New Boat - Antares 7.80

[Mango]

Hi All,

After a few years of inactivity I bit the bullet last week and put a deposit down for a new Beneteau Antares 7.80 with a Suzuki 200 outboard engine. I read a lot of good posts here and went to see a few boats and decided that it was the best solution for my circumstances and budget. Dealer suggested Suzuki over the equivalent Yamaha. Boat will be used mainly for family cruising with my wife and 2 young boys, occasional fishing as well as odd weekends aboard. It would be great to hear from people with similar boats and or those who give their boats similar uses (specially if you have own a 7.80 or equivalent merry fisher 755). Boat arrives in March and cant wait

 

[LadyJ]

Hi Mango, congratulations and sure you will have a great time with the new boat. I am nearing the end of my first season with a new MF755 with a Suzuki 175, like you the dealer convinced me to go Suzuki and not Yamaha, I'd have gone 200 if it was the new model but the old was not an electric throttle and I wanted that option.
Feel free to PM me as I've managed to clock up several weekends and a week away, 1400nm and nearly 150 hours since April and loved every minute of it.
Happy to share any words of wisdom or simply share what I have learned in the first season if it is of any use.

 

[sprocker]

Hi Mango. Congratulations om your new boat. Exciting times!!

We have a Merry Fisher 645, a little smaller than the 755, and use it for cruising and a little fishing. We only got her earlier this season, and have just over 50 hours on the clock so far as we get used to her.

We're hoping to do some longer range coastal cruising next year....weather permitting. An upgrade to a MF755 is on the cards for the next couple of years.

 

[beejay190]

Can you tell me please the reasons why the two dealers recommended the Suzuki in preference to the Yamaha power unit.
Thanks.

 

[wipe_out]

Hi Mango,

Congrats on the new boat..

I have a new MF 695 with Yamaha 175hp that we bought earlier this year.. Haven't managed as many hours as I would have liked but being a closed boat I don't consider the season to be over and can see us heading out on some nice cooler days..

I bet you are itching for the handover day to arrive..

 

[Whitelighter]

Excellent news.

I rate the MF/Antares range, especially at the bigger end and the the 7.80 looks like a cracking package

 

[Danfarry]

They're great boats, I seem to get everywhere quickly!

 

[bigwow]

They're great boats, I seem to get everywhere quickly!

I'm not surprised with that stonking great engine!

 

[LadyJ]

Can you tell me please the reasons why the two dealers recommended the Suzuki in preference to the Yamaha power unit.
Thanks.

Not a criticism of Yamaha as much as the Suzuki had some aspects that sold it for me, namely, leanburn, electronic throttle (not available in the Yamaha model at point of purchase) and quieter at idle. The dealer did both but advised more warranty claims on the Yamaha and only one issue, ever, on a Suzuki unit. It was ordered in new so wasn't a ploy to push stock. Happy with the purchase as I'm sure I'd have been with the Yamaha but Suzuki worked for me.

 

[Mango]

Thank you all for your feedback. Yes, I'm itching to go and already looking at some toys to go with it . As regards the suzuki engine over the Yamaha, I was told pretty much, what LadyJ was told plus I was told the Suzuki had chain drive so no belts to change. I also speced my engine with electronic throttle. Does anyone know what the real world optimal cruising speed for my boat-engine configuration as well as estimated top speed ?

 

[LadyJ]

Thank you all for your feedback. Yes, I'm itching to go and already looking at some toys to go with it . As regards the suzuki engine over the Yamaha, I was told pretty much, what LadyJ was told plus I was told the Suzuki had chain drive so no belts to change. I also speced my engine with electronic throttle. Does anyone know what the real world optimal cruising speed for my boat-engine configuration as well as estimated top speed ?

Slightly different set up with the 175 Suzuki but with just me on board top speed is 34 knots with a 14.5 gallons an hour fuel burn. With five on board and fully kitted it drops to 31knots WOT. Cruising for me is 4800 revs for a 24.5 knots cruising speed and a burn of c. 9 gallons an hour, drop that to 4000 revs I get 18 knots and burn 5.5 gallons per hour, displacement speed of 6 knots at 1900 revs burns 1.2 gallons per hour. For me 4800 is the most comfortable and I'd sit at that all day without missing a beat. Hope that helps, when I tested the 200 it was the old unit and got almost identical figs with more fuel burn but the new 4 cylinder engine is more efficient so be keen to hear how it performs for you.
Average consumption over the season so far is 1.7ltrs per nm.