Begin Your Polynesian Adventure: Choosing the Ideal Liveaboard Powerboat
The Ultimate Guide to Liveaboard Powerboats in Polynesia — Navigate, Explore, Live
When visiting a destination by land, you have to choose one or more islands and plan around flight or inter-island ferry schedules. You need to find and book accommodations, constantly adapt… and often end up losing time. But have you ever considered getting around on your own terms?
With a liveaboard powerboat, you’ll travel with your floating home: deciding at the last minute to visit an island or a motu, accessing stunning, secluded anchorages, and creating unforgettable moments.
Why a Liveaboard Powerboat Is the Best Way to Discover Polynesia?
In the Pacific, French Polynesia spans a maritime territory as vast as Europe. It is made up of five archipelagos: the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands — also known as the Society Islands — the Tuamotu Islands, the Marquesas, and the Gambier Archipelago.
The turquoise waters of the lagoons, the blue sky, the green mountains, the underwater world… Polynesia’s postcard-perfect scenery captivates everyone. Traveling through Polynesia aboard your own liveaboard powerboat is an incredible opportunity: to explore the islands from start to finish exactly on your own terms!
Exploring Polynesia aboard a liveaboard powerboat means enjoying both freedom and comfort, allowing you to make the most of your journey:
Between the Polynesian islands, traveling by power allows you to reach top destinations quickly, even when heading against the wind. The power of the engine lets you enjoy thrilling moments on the water while giving you more time on land to explore. In rough seas, aboard a medium or large liveaboard powerboat, navigation remains safe, stable, and comfortable.
With a shallow draft, all areas of the lagoons are easily accessible: you can navigate in shallow waters, anchor close to the beaches, and discover the most secluded spots.
How to Choose a Liveaboard Powerboat for Navigating Polynesia
Buying a liveaboard powerboat in Polynesia can be a challenging task—especially if you’re not familiar with the region!
Trawlers, motor yachts, power catamarans, cabin cruisers… there are several options to suit different cruising plans. To make the right choice, you’ll need to consider several factors:
- Your Cruising Plan and Activities to Enjoy
- Your Crew Composition: Solo, as a Couple, with Family, or with Friends…
- Required Onboard Spaces: Number of cabins, number of bathrooms, convertible salon or not, available storage space…
- Your Expectations for Engine Power and Cruising Speed — Especially Based on the Time You Have for Your Trips
- Your Needs for Fuel, Water, and Power Autonomy — Depending on How Long You Plan to Stay Aboard and the Destinations You Want to Reach
- Your Budget — Not Only for the Purchase, but Also for Docking, Insurance, and Routine Maintenance Costs
When choosing a liveaboard powerboat for Polynesia, you should also consider factors specific to local navigation: the tropical environment, for example, which requires protection from heat and sun, or the challenges you may encounter navigating atoll passes or rough seas.
| Model | Length Overall | Beam | Displacement | Engine | Cabins | Heads | Berths | Fuel Type | Water Tank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swift Trawler 35 | 11,29 m | 3,96 m | 8 252 kg | Cummins 425 CV | 2 | 1 | 4 + salon | 800 L | 2 x 150 L |
| Swift Trawler 37 | 11,29 m | 3,98 m | 8 302 kg | Yanmar 400 ou 440 CV | 2 | 1 | 4 + salon | 800 L | 300 L |
| Swift Trawler 41 | 13,43 m | 4,20 m | 11 040 kg | 2 x Volvo/Yanmar 270-320 CV | 3 | 2 | 4 + salon | 1 170 L | 400 L |
| Swift Trawler 48 | 14,74 m | 4,42 m | 12 200 kg | 2 x Cummins 380/425 CV | 3 | 2 | 6 + carré convertible | 1 930 L | 640 L |
| Swift Trawler 54 | 17,13 m | 4,95 m | 21 500 kg | 2 x Cummins 550 CV | 3 | 2 | 6 + salon + crew cabin | 3 440 L | 800 L |
| Grand Trawler 62 | 18,95 m | 5,41 m | 28 500 kg | 2 x MAN 730 CV | 3 ou 4 | 3 | 6 à 8 + 2 crews | 3 870 L | 840 L |
Life Aboard a Liveaboard Powerboat in Polynesia: What to Keep in Mind
Among the factors that contribute to the comfort of a liveaboard powerboat in Polynesia are living spaces, energy, water, and fuel autonomy, the choice of dinghy, and boat maintenance.
We met with Élie and Renaud, owners of a Swift Trawler 42 and a Swift Trawler 44, respectively, to get their insights on the topic.
Living Spaces
“Onboard our Swift Trawler 42,” begins Élie, “we have two spacious double cabins and one bathroom. It’s perfect for our family of four, plus our dog. Sometimes we have more people onboard: we can cruise with six adults thanks to the convertible salon. The flybridge, which spans the entire boat and provides sun protection, is a real bonus: with its table and benches, it’s a very enjoyable space—especially in Polynesia, where the sailing environment is simply amazing!”
“On our Swift Trawler 44, we have two cabins, two bathrooms, and a convertible salon: we can easily cruise with three couples—whether for a day trip to Moorea or over the weekend. The boat is very well laid out and comfortable: the forward section is nicely arranged so everyone can have their privacy, and the flybridge is perfect for lounging,” Renaud explains.
For both owners, the interior comfort of trawlers is comparable to that of a home. Élie shares, “Only boats of this type offer real interior volume without having the galley below. Here, it gets very hot, so having a fully equipped, well-ventilated galley upstairs was very important for us!” He explains that his trawler is very comfortable for life onboard, even though he chose not to install air conditioning: “At anchor, facing the wind, the open portholes provide all the necessary airflow. We’ve also installed small 12V fans in the cabins.”
Renaud’s 44-foot Swift Trawler, on the other hand, is equipped with two refrigerators and air conditioning.
Onboard Autonomy of Swift Trawlers
“On the Swift Trawler 42, we have a freshwater capacity of 600 liters. Thanks to this, it’s very easy to go for a week-long trip, even with four people onboard. There’s no need to install a desalination unit! We also don’t need a generator: the solar panels on the flybridge allow us to stay comfortably at anchor for several days.”
Renaud, on the other hand, has a desalination unit onboard his Swift Trawler 44—in addition to large water tanks. “Cruising on a liveaboard powerboat also means enjoying the luxury of having everything we need onboard!” he says. Over more than 10 years of ownership, he adds that he has never experienced any major issues.
Regarding fuel, Élie enjoys a range of 300 nautical miles at 18 knots. According to Renaud, “The hulls of Beneteau Swift Trawlers are known for their seaworthiness and are very well designed. This allows for very reasonable fuel consumption for a boat of this size. At speeds between 12 and 16 knots, cruising is economical.” He adds that his boat is fast for a trawler: “Between the islands, we cruise at an average speed of 25 knots, still in comfort. Normally, on a trawler, it’s more like 12–13 knots!”
The Dinghy Question
In Polynesia, having a dinghy is essential for getting ashore from anchorages in the lagoons—especially when living aboard. Yet on a 42- or 44-foot liveaboard powerboat, it’s rare to have the space to carry one!
Here, Élie’s and Renaud’s Swift Trawler models stand out once again: “The huge flybridge upstairs allows the dinghy to be stored on top,”—with the davits on both liveaboard powerboats making handling easy. Élie also has cranes at the stern to lift his dinghy at night.
Think about it: with a well-designed boat, it’s also possible to bring along several bicycles—a great way to explore Polynesia on land during your stops!
Maintenance Considerations
Before embarking on a project to buy a liveaboard powerboat in Polynesia, it’s important to consider maintenance, upkeep, and potential repairs. Élie explains: “You have to keep in mind that in Tahiti and the islands, we’re at the end of the world—parts aren’t always easy to find! Mechanically, the Swift Trawler has a huge advantage: it’s an easy boat to maintain. There are local dealers here who sell all the original parts. The propeller shaft is also a plus: if there’s ever a problem, it’s simple, and everyone knows how to handle it.”
Purchasing a Liveaboard Powerboat in French Polynesia: What You Need to Know
A Trawler Powerboat: An Extension of Your Home
Do you visit Polynesia regularly, or dream of having a home base in the Pacific?
Owning a liveaboard powerboat is the solution to have a vessel whenever you want, without needing to rent. It’s like having a floating home, allowing you to explore the islands exactly the way you wish!
Buying also lets you customize the layout and add your own equipment to make your boat feel truly like home. And finally, you’ll have the freedom to choose your routes and the length of your cruises…
Your Powerboat in Polynesia, Backed by a Team of Experts
Logistically, owning your own liveaboard powerboat isn’t any more complicated than renting:
If you don’t live in Tahiti and the surrounding islands, lack the necessary skills, or simply don’t have the time, you can entrust the management and maintenance of your powerboat to our team:
Purchase assistance, technical and administrative management, importation, insurance, financing, daily operation and maintenance… Sail Tahiti supports you at every step, so you can own a liveaboard powerboat in Polynesia without ever feeling the burdens of ownership.
Our marine concierge service also prepares your powerboat ahead of your arrival, no matter how often you set sail.
