would that through hull and ball valve meet ABYC standards?
- I doubt very much that it would pass the the ABYC static load test.
- ABYC requires NPS to NPS and NPT to NPT.
- ABYC also requires bonding to meet their standard (no Beneteau I have ever seen has bonded throughulls).
- ABYC also requires "seacocks" to meet UL1121. I don't believe brass can pass the strength or resistance to corrosion required by that standard.
ABYC makes to mention of galvanic incompatibility of throughulls and ball valves or dezincification of brass fixtures (other than the UL requirement)...... a significant ommission in my opinion.
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greysailor
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As a former owner of a Beneteau 411 sailboat, I can attest to their poor choice in underwater metals...at least during the circa 1998 boats. However, it was the throughhull fittings that degraded due to dezincification on my boat, not the ball valves. There was a thread circulating on the Beneteau forum years back regarding the poor metallurgy of these fittings and several documented failures. The last haulout I did on my boat before I sold it (2006), I replaced all 11 thruhulls and valves. I had three of the thruhulls snap off when the first pressure was applied to unscrew the valves! I'd call that "just in time" maintenance practices! The ball valves I removed didn't show any sign of dezincification...however, I can't attest to their metallurgy.
Hopefully, Beneteau has changed their thruhull supplier since those days. Otherwise, I was very well pleased with the boat's design, construction, performance and value.
Hopefully, Beneteau has changed their thruhull supplier since those days. Otherwise, I was very well pleased with the boat's design, construction, performance and value.
rclarke246
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Thanks for the info.
Can't wait to get to boat and look into this. I expect that by 2012 they've taken remedial action!
They state it complies with ABYC standards.
Can't wait to get to boat and look into this. I expect that by 2012 they've taken remedial action!
They state it complies with ABYC standards.
greysailor
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I suspect they have corrected this by now...the parent company was aware of the earlier problems.
Enjoy your boat!!!, and don't get wrapped around the prop shaft with every little thing that can possibly go wrong with a boat....just keep doing your due diligence and regular maintenance with a questioning attitude and you will not be surprised by most problems. All boats are like my wife tells me about husbands...we all have our warts! I suspect if I could justify owning a Fleming, I could probably find something on it that this old nuclear tech would have designed better!
SloopG
Member
As the original poster of this thread, we wanted to give everyone an update. We just closed on a 2002 Mainship 390. The Beneteau Swift 34 is a wonderful boat but bottom line, at 1/3 the purchase cost, we feel we made a good decision for a larger boat nicely equipped. Thanks for the many suggestions made throughout the email responses.
SloopG
SloopG
Good luck w the "new" Mainship
We considered Beneteau 34 and Sabre \ Back Bay before purchasing our Mainship 34. While there are always + & - we still feel the MS was OUR best choice.
Don
'08 MS 34 HT
"Bacchus"
Harmony 34
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- Beneteau Swift Trawler 34
I have recently joined this forum, and in reading the posts on the Swift Trawler 34, I am amazed at the "expert" opinions and advice on this boat from boaters who don't own one, and in many cases, haven't spent much time on one! I bought my ST34 in 2011, after 35 years of owning sailboats (a Camper-Nicholson and two Amels). I am very happy with it as a capable coastal cruiser, and have cruised from Mass. to Key Biscayne and back, including several offshore jaunts (rather than ICW). In 4 years, no problems of any kind, no maintenance issues (I do all my own), and we constantly get compliments on her look. Would be happy to provide input to any prospective owners.
Swift 34 at 350 hours and counting
It is now mid-March and I have 350 hours on my Swift 34 and we have been in heavy seas up to 9 feet with this boat not intentionally, but we were in them. We are elated with the boat how is built, how it handles, the amazing fuel economy and how well thought out that it is. The 7-9 footers were coming from the Tortugas to Key West. The forecast was very wrong. Winds weee uo to 35 knots. We were going straight into the waves at 8 knots. Water was coming over the front every other wave. We never got one drop in the bilge. I have it on video! Living in the boat at anchor is really great. The more you live in it the more the thought that went into it becomes apparent. For the money it is really an awesome winter home for us. Usually we travel 6 knots at 3.8 liters per hour burn but several 150 mile trips from Ft Myers to Garrison Bight at Key West have been made at 17 knots. She goes 21 kts (24 mph) at full throttle. Our 34 is a 2016 and we will easily put 500 hours per season if not more. We love going on 1-2 week trips and staying out on the hook. The anchor they supplied with the mooring kit is awesome. Much better than any conventional danforth I have used in the past. My diver says the anodes remain in excellent shape after 7 months in the water, a testament to her electrical setup. Thanks Harmony for chiming in and telling the truth about a really great boat. My dealer, Viage, have been awesome as have Cummins in a few minor issues. Sunset Grille out!! Capt Joebad
It is now mid-March and I have 350 hours on my Swift 34 and we have been in heavy seas up to 9 feet with this boat not intentionally, but we were in them. We are elated with the boat how is built, how it handles, the amazing fuel economy and how well thought out that it is. The 7-9 footers were coming from the Tortugas to Key West. The forecast was very wrong. Winds weee uo to 35 knots. We were going straight into the waves at 8 knots. Water was coming over the front every other wave. We never got one drop in the bilge. I have it on video! Living in the boat at anchor is really great. The more you live in it the more the thought that went into it becomes apparent. For the money it is really an awesome winter home for us. Usually we travel 6 knots at 3.8 liters per hour burn but several 150 mile trips from Ft Myers to Garrison Bight at Key West have been made at 17 knots. She goes 21 kts (24 mph) at full throttle. Our 34 is a 2016 and we will easily put 500 hours per season if not more. We love going on 1-2 week trips and staying out on the hook. The anchor they supplied with the mooring kit is awesome. Much better than any conventional danforth I have used in the past. My diver says the anodes remain in excellent shape after 7 months in the water, a testament to her electrical setup. Thanks Harmony for chiming in and telling the truth about a really great boat. My dealer, Viage, have been awesome as have Cummins in a few minor issues. Sunset Grille out!! Capt Joebad
Lots of opinions. Only a few posters who have spoken from experience...which overall seems very positive re: Beneteau's ST34.
Let's revisit this claim this is only an 'inland waters & coastal cruiser' boat. It's been my experience some folks claim a specific boat lacks seaworthiness and capability offshore not because they are intimately familiar with the boat but rather because they are somewhat fearful about being offshore. Here are short video clips of two ST34's on passage in the English Channel and the North Sea. Since I've sailed in both those waters, I think I know what's going on here: European yachtsmen on holiday can be cruising in the Dutch canals, along the French west coast or down in England's 'sunny' south coast but the office eventually comes calling and now it's time to head home, taking the weather one is given. They are calling the conditions 'stormy' and 'rough' but it's worth noting these conditions are not unusual even during the boating season. Both these ST34's are simply doing what trawlers do, are handling the conditions well, and notice how low the engine sound levels are. Can we agree these boats are on offshore passages?
Both ST34's look entirely seaworthy to my eye, which BTW is likely one reason why they have sold well in northern Europe and hold their value well. But here's another example that addresses both the sea handling and structural suitability of these small trawlers. This video starts with the 34's smaller sister ship being taken out into typical Med conditions during sunny but windy weather. The ST30 has the same hull form and is built to the same standard as the 34 (and its updated replacement, the ST35). Watch the video and hear what someone who spends a lot of time on the water in this part of the world offers what he thinks about this boat's capabilities.
[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmkXmW2JZ9w"[/URL]
"Inland waters" and "offshore" can mean different things to different people. Most of my N American cruising has been from the Chesapeake south to and around the Caribbean. After the ICW trips grow old, I consider it desirable to do overnight runs along large segments of the southeast coast to cover a lot of ground quickly. I'd call these offshore runs. Given the northerlies that sweep through the Bahamas each winter, I consider cruising deep into the Family Islands from the U.S. to be offshore runs. This boat strikes me as quite capable for all of that, with seaworthiness to handle it all in safety. The only reason I wouldn't take it further than Crooked & Acklins is lack of reliable fuel in Abrahams Bay, Mayaguana. A pity, really. I think this could be fun to take all the way down to Puerto Rico and the Virgins, a trip I've made multiple times.
Jack
Let's revisit this claim this is only an 'inland waters & coastal cruiser' boat. It's been my experience some folks claim a specific boat lacks seaworthiness and capability offshore not because they are intimately familiar with the boat but rather because they are somewhat fearful about being offshore. Here are short video clips of two ST34's on passage in the English Channel and the North Sea. Since I've sailed in both those waters, I think I know what's going on here: European yachtsmen on holiday can be cruising in the Dutch canals, along the French west coast or down in England's 'sunny' south coast but the office eventually comes calling and now it's time to head home, taking the weather one is given. They are calling the conditions 'stormy' and 'rough' but it's worth noting these conditions are not unusual even during the boating season. Both these ST34's are simply doing what trawlers do, are handling the conditions well, and notice how low the engine sound levels are. Can we agree these boats are on offshore passages?
Both ST34's look entirely seaworthy to my eye, which BTW is likely one reason why they have sold well in northern Europe and hold their value well. But here's another example that addresses both the sea handling and structural suitability of these small trawlers. This video starts with the 34's smaller sister ship being taken out into typical Med conditions during sunny but windy weather. The ST30 has the same hull form and is built to the same standard as the 34 (and its updated replacement, the ST35). Watch the video and hear what someone who spends a lot of time on the water in this part of the world offers what he thinks about this boat's capabilities.
[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmkXmW2JZ9w"[/URL]
"Inland waters" and "offshore" can mean different things to different people. Most of my N American cruising has been from the Chesapeake south to and around the Caribbean. After the ICW trips grow old, I consider it desirable to do overnight runs along large segments of the southeast coast to cover a lot of ground quickly. I'd call these offshore runs. Given the northerlies that sweep through the Bahamas each winter, I consider cruising deep into the Family Islands from the U.S. to be offshore runs. This boat strikes me as quite capable for all of that, with seaworthiness to handle it all in safety. The only reason I wouldn't take it further than Crooked & Acklins is lack of reliable fuel in Abrahams Bay, Mayaguana. A pity, really. I think this could be fun to take all the way down to Puerto Rico and the Virgins, a trip I've made multiple times.
Jack
Ok, Jack or Whoosh. As a first time poster, what is your situation with Beneteau, what brings you to post in support? Do you own one? Introduce yourself and why your initial post is ST videos.
I don't consider the Bahamas offshore or running up the East Coast when you're never more than a few hours from shore really to be a challenge. What I saw on the videos was a boat that made the conditions look much worse than they really were. I stick to my opinion that they are not a boat for true rough water but a fine boat for coastal cruising and the Bahamas. As to the trip to PR and VI, I'd see them capable with the right window but it would have to be perfect and doubt I'd want to go further.
A true offshore rough water boat would make the conditions in those videos look milder rather than rougher. They clearly were offshore, but not a pleasant ride and looked very much like a light boat being tossed around. Now I think it handles the conditions in video 1 better than in the other two videos.
Now, my agenda. None. I don't own a ST. I think they fill a nice niche that others have turned away from. I also like the Antares. I've read all the posts about them and seen a mix of positive and negative but generally happy owners. I would personally prefer them over a "true trawler" because of the added speed. I keep hoping to see US production of them stepped up. I'm a limited supporter of them. Good choice for loop and Bahamas. I would not choose them as my choice for the Caribbean any more than I would Sea Ray, but plenty of Sea Rays there. Oh, and for comparison, I do think a Sea Ray Sundancer would handle the conditions shown slightly better.
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