Tested | Jeanneau 795 Merry Fisher Sports Serie2 with Yamaha 250HP DES and Helm Master EX

I am pretty sure that this is the very first boat test I have done on a rig that lives in the marina. We have done several tests on trailered Jeanneau boats before, but the 795 is definitely new to us. Brisbane's Northdside Marine have been importing in Jeanneau boats for several years now and have experienced remarkable success with this European style family and fishing boat.

Jeanneau hulls are a particularly beamy and deep sided shape that carry their beam a long way to the bow. They corner very flat and are a very stable hull at rest. They are definitely not a slender, wave piercing boat that is designed for triple digit speeds. However, they are a great platform to fish, entertain family and stay out of the weather.

The test boat was fitted with Yamaha's 250 hp DES 4-stroke outboard engine, complete with Yamaha's Helm Master EX system.

“We find that most purchases of rigs like this choose to incorporate the Helm Master system,” said Bill Hull, sales chief at Brisbane’s Northside Marine.

“In the broad scheme of the total cost of the boat, Helm Master is a fairly natural choice. It gives you joystick steering, autopilot and the smooth, responsive digital controls,” he continued.

There is 280 L of fuel under the deck (as well as 100 L of fresh water) and when we ran the economy figures, the best we could get out of it was 1 km/L. This is fairly standard on a boat of this size.

Top speed was 63 km an hour at 5800 rpm. At the speed you get 700 m/L burned. Best economy was at 4400 rpm and 43 km/h. The helm is comfortable and everything is flush mounted.

We were expecting gusty NW winds and cloudy skies on the test day, however the Bureau got it wrong again. Calm, sunny skies meant that it was a very pleasant day on the water. It also meant that we couldn't run this boat in any of the rough stuff.

We have, however run this boat’s siblings in some nasty conditions. They are a little wet, but the enclosed cabin makes the ride very comfortable. We assume that the 795 is no different.

I really liked the build of the cockpit. A removable table takes 20 seconds to pack away and leaves great fishing area. You would expect this in a boat with a 2.8 metre beam. Seats on three sides fold down without the need for any legs or other support. They deploy and stowaway in seconds meaning that the configuration of carrying passengers is infinitely customisable.

The deck is fully self draining and I can see this rig being at home in some reasonably nasty conditions.

It takes a little while to get used to the asymmetric walk around. The starboard side walkaround is much wider than the port. Both sides lead to a front deck which is designed for socialising rather than fishing. You can see in the images that there is room for one person but no more than that. This is unusual in a boat of this size.

This model also comes with a side dive door as standard. It has a neat, kidproof latch to make sure that the young’uns don't go swimming when they're not supposed to.

There is also plenty of storage under the cockpit deck for fish, ice or wet gear as well as a plumbed live bait tank on the port side.

Unique to the Jeanneau boats are the roof racks mounted on the hardtop. These are ideal for various boards and kayaks and keep them securely locked away when not in use.

With a price tag around $300,000 as tested you would expect a very well appointed and functional rig. And this rig will be an excellent compromise between function and comfort for many anglers.

Hull and motor packages start from around $180,000. See Dave, Bill and all of the team at Northside Marine to secure a test ride.

SPECIFICATIONS

Hull length 6.97m
Beam 2.82m
Hull weight 2.82m
Draft 0.58m
Fuel 280L
Water 100L
Max HP 250



PERFORMANCE
RPM Speed (km/h) Economy (km/L)
700 5 1.4
1000 8 1.4
2000 13 1.0
3000 17 0.7
3500 20 0.7
4000 30 0.8
4400 43 1.0
4500 46 0.9
5000 53 0.8
5800 63 0.7

Raw running footage at the end of the video.