Merry Fisher 695 Boat Report

Report bt Mike Thrussell World Sea Fishing

FACTS AND FIGURES
OVERALL LENGTH: 22’ 11" - 7.05mtr
HULL LENGTH: 22’ 4” - 6.87mtr
BEAM: 9’1" - 2.79mtr
DRAFT: 2’ 6" - 0.77mtr
DISPLACEMENT: 4630lbs - 1800kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 130-Litres
CATEGORY: B 7 Persons

More details on full specification can be found at Southern Motorboats

The 695 model is part of the now extensive Jeanneau Merry Fisher range and combines design features that make it both a practical fishing boat and a comfortable weekend family cruiser.

The review boat was a customer owned model supplied by Deva Marine based in Conwy, North Wales. She’s currently used for fishing as well as cruising and it always gives a review that little bit extra when a boat has already been used for fishing in rather than being a straight out of the showroom demonstrator. She was just as the owner had left on at the end of the last trip with the dinghy strapped to the stern, and the fishing gear on deck and in the cabin.

Although the previous night had been stormy with heavy rain, as we left the marina the sun was out and the wind had dropped to a gentle 3 to 4 as we headed out past Deganwy.

PERFORMANCE
The test boat was fitted with the powerful 200hp Volvo Turbo diesel inboard, which on the 695 will produce a flat out speed in the region of 21-knots and a steady cruising speed of around 16-knots.
Fuel consumption will be somewhere between 5 and 6 gallons an hour, but that obviously depends on how hard you work the boat and how much weight she’s carrying in the guise of passengers and tackle.

Sitting in the helm seat and having a quick look around visibility both forward to read the sea, and to the sides and through the cabin door back down the deck to the transom for manoeuvring is excellent. There are no blind spots and you have pretty much full all round vision.
Easing the throttle forward the boat smoothly accelerates away with little hesitation, the nose just rising slightly before she hits rapidly hits planing speed. Power increase is pretty much even throughout the working rev range right up to flat out speed, but then easing the throttle back and sitting on the plane, the nose drops and she runs pretty evenly over the surface of the water. You can feel this when in the helm seat, but it was more obvious to me when away from the boat taking the photos.
She feels a big boat and has some weight to her, but remains very nimble and can undertake tight powerful turns with ease, the stern showing a high degree of grip with any feel of sliding.
She tends to cut through a wave as opposed to riding over the crest of it, but this is comfy and soft with no real harshness transmitted back to the passengers in the cabin.

At slow speeds you do get a little splash spray back on to the windscreens, but at speed this is reduced as the hull throws most of the spray way out to the side.
Noise getting back in to the cabin is minimal, in fact the ride in a flattish sea is very quiet and the engine noise thanks to good insulation is reduced to just a gentle hum in the background when cruising.
With Christian from Deva Marine at the wheel I went walk about on deck, but a boat of this size suffers no real shift of balance that can be detected on deck, or more to the point by the helmsman who on some boats would need to add a little wheel correction as the balance of weight is changed.
With a following sea to contend with she keeps a generally straight course, with just minor wheel correction need to keep her heading for home.
On the drift this particularly boat will catch a little more wind than usual as she has the full rear canopy fitted, but even so the boat will drift with the bow just off the angle of the wind. She is also stable with little tendency to roll to any great degree making for a great platform to fish off.
Walking about on deck, there looks to be loads of room to easily fish four from. The gunnels and transom are also good and high to lower hip height and the deck sports a stippled finish to limit the chance of slipping.

BUILD FEATURES
The Merry Fisher range are good lookers and the 695 carries on the tradition, the outer hull and cabin being finished in all white with a slim line green rubber fender. The windows add to the looks as they slope backwards and are green tinted. This gives the boat a sporty slightly mean look with neat flowing lines.
The bow features a stainless steel bow roller with a large starboard side opening anchor rope locker, the test boat was also fitted with a Lewmar electronic winch. There are also alloy cleats both port and starboard. You have masses of room to work up here with nothing in the way at all. There is also an upper knee height stainless steel safety rail running from the cabins rear edge fully around the front down each side.
The cabin top is fitted with large and high for easy grip stainless steel grab rails, but also offers a huge flat area that would also take a stainless steel gantry, as many prefer, to gain height when mounting VHF aerials and for adding GPS antennae, radar and additional deck and bow lighting to.
I also noted the wide walkway down the cabin sides when coming off the bow. Holding on to the grab rails on the cabin roof you have full stability, even in a short sea and adding to the safety factor. There is a step between the walkway and the deck for easy access between the two, the port side step actually hiding a small wash basin that is accessed via a lift up hatch cover. There are also vertical grab rails at each back edge of the cabin.
On deck the engine access hatch is just rear of the cabin door, and towards the stern is a large storage locker. On the test boat this carried a removable plastic table with cup inserts that makes for a much more civilised way to eat your lunch.


There a wooden slat bench seats at each side fixed to the gunnels, plus another slat seat across the stern.
The gunnels are hard wood topped and fitted with USA style rope feeders with the cleats positioned low down at the base of the gunnels for neatness. There were also single rod holders fitted to each gunnel top, and drop in type gaff and boat hook holders moulded inside the gunnels.
The stern has a port side access door that gives on to a wide marlin board. The test boat had the dinghy strapped in position, but without the dinghy there the marlin board gives safe easy access to reach for tope and other big fish that need man handling for release.
I’ve never personally been to sure about additional canopies, but on the 695 this works very well creating total protection from the sun, but with the height to work easily underneath with restriction. You don’t get so wet either during the fishing day. No good for uptide casting though. The cabin rear edge also sports a peak that extends out well over the deck and engine hatch cover giving additional protection when the canopy isn’t fitted.
The cabin door is a slide across type, again green tinted with a good solid locking system on it.
Access in to the cabin is easy, the helm position on the starboard side and sporting two plastic upholstered swivel chairs positioned side by side. These also hinge upwards on a hatch cover to give additional access to the front of the engine for minor storage.

The wheel is a smart looking wood rim type with stainless steel spokes. The fuse board is rear of the wheel with the switch panel to the right. Above and behind the wheel is a large area ideal for placing the compass and electronics. On the test boat the plotter was neatly flush mounted on the left side of the wheel giving easy viewing.
The VHF radio was placed by the right knee when seated, and though this is obviously the preferred position of the owner, I did find that I was conscious of knocking it all the time and that it could conceivably take a little water that might come in through the side sliding windows. I would have preferred it to be placed on the cabin roof out of harms way and creating more knee space when travelling in rough seas.
The throttle is also positioned quite high on the starboard side cabin wall, but I found this comfy and easy to use during operation. There is also a foot rest built on to the console for additional comfort, and shelf storage area just rear of the main helm seat.
The port side has a galley area consisting of a sink and a single burner stove with a storage locker underneath.
As you enter the inner cabin there is a single bunk on the port side with a wide shelf area the full length of the bunk and one across the bow end. These are ideal for small items of gear and books etc. The single bunk also transforms to feature a fold over table for inside dining and maybe chart work.
The toilet is built in to the main bow area and includes a little storage space and a wooden door with a mirror if you want to look your best.
The main double bunk also has a full length shelf area with a large shelf across the forward bow end between the hull and toilet. Both bunks offer inner storage space.
The upholstery is blue, with the cabin sides in white with cream upholstery with mahogany wood type trim. There are also sky lights and cabin lights in both the inner and main cabin areas.
Taking a look around the whole boat it is also well finished with good quality fittings and fixtures.

THINGS I’D CHANGE
The nav lights were positioned on the cabin rear edges half way down. This makes little sense as it’s more practical to have the nav lights as high as you can on the cabin to maximise your illumination at night and in low light conditions. I’d reposition these high up on the cabin if ordering a new boat.
Inside the cabin there is no where on the console to house small bits of gear like pens, sunglasses, nothing to put drinks cups in and the other bits and pieces we all inevitably carry. This is a simple thing, but one that makes a day at sea that much easier and more comfortable.
There was no cleat on the upper middle gunnel tops, yet most boat owners rate these as essential. If you order a 695, then I’d consider adding these from the off.

CONCLUSION
It performs one of the best balancing acts between being a proper fishing boat and a family cruiser. It has excellent accommodation with space to move freely, but is functional and comfortable.
The helm position gives superb all round viewing for easy sea reading which is so essential these days with the numbers of lobster pot buoys we all have to navigate through.
The deck area is spacious for four to fish, but with high gunnels for safety. That additional marlin board on the stern also makes a superb platform for working on big fish too.
The 695 has a high cruising speed with good economy and excellent sea keeping ability making it an ideal choice for working well out on the offshore reefs and wrecks.

 

Disclaimer: Everything written in these reports are based on personal experience and the individual's opinion only. I have tried my best to present the facts correctly, but I/we take no responsibility for any mistakes or omissions.

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