This blog will explore the Jeanneau NC compared to the Jeanneau Merry Fisher and discuss why you’d choose one over the other, now that size is no limit in the Jeanneau Outboard range, especially following the launch of the new Merry Fisher 1095 in flybridge and hardtop.
These designs are very similar so which boat is right for you?
The NC (New Concept) is a spacious tardis of a boat with sliding rear doors from the saloon to the cockpit and on to the bathing platform. It has a higher-finish to its interior design than the smaller Merry Fishers but there is not much in it against the larger Merry Fishers coming out of Poland. The finish and design are now very similar to the French-built NC.
What about the ride?
The NC semi-displacement hull is arguably better in a big sea…. Or is it? Our experience when testing the NC in close-quarter handling is that it is no different to an outboard Merry Fisher. Both draw very little under the hull. Both in the larger models have twin engine options, docking joystick and bow thruster. With the right amount of practice, it is possible to spin both boats in their own waterline length and with the bow thruster and engines in opposing thrust you can slide the boat sideways, even without the joystick docking. Joystick docking is available as an add on for Volvo inboards and Yamaha Outboard engines for those that require the extra security or want precision control for hoovering on wrecks or very tight berthing. Budget circa £20k for this additional option.
So that’s close-quarter manoeuvring covered, but how about in a big sea?
The NC feels a lot more solid but is this deceptive as your ears cannot hear the outside seas? With the engines beneath your feet and not the noise of the Deep V breaking through the waves it sounds like the boat is more capable when in fact it is doing the same as the Merry Fisher.
The large diesel engines go a long way to blocking out a majority of the noise of waves against the hull. The outboard boats are lighter and designed to plane on top of the water so these hulls do work better on flatter seas, especially where they can get up to greater speeds. The flatter the sea the more speed is achievable.
However, it has always been argued that the drawback is that it isn’t as solid as an inboard set up. Yes, with the engines above the waterline the weight is higher up and at the rear of the boat. So the boat then pivots from this area rather than at midships or the aft quarter with inboards. There is undoubtedly less weight below the water line affecting the stability from side to side with outboards. However, with a good set of trim tabs, the bow of the outboard boat can be trimmed down to allow the V in the bow to meet the oncoming swell, and you can reduce your speed to increase the comfort of the ride.
Furthermore, you need to ask yourself, why would you be out in a big sea in the first place? If the weather gets up, then in the faster outboard hull you would be able to steam back to port in a quicker time ahead of any poor weather. To sum up, whether you can hear the sea under you or not it doesn’t necessarily mean the boat is built any differently. The Merry Fisher can take it as well as the NC… it just seems quieter on the NC.
So what about pricing?
Financially, the inboard boats are more expensive to build as they require more materials in the engine bay, the inboard engines and subsequent outdrives are costly units to supply. You can add 40/50% into the price of inboard over outboard as a general rule of thumb. So, in my opinion, the outboard is the future of larger boat boating. It’s more cost-effective to build, cheaper to maintain with no expensive outdrives to overhaul, quieter to run, and with no engines inboard, you have more storage space. In Jeanneau’s case (New Merry Fisher 1095), you are rewarded with a second and third cabin. Buying more space for less money; now you don’t get that in the housing market!
With the right tuition from us at Atlantic Yachts, we can show you how to drive the Outboard Twin engines and Bow thruster combination as well as any inboard boat. We can save you money at the same time.
For some, where speed isn’t so essential but long-distance, and a self-affirming quietness in the ride is, then the NC is still going to be the preferred boat.
See the two largest of the Merry Fisher Range together on our youtube channel
