List price vs actual cost

Boats often have an attractive base price in marketing material, but there are numerous optional extras (some of which I consider nearly obligatory) that can make up a good portion of the final on-the-water price.

Below are the options we selected, some of the reasoning behind, and what the actual price ended up being for our boat.

Prices below are in EUR for the EU, since that's where we bought our boat.

Base price

At the time of writing, the base price for the Swift Trawler 37 Fly is 335,800 EUR in the EU, excluding VAT and delivery.

(The base price in the US is 592,500 USD, excluding taxes. That's the equivalent of about 510,000 EUR, so roughly 50% more than in Europe. I'm not exactly sure why, but presumably that includes delivery across the Atlantic and import tariffs, because as far as I can tell, the base specification is the same.)

Obligatory "optional" extras

• "Essential" trim (bow thruster, electric bow windlass, GPS plotter, VHF)
• stern thruster (being a single-shaft boat, this makes close-quarters maneuvering a lot easier)
• anchoring and mooring kit (anchor on the windlass, fenders, and lines)

Total: 37,300 EUR excluding VAT

Including these brings the price up to 373,100 EUR excluding VAT, which I think is a more representative base price.

Nearly-obligatory extras

• trim tabs (automatic Zipwake flaps improve performance and fuel consumption)
• fire extinguishing system (automatic fire suppression in the engine room)
• cockpit bench (sliding bench instead of a simple guardrail)

Total: 13,500 EUR excluding VAT

Including these nearly-obligatory extras brings the price to 386,600 EUR excluding VAT and delivery.

Common popular extras

• "Comfort" trim (drawer fridge on the flybridge, aft docking lights, salon berth curtain, covers for the flybridge furniture)
• "Electronic pack" (larger Axiom MFDs, autopilot, AIS, 3D sonar)
• "Entertainment pack" for salon and cabin (TV pre-wiring, upgraded stereo and speakers)
• bimini and dodgers (for the flybridge)
• aft canvas covers (to fully enclose the cockpit when it's cold or rainy)

Total: 39,100 EUR excluding VAT

With these common popular extras, the price sits at 425,700 EUR excluding VAT and delivery.

Our additional extras

We opted for all the extras above, plus the following:

• "Luxe pack" for the owner's cabin (mirror, carpet, slatted doors and bed, padded bulkheads)
• larger fridge/freezer (150 litre fridge + 50 litre freezer, stainless steel)
• radar (while we usually don't go on overnight passages, we can get thick fog in the summer months)
• "teak" deck (wood flooring, I think it's Iroko, for the cockpit and starboard catwalk)
• electrical opening hatches (for ventilation and sense of space)
• forced air-heating (5,000 W diesel heater, it can be quite chilly in Sweden, especially during spring and autumn)
• 440 hp (should give us a few extra knots, and potentially help resale value in the future)
• davits (for keeping a tender on the swim platform)
• paddleboard rack (comes with a davit to make it easier to get the paddleboards up)
• sunbathing mattress (can be raised for forward-facing seating, includes covers)‍
• cockpit table and chairs (free standing and folding, stowable in the lazarette)
• tableware (for six people)

Total: 53,780 EUR excluding VAT

Adding our additional extras brings the total to 479,480 EUR excluding VAT and delivery.

All-out, no holds barred extras

• air conditioning and generator (to keep the entire boat cool in the Med or Florida, generator sits in the lazarette, not in combination with forced-air heating)
• "Silent Boat pack" (solar cells + lithium batteries, should allow AC through the night without running the generator, not in combination with opening roof hatches)
• passerelle (aft gangway, especially useful for stern-to mooring)
• sun awning (for the sunbathing mattress)
• Raymarine Clearcruise (augmented-reality navigation)
• electric galley (induction hob and multi-function oven including microwave)
• wheelhouse curtains (I think primarily to keep the sun out, and potentially to protect the interior)
• exclusive upholstery (softer fabric in more vibrant colors, but quality appears about the same)
• Alpi oak interior (lighter wood in the interior)

Total: 88,310 EUR excluding VAT

Adding these options would remove the forced-air diesel heating and the opening roof hatches, making the total price 567,790 EUR excluding VAT and delivery.

Anything else?

Opting for a 160-litre rigid greywater tank (may be required for specific regions where sinks aren't allowed to empty into the water) and a grey hull adds approximately 6,200 EUR to the boat price.

This makes the actual price of a Swift Trawler 37 span between 335,800 and 573,990 EUR for the flybridge model. Excluding VAT and delivery.

On-the-water price

In our case, the boat price was 479,480 EUR excluding VAT and delivery.

VAT is a 25% tax, so that brings the price to 599,350 EUR.

Getting the boat delivered to Sweden on a trailer (and insured along the way) will probably cost us around 8,000 EUR.

Getting the boat ready, including antifouling, and launched in the water will probably be another 7,000 EUR.

We have also decided to do some additional post-delivery outfitting for another 15,000-20,000 EUR.

Total on-the-water price for our Swift Trawler 37 Fly ended up around 614,000 EUR - but that is including VAT and delivery! 🥳