Five Affordable Trawlers Under 40 Feet
If you’re looking for trawlers 40 feet and under, here are five to consider.
There are many reasons we love trawlers big and small, and while trawlers are often associated with grand cruising plans, you don't always need a yacht-sized model to achieve your dreams of traveling to distant ports in comfort and efficiency. There are plenty of models under 40 feet that can take you to distant ports without depleting the retirement savings account. Here are a few top picks in the under-40-foot category.
Beneteau Swift Trawler 30
Beneteau has a rather extensive line of modern-designed trawlers in the Swift series, the smallest of which used to be the 30. And although the builder retired this specific model several years ago, the Swift 30 was extremely popular and there's a wide range of choices on the used boat market at any given time.
It’s the epitome of a pocket cruiser, small enough to be both affordable and easy to maintain, yet it has the accommodations needed for extended living aboard including a full galley and a private stateroom. It also boasts a rather extensive flybridge for this size of boat with an upper station and a settee, plus a wide walkaround that can be accessed directly from the helm via a side door. The Swift 30 also lives up to its namesake, with a top-end breaking 21 knots. Although fuel economy is a decidedly un-trawler-like one nautical MPG at this rate, pulling back on the throttles and travelling at a slow cruise of six knots nets you more like three MPG. Power comes courtesy of a single straight-shaft 370 HP Volvo D6 diesel inboard.
A 7.5 kW genset was optional but you'll find that many were outfitted with one. A unique perk is a swing-open transom, which opens the entire cockpit up to the swim platform. LOA is 32’9”, beam is 11’7”, and displacement is just over 13,000 pounds. Read our full review, Beneteau Swift Trawler 30: Pocket Cruising for Couples.
See Beneteau Swift Trawler 30 boats for sale.
Nordhavn 40
Here’s a trawler under 40 feet (39’9” LOA, 14’ 6” beam) that has impressive cruising credentials. In fact, this pick has the most range and cruising capability of any trawler in this roundup. The Nordhavn 40 established itself as one of the most able ships in its size range with Atlantic crossings under its waterline, and lays claim to being the first production recreational powerboat to circumnavigate the globe in 2001 and 2002 (it was a six-month voyage). Owners of this salty trawler are among the most serious cruisers you’ll meet. The 40 was the smallest model in the Nordhavn fleet of ocean-crossing motor vessels (today it's a 41), and although it went out of production in 2018, was popular enough that you can usually find a few on the used market.
The boat features a full displacement hull, a 900-gallon fuel capacity, and range of 2,400 nautical miles at seven knots. Then there’s the seakeeping ability. The high bow is buoyant and makes for a dry ride, while a forefoot beneath the surface eliminates pounding. To further improve comfort for passengers, order a Seakeeper gyro-stabilization system which will minimize rocking and rolling in beam seas. The ride is just one benefit of the Nordhavn. So too is the way the builder engineered the layout to provide a number of social and private spaces, and for accommodations, there are two private cabins.
Read our full review, Nordhavn 40: A Trawler that Goes the Distance.
See Nordhavn 40 trawler boats for sale on boats.com.
Ranger Tugs R27
The Ranger Tugs R27 has been called one of the cleverest designs on the water because the builder managed to fit the necessities and comforts of a larger cruising yacht into a trailerable package, while maintaining a comfortable ride. Yes it’s true, this pocket trawler is trailerable; just look at the first picture in our Boat Towing Guide, and you’ll see that it can even be hauled by a relatively modest tow vehicle. Ranger Tugs is experienced at building small-but-capable boats, as we've seen in past models like the R31. The R27 is even smaller, though, (with an 8’6” beam and 27’1” LOA), perfect for a simple sunset jaunt through the harbor as well as overnight cruising.
The hull is a planing design unlike traditional trawlers, is made to be run with outboards, and can be powered with a single Yamaha F350 or a pair of F150s. That gives it the oomph to cruise in the 30s while getting around two mpg or run up into the 40s at wide-open. To get close to trawler-like performance you'll need to throttle back to pre-planing speeds and at around five knots, can expect slightly over four mpg. Although it’s compact, engineers managed to free up 50 square feet of deck space aft. Cruising features include a V-berth and a midship berth, galley, dinette and head. This is one of the smallest trawlers with such extensive capabilities. Read our full review, Ranger Tugs R27: A Mini Trawler that Maximizes Space.
See Ranger Tugs R27 trawler boats for sale on boats.com.
American Tug 365
The 365 grew out of the popular and proven American Tugs 34, from Tomco Marine Group in Washington. In 2023 the well-known trawler builder Kadey Krogen (which focuses on larger yacht-style trawlers) acquired the company and continues to build American Tugs today.
The inspiration for the 34 was an Alaskan fishing boat hull designed in the early 1980s by Lynn Senour of Seattle. To get commercial fishermen out to sea and home quickly, Senour created a boat with a wide beam of 13’ 3”. To increase the stability inherent in that beam and reduce roll, he added flat, sharp chines. The result was a fishing boat that could carry big loads and, with sufficient horsepower, scoot to fishing grounds and back to port at relatively fast speeds. American Tug realized the design features that work for fishermen could work for recreational boaters, too, so they commissioned Senour to adapt that hull for their customers. The first American Tug 34 was launched in August 2000, and it found a loyal fan base. It’s evolved to become the 365, with features that enrich its mission as an explorer-cruiser including a pair of panoramic windows in the salon.
With an LOA of 36’ 6”, the 365 has two cabins and a convertible berth in the saloon. Power is a single 380 hp Cummins inboard diesel, which produces a top speed of almost 18 knots. At a six to seven knot cruise, range is over 1,000 miles. Read our full review, American Tugs 365: Cruising, Pocket Trawler Style.
See American Tugs 365 trawler boats for sale on boats.com.
SeaPiper 37
Originally introduced as the SeaPiper 35, the SeaPiper 37 has a mid-cockpit design some commercial fishing vessels trawlers were based on, and the most unusual thing about this boat is the layout that results. The pilothouse, settee/dinette, and galley are in the aft cabin. Behind it a small aft cockpit has just enough room for a pair of seats, but in front of the cabin there’s a 60 square foot open center cockpit with bench seating on the sides and engineroom access through the deck. Then forward of that cockpit there’s a separate second cabin, this one with a berth, stowage, hanging locker, and an enclosed head with shower.
Matching the boat’s unique design are its unusual proportions; even though length is 37'2”, beam is a mere 8’6”. Power comes from a single and simple 85 HP Betamarine diesel straight-shaft inboard. Put these factors together and you end up with a trawler that can make long, long hauls at a very efficient fuel burn of one GPH while going 6.5 to 7.0 knots, for a range of over 1,000 miles on a single tank of fuel. Read our full review, Seapiper 35 Review.
See SeaPiper 37 trawler boats for sale on boats.com.
Forty feet of LOA simply isn’t enough? Then be sure to check out Five Affordable Trawlers Over 40 Feet.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in September 2013 and was last updated in December of 2025.
