2019 Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895 review

The Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895 is a vessel built for these conditions. It is one of a new breed of pocket cruisers with both space and performance, attracting downsizers and first-time owners.

Its cabin is large, protected and warm, and once the four of us are onboard we have no problems moving around. At 9.0 metres long – it’s the largest of the four-model Marlin line-up – the Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895 is still small enough for a couple to handle with confidence and has enough conveniences to double as a day boat or weekender.

The Marlin is Jeanneau’s attempt at diversifying the 895 to appeal to a wider audience. While this take does make fishing a little more comfortable, I’m not entirely convinced that it goes far enough to deliver something significantly different to the standard platform.

Many boaters with experience in the south would opt for a deep vee for its ability to slice through rough seas rather than the wider and more moderate hull the Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895 uses. It is a hull built tough enough to handle challenging conditions but is more suited to a methodical and careful approach to driving.

The hull widens quickly; it is the reason there is so much space in the lower hull. This space, however, comes at a cost and the flare of the bow does mean the boat is susceptible to a bit of banging when taking waves on the front quarter. It can land hard, a feeling exacerbated by the moans of the modular cabinetry.

The Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895’s cabin differs from the standard boat’s in that there is no portside gangway. The Marlin’s trawler-style cabin also slants forward rather than raking back like a sports boat.

The SUV-style rooftop rack is an ideal accompaniment and offers owners the ability to store bulky gear such as kayaks or other watersport equipment. It’s a great design that really frees up space in the cockpit and internals.

Elsewhere, throughout the vessel, there are areas crying for improvement. The rear fishing station has rod holders with a gimbal mount, but the openings are too wide for the base of standard rods, so they never quite lock in as they should. Accessing the underfloor storage is also a two-person job, given the weight and width of the door and latches.

The helm position provides great visibility, with the throttles within easy reach when standing or sitting. The helm seat has a neat bolster that creates more space in front of the wheel.

Starboard of the helm is a large sliding pilot door providing easy forward and aft access via the starboard gangway – handy for mooring. Once tied up, shut the pilot door before opening the side deck’s dive door so they don’t hit each other – hardly the ideal set-up.

What Jeanneau has done well with the Merry Fisher Marlin 895 is the enclosed saloon/cabin. It has a light and open feeling delivered via abundant windows, sunlights and sliding doors adjacent to the helm, and at the rear of the cabin.

In more southern climates, and even in Jeanneau’s French home ground bordering the North Sea, keeping warm and dry is critically important; I like how the sun warms up the cabin while keeping the icy wind at bay. If it gets a little stuffy, open the windows, the sliding door and sunlights for airflow. Warmer again? Head out to the cockpit.

The Marlin uses a different saloon layout to the base Jeanneau Merry Fisher 895. It has double seat to port that, via a swinging backrest, can either face forward while making passage, or face rearward to form one of the double seats for the dinette with its large table.

The other seat backs onto the bulkhead window, while directly opposite is storage complete with a drawer below and a benchtop above. This space converts into another berth when needed.

People who fish must not like cooking, because Jeanneau has given more bench space to the saloon than to the small galley. The single-burner gas cooker is ahead of the passenger seat, fed by a gas bottle located in the bow compartment. A small fridge is tucked under the helm seat.

The large, flat cockpit of the Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895 is all about fishing space and is floored in a non-slip fibreglass finish.

A stern-mounted bait station sits on slow but effective hydraulics that allow it to slide into the boat so the outboard engines can tilt up. Its top contains a handy cutting board with storage underneath.

The cockpit’s underfloor storage is cavernous, although opening the wide and heavy hatch needs two people. We used it to store fishing and dive gear, spearfishing equipment and a couple of large bags, and still had room to spare.

A few rod holders recess into the port and starboard gunwales, with more rod storage running along the rear of the cabin. A live bait tank is in the aft port corner, but it seemed to need more plumbing to operate.

The standard Jeanneau Merry Fisher models feature a lounge across the transom, but I much prefer the fold-out bench seating running along each side of the Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895, and the aft prep station.

The Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895 has plenty of usable space, but it is a reasonably standard design with nothing revolutionary except the new forward cockpit at the bow.

This sunken seating area with optional table or sun lounge follows the trend of fitting fishing boats with more creature comforts – handy when the family is aboard or the fish are not biting.

The Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895 has a twin berth layout with a combined head and shower to starboard of the three-step companionway.

The forward vee berth uses inward-opening barn doors, meaning anything that falls on the floor can render them inoperable. The doors also rattled open while underway.

Storage space is built in under the bed, with a small hanging cupboard. The bed is comfortable, but the layout is tight with limited foot space around it.

The second double berth, running across the beam, is the same as most mid-berths in similar cruiser designs. It has a door for privacy, but headroom is very limited.

Our test boat was fitted with twin 200hp Yamaha outboard engines providing excellent performance, particularly in the mid-range.

The F200s provided purposeful power to get the craft to speed quickly, were responsive, and much better than the single-engine installations I have driven.

The single-engine variants take a little longer to get onto the plane, but have a similar top-end feel once the weight and drag of a twin-engine boat comes into play.

The Southern Ocean is known to be rather inhospitable, but we hit near-perfect conditions Our run across to Stewart Island was an easy 19 nautical miles.

In these conditions the Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895 hull sat comfortably on 26 knots with no banging and minimal throttle input. In rougher conditions, you’ll need to manage the speed to avoid harsh landings.

On the way, we stopped off at Edwards Island for a quick fish before heading to the only township on Stewart Island, Oban. Moored up in the sheltered waters at Halfmoon Bay, stability at rest is excellent, with the cockpit providing ample space for multiple anglers. We even fished from the bow, with an easy access along the wider starboard walkway.

For Jeanneau, “Marlin” means built for fishing. For the Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 895, it means cleaning up the on-board space, in particular removing the rear cockpit lounge, adding fold out seating and plenty of fishing rod holders. It also adds a live bait tank and moves the galley right forward.

It’s a set-up suited to a fishing fanatic, but most potential owners will likely be happier with the more relaxed and user-friendly standard Merry Fisher layout, particularly the aft galley and the access it provides to the cockpit.

Specifications
Model: Jeanneau Merry Fisher 895 Marlin
Length overall: 8.8m
Hull length: 7.98m
Beam: 2.99m
Deadrise: 23 degrees
Draft: 0.62m
Weight: 3060kg
Power: 350hp (single, min)/400hp (dual, max)
Outboard engines as tested: 2 x 200hp Yamaha
Fuel: 2 x 200L
Water: 100L
Accommodation: 2 cabins

Priced from: $251,800 including Trim Level Premiere 2019 (electric winch, aft cockpit bench cushions, 60L fridge, cockpit shower, electric trim tabs, ambiance LED lights in wheelhouse and front cabin, LED lights in cockpit floor, toilet seat and storage net under steering wheel, additional 200L Fuel, Pre rigging electrical incl LCD gauges, dual batteries, electronic controls.

Price as tested: $284,200 including bow thruster; 220v shore power fitting with charger and water heater; Garmin Echomap Plus 92SV and GT15 transducer; Fusion RA70N with Bluetooth, USB plus and 4 loudspeakers; folding side bench on portside and ladder for cockpit deck locker; sea pump for deck washing, twin cockpit side pulpits; side net roller; 7 rod holders on cockpit aft pulpit and 2 cupholders on the stern; teak-lined swim platforms; aft cockpit teak table; cushions in front cockpit; deck searchlight with radar mast; berth complement in saloon; curtains for wheelhouse and cabins, upgraded bolster seat, Garmin Fantom 18 radar and Garmin 215 VHF radio; standard registration and signwriting.

Supplied by: Jeanneau APAC, Hong Kong. Australian offices include MW Marine