Merry Fisher 855

Each to his own. I can see the logic to just having a single 300hp. But likewise if I were to be able to go back in time, I would still pay the extra and have my twin 150hp yamahas. The 855 is beautifully balanced with the weight spread by the two outboards. I just point it and it stays on line with no need to wrestle the steering. It manouveurs well and goes like a rocket. We are going cross channel in a couple of weeks and having twin engines is also reassuring.

Plus twin outboards just look so dam sexy!!
 
Each to his own. I can see the logic to just having a single 300hp. But likewise if I were to be able to go back in time, I would still pay the extra and have my twin 150hp yamahas. The 855 is beautifully balanced with the weight spread by the two outboards. I just point it and it stays on line with no need to wrestle the steering. It manouveurs well and goes like a rocket. We are going cross channel in a couple of weeks and having twin engines is also reassuring.

But do you have completely separate fuel tanks and batteries?? I would have thought fuel issues would be the most likely thing to take out a modern O/B
 
With one engine in forward and the other in reverse, it pretty much goes around in a circle. However, this isn't the main advantage. The balance and extra performance make it worthwhile, the boat handles beautifully, not to mention the redundancy of having two engines.
We recently did a trip to Poole and back and averaged 31.6 knots on the return journey (& maximum of 43.4 knots) so pretty much WOT much of the way. We did 80 miles and it needed 200 ltrs to refill the tank i.e. A worse case of 2.5 ltrs/mile.

Sorry, been off the site for a while. With all due respect I find your figures difficult to accept; 1/2 gall per mile at those speeds, not a chance!
 
Sorry, been off the site for a while. With all due respect I find your figures difficult to accept; 1/2 gall per mile at those speeds, not a chance!
With all due respect, the figures talk for themselves. Up to the beginning of May, 681.6 miles travelled since November and used 1571.12 litres, therefore averaging 2.305 litres per mile.
 
With all due respect, the figures talk for themselves. Up to the beginning of May, 681.6 miles travelled since November and used 1571.12 litres, therefore averaging 2.305 litres per mile.

Touche;That puts me in my place!:(

I haven't been as assiduous as you in measuring my fuel usage so can't quote such accurate figures. If my maths is correct you are averaging 2mpg? Which is pretty impressive. The generally accepted figure is that singles are about 15% more efficient in fuel consumption so I think the argument for outboards as opposed to inboard diesels is well made now; and no doubt will improve in the future.

Here is an interesting (to me at least!) comparison - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG_-YmGN8SY There is a lot of fairly boring stuff to start but the figures at the end are good. (bear in mind the figures probably use US gallons)

Also a couple of test reports:- 855boattest.jpg the online link is http://www.boattrial.com/motorboats/jeanneau-merry-fisher-855-marlin/ and there is one on Motorboat Owner - April 2014.

I never cease to be amazed by the number of people who walk past our boat and comment "blimey I wouldn't like your fuel consumption" and then get on board some Volvo/Mercruiser boat that has probably cost them £500- £1000 in service costs. I have had mine two years and only paid £250.00 for servicing.

Apologies for being a pompous prat as my wife frequently describes me!!

Happy boating.
 
Does she handle well at low speeds in the marina and how do you find the throttles are they smooth and positive unlike our old boat now sold

Hello,

Being planing hulls there is not a lot of grip below the waterline but we haven't had any major problems with our single engine and bowthruster set up. The sliding door by the helm makes a big difference coming alongside. Yamaha fly by wire throttle is very smooth. We haven't hit anything yet!!

Good luck.
 
Does she handle well at low speeds in the marina and how do you find the throttles are they smooth and positive unlike our old boat now sold

You can spin the 855 around on its axis with the twin Honda engines and combined with the bow thruster, I manage single handling fine in the marina. The only issue is when there is wind, where last time getting back in with a cross wind, I was crabbing through the marina approaching my finger pontoon!

The Honda outboards are not fly by wire and there is more movement with them being cable operated, which took me some time to get used to, after the EVC on our previous Prestige 34.
 
Hi All

Does anyone know the usable dimensions of the cockpit lazarette in the 855? I've ordered the offshore version and this was one thing I forgot to measure at the time.
 
Considering the 855 but concerned about head system. Former boat had vacuum flush and macerator located in back of stern relatively away from sleeping quarters. Are there any issues with the 855 head system?Thanks
 
Considering the 855 but concerned about head system. Former boat had vacuum flush and macerator located in back of stern relatively away from sleeping quarters. Are there any issues with the 855 head system?Thanks

My 855 manual pump head can be used as a sea loo, or waste held in the tank. The waste can be dumped out at sea, or vacuumed out via a deck fitting.

I just use mine as a sea loo.
 
Sorry to pick up on an oldish thread.

Chamaerops - I have been reading your posts with interest as a frustrated 645 owner with a boat complex. We (me, my fabulous boat obsessed wife & 2 children) are considering taking the plunge towards bigger boat ownership, and the 855 is top of our list.

Did you ever manage to get across the channel, and if so, how did you find the trip? We are based in the West Country and would love to cruise the CI and Brittany coast, so really interested in hearing your views on habitability, storage for two weeks away etc. Also, how much more were your running costs ( very big handfuls). We'd be looking at dry stacking to begin with. Do you have any regrets!?

Happy boating!
 
We did indeed go across channel cruising in company and there is a story about it in the August 2015 edition of motorboat owner free online magazine. We have also booked for the motorboat owner trip to Brittany & the channel islands again this year.
Storage is an issue particularly with our winter cruising as cushions tend to need more storage and clothing is thicker and more copious. However, we do manage and it is easier in the summer, by way of example, in addition to the cross channel adventure last year, we also did a 25 day west country trip getting as far as Plymouth.
Fuel is a big cost, with our 150hp twins it is between 2 & 2.5 ltrs a mile depending on how hard you push it and yes I would always recommend dry stack.
 
Hi All

Does anyone know the usable dimensions of the cockpit lazarette in the 855? I've ordered the offshore version and this was one thing I forgot to measure at the time.

Well, I can answer my own question having taken delivery of the boat. Plenty of room for 6-man liferaft in valise (Waypoint), a 2.7 m 3D inflatable and a Torqueedo 1003. All the peripheral bits too.
 
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