New Jeanneau Merry Fisher 795 a winner

How’s this for an $120K drive-away cabin cruiser with proven seaworthiness, sleeping for four, and the latest four-stroke outboard power?

French boatbuilding juggernaut Jeanneau has revamped one of its most popular cabin cruiser and weekenders, the pocket-sized 25-foot Merry Fisher 755, which accounted for more than 1000 sales in four years.

The new Merry Fisher 795 retains the acclaimed deep-vee hull and economical 150-200hp outboard-power rating of its predecessor, but adds a redesigned and more functional transom, deeper cabin windows, a more modern moulded dash, smarter lines, and a new fit and finish.

The latest addition to the Merry Fisher range has a dynamic and rewarding design inside and out, says Jeanneau, with innovations to ensure this family fisher, day cruiser and weekender remains a best seller.

If local sales are anything to go by, best-seller status looks to be well on its way...

Sydney-based Jeanneau importer Matt Willett Marine (MWM) has already sold three of the new Merry Fisher 795s and has a fourth sister ship on order.

"We were called at 2am [Sydney time] by the factory once the production slots opened up. We ordered two boats… they sold in three days… so we ordered two more,” explains Matt Willett.

MWM has the first new Merry Fisher 795 arriving on December 6 with a 200hp Yamaha outboard; Santa delivering the next one right on Christmas with a 200hp Mercury Verado; and the third boat arriving early January with a base 150hp Mercury FourStroke outboard and still in time for holidays.

GREAT VALUE CRUISER
"The owners of the first boat are a couple from the NSW Central Coast. They actually had a 755 on order and decided to change their order to the new model and wait a bit longer," said Willett, who attended the international Jeanneau dealer conference in Dubrovnik earlier this year.

"I like the redesigned aft area, the bigger platforms and the single-level entry across the transom.

"The new window lines, being lower, create a heap more light inside and the new dash is a bit more modern as well.

“The best thing was there was no great price increase with the new model and we are selling these as a base boat from $109K. But generally around $120-130K is where most people end up. It is great value for money," adds Willett.

LOADS OF LIGHT
Jeanneau says the new design maximises onboard natural light. The shape and size of the side windows and panoramic windscreen are said to provide "a real sea view when you are sitting in the saloon."

The sliding roof panel, which is also transparent, assists ventilation when ‘cracked’, while the rear three-pane sliding door provides a direct link between the wheelhouse and the cockpit.

REVAMPED COCKPIT
The cockpit can be accessed from new enlarged boarding platforms either side of the outboard engine and there is a cockpit gate for safety.

Outdoor seating centres on a U-shaped cockpit lounge and lunch table, which can be converted into a sun pad (optional), while an ingenious central sliding seat means the cockpit can still be used when the outboard is tilted.

VERY LARGE INTERIOR SALOON
Internally, the new Merry Fisher 795 is said to provide even more comfort and space and, from the photos, clearly a bright and cheery ambience.

There’s an aft galley with sink and stove behind the starboard-side helm seat, which tilts forward to boost bench space when its time to prep a meal or make a cuppa.

Opposite, the forward facing co-pilot seat has a backrest that flips to create a dinette. This then converts into a whopping great double berth after dinner or for the kids on their small screens, while the forward cabin features another double berth and shelves. Then there is a separate head with manual loo.

Worldwide, the factory had presold just over 100 boats between the release on August 1 and the October 12 production start, says Willett, and all of those boats are pegged before December 30 delivery.

It sounds like a Merry Christmas for all these new owners, indeed. Watch this space for our impending test.

and the

Jeanneau website.