Merry Fisher 695 problems?

[Catspaw]

After many years of SD inboard ownership (2 x Beneteau Antares) I'm now thinking of going back to an outboard boat. The Merry Fisher 695 seems to fit the bill as it is a similar size to what I am used to and still has the separate heads. I'm looking at 150 and 175 hp Yamaha powered examples.
Are there any common problems with the MF695 that I should look out for when viewing? My budget will probably run to a 2016/2017 model.

 

[Kawasaki]

Do what they say on the Tin the 695's but don't forget after the SD Antares the boat will bang a bit in a seaway
No particular snags that are common, as you put it
They are what they are
I would opt for the bigger or biggest engine you can find
My particular choice in decending order would be
Suzuki/Yam/Honda
Done a fair few hours on those boats
Suzuki seems the best ref fuel consumption
Yam has lots of 'poke'
Honda, I think the power to weight ratio is not as good as tothers
Nowt wrong with any of them really
Just impressed with the Suzuki

 

[beejay190]

18 months ago I was considering a 695 - my budget £40k. However, I looked at a couple of slightly older 755s and appreciated extra space all round.

Bought a 755 with a 150 Suzuki ob / bow thruster/ separate heads / marine toilet . Cruise approx 18 knots, 25 / 30 litres/hour.

[Hi Kwacker - thanks for all your advice at the time. I hope SWMBO is recovering from back problems]

 

[Bouba]

Can’t answer for the 695 but I used to have a 585 with a 90 Honda. I can’t speak highly enough. Not the comfort of a SeaRay etc, just basic living. But it goes where you point it, manoeuvres well and with a Honda on the back it will never let you down (but that’s true of any modern four stroke outboard)

 

[sprocker]

I had a 645 (Predecessor to 695) with a Suzuki 115Hp. Apart from taking a little 'getting used to' when docking in wind I couldn't fault the boat.

I did find though that the 115Hp was on the limit, and if I were looking at that boat again I would definitely opt for the 175.

 

[Kawasaki]

18 months ago I was considering a 695 - my budget £40k. However, I looked at a couple of slightly older 755s and appreciated extra space all round.

Bought a 755 with a 150 Suzuki ob / bow thruster/ separate heads / marine toilet . Cruise approx 18 knots, 25 / 30 litres/hour.

[Hi Kwacker - thanks for all your advice at the time. I hope SWMBO is recovering from back problems]

Good choice, good idea to go a bit older and bigger
Plus the thruster, always handy when breezy

SWMBO's back is stable, thanks for asking
I'm unstable as per norm
:encouragement:

 

[Catspaw]

Thanks for your replies.
I've taken on-board (excuse the pun) the advice and put a deposit on a 2016 model 695 with Yamaha 175hp. The boat has most of the extras I need (windlass, thruster etc), but will still require a few things adding. I'm not bothered about the lack of a full aft enclosure; I had one on the previous boat but put it in a locker where it stayed for the 5 years I owned it! I also stored the aft sun pad infill table and cushion etc at home as it just seemed to be more clutter that was rarely used. Horses for courses and all that!

One thing I do need is some means of attaching the mooring rope. The boat will be kept on a swinging mooring and there is no cleat in the forward anchor/chain locker. The factory fit windlass support crosses over the usual position. I'm wondering if I can fit a cleat on the support, at the side of the chain position where it won't foul. Obviously, when the boat is on the mooring the anchor will be temporarily shifted off the bow roller and stowed in the locker, with the mooring strop taking its place.

I would also like to fit a dash mounted control for the windlass. That was a simple job to do on the Antares as the relays were readily accessible ...a good result with no need to shout instructions to SWMBO out of the window any longer! I'm not sure where to start on the 695 as I don't know my way around it yet.

Thanks again.

 

[beejay190]

Totally agree with your comments re full aft enclosure and infill table.

 

[rwoofer]

Totally agree with your comments re full aft enclosure and infill table.

On my MF645 (same hull and layout) I used the aft enclosure at the beginning and end of the season, effectively extending the season. Agree on infills.

 

[adamshepherd]

One thing I do need is some means of attaching the mooring rope. The boat will be kept on a swinging mooring and there is no cleat in the forward anchor/chain locker. The factory fit windlass support crosses over the usual position. I'm wondering if I can fit a cleat on the support, at the side of the chain position where it won't foul. Obviously, when the boat is on the mooring the anchor will be temporarily shifted off the bow roller and stowed in the locker, with the mooring strop taking its place.

@Catspaw I'm facing exactly the same design issue on my 2017 MF 695 Marlin. What did you do in the end? Any photos available? I want to fit a mooring bollard / samson post if possible... I'm going out to her today to measure up to see if there's enough room under the anchor locker hatch.

 

[Catspaw]

@Catspaw I'm facing exactly the same design issue on my 2017 MF 695 Marlin. What did you do in the end? Any photos available? I want to fit a mooring bollard / samson post if possible... I'm going out to her today to measure up to see if there's enough room under the anchor locker hatch.

Probably a bit late to reply now, but only just spotted your question.
In my case I simply fitted a suitable stainless cleat on the windlass support, a couple of centimetres to port of the anchor chain position. The windlass support was strengthened with some fibreglass matting on the underside, plus a 316 stainless plate to spread the load. Strengthening probably wasn't necessary as the windlass support is designed to 'hold' the boat, but as the boat is on the mooring in all weathers I thought it might be a good idea. The system has worked perfectly for over 4 seasons, although the downside is having to stow the anchor in the locker every time before attaching the mooring line. I also remove the tilting piece in the bow roller fitting before mooring (and swap over the plastic roller from the tilting piece). This is a faff, but I don't want to strain the bow fitting while on a swinging mooring. I also made a plastic cover to protect the cleat from scratching by the chain when hauling or deploying, but found this wasn't really necessary. Hope this helps.

 

[adamshepherd]

Probably a bit late to reply now, but only just spotted your question.
In my case I simply fitted a suitable stainless cleat on the windlass support, a couple of centimetres to port of the anchor chain position. The windlass support was strengthened with some fibreglass matting on the underside, plus a 316 stainless plate to spread the load. Strengthening probably wasn't necessary as the windlass support is designed to 'hold' the boat, but as the boat is on the mooring in all weathers I thought it might be a good idea. The system has worked perfectly for over 4 seasons, although the downside is having to stow the anchor in the locker every time before attaching the mooring line. I also remove the tilting piece in the bow roller fitting before mooring (and swap over the plastic roller from the tilting piece). This is a faff, but I don't want to strain the bow fitting while on a swinging mooring. I also made a plastic cover to protect the cleat from scratching by the chain when hauling or deploying, but found this wasn't really necessary. Hope this helps.

Oh thank you so much for your really detailed reply and photo! I am going to copycat exactly what you did, that looks great! I’m also on a swing mooring all year round and agree with the extra matting and steel plate to spread the road. The windlass support may hold the boat but the windlass itself has a wider surface area with more fixing points so is less likely to tear through than a cleat with 2 close screw mounts. It looks just the job. My only reservation is that it limits the guage of the rope much lower than a Samson post / mooring bollard… but as I saw when I went to measure up, there really just isn’t a choice, it’s impossible to fit one. I haven’t been able to find many design flaws at all in the MF 695 but this is definitely one of them! Other than that I hate the windscreen wipers and there is no drainage hole from the forecabin into the bilges. Otherwise I have zero complaints!

 

[simonfraser]

the bow roller is not that sturdy, in my 2021 model
flexes a bit whilst at anchor in a breeze
& the chain can jump out of the gate if v choppy

i'd now want to rely on it whilst on a swinging mooring with the boat putting latteral stress on the fitting 24/7

 

[Catspaw]

the bow roller is not that sturdy, in my 2021 model
flexes a bit whilst at anchor in a breeze
& the chain can jump out of the gate if v choppy

i'd now want to rely on it whilst on a swinging mooring with the boat putting latteral stress on the fitting 24/7

I presume you are talking about the bow roller mount having the extra 'rocking' piece fitted in place? If that's the case I agree with you; it even flexes whilst at anchor and I certainly wouldn't trust it for a swinging mooring. As previously stated, I remove this 'tilting piece' that is fitted within the bow roller mount as part of the electric windlass self deploying option. The plastic roller itself is then removed from the tilting piece and transferred back into the stainless bow roller mount (in practice I just use a spare one kept on board for the purpose). Without the extra leverage caused by the rather flimsy tilting piece 'extension' this makes the bow roller fitting virtually identical to every other boat I've kept on a swing mooring without issue. It is also normal to lock the mooring strop within the bow fitting whilst on a permanent mooring, by placing a drop-nose pin across it (through the holes in the stainless roller mount sides).
Hope that explains it a bit better.