Trade-A-Boat 496 2017

Parker 800 Weekend

to lift the bow to keep the windscreen

fairly dry.

Heading out to the channel markers

and the initial shelf drop, we met

deeper troughs and taller peaks –

perfect to test how the beamy boat

would land. I know this isn’t where a

typical owner would deliberately take

their 800 Weekend but I can safely say

should you find yourself late to lunch

or caught out by a weather change,

the Parker 800 Weekend is a more than

capable rough-water boat.

VA L U E & AVA I L A B I L I T Y

These are two contentious issues

for the brand. Parker still has some

way to go in establishing brand

recognition, and is working on a dealer

network. This means availability is low

compared with the established brands,

though value is high.

Three models spring to mind as

competitors to the 800: the Arvor 855

and 755 Weekenders, Beneteau Antares

8 and Jeanneau Merry Fisher 795.

The Arvor Weekenders define this

category of boat and sit either side of

the 800 in size, and both come with

outboard or sterndrive options. The

most similar in size, the Arvor 855,

carries a price premium over the Parker

800 when comparing base packages,

though the Arvor comes with more as

standard, including a bow thruster.

Aside from sharing the weekender

layout, the Jeanneau Merry Fisher 795

is not really a comparable boat. At only

7.43m LOA, it gives up a lot in size to

the Parker 800 Weekend and is only

available in outboard, not inboard.

That leaves the similarly sized but

shaft-driven Antares 8, which has

two fewer berths and is markedly

more expensive. The Antares is more

contemporary in design and has its

own appeal but the 800 Weekend, right

now, is exceptional value for money.

THE WRAP

The ride and performance built into

the 800 Weekend will give you the

confidence to stay out longer. Add in

the ability to sleep six and entertain

eight, and the Parker 800 Weekend is

a lot of boat for its size, yet it remains

immensely affordable. We would

option ours pretty much like the test

boat, just adding seating and table

options in the cockpit. That would raise

the delivery price to around $173,000 –

very impressive value.

Parker 800 Weekend Diesel

facts & figures

PRICE AS TESTED

A$172,985

OPTIONS FITTED

Bow thruster, additional wiper, galley

cabinets, deck shower, Webasto diesel

heater, electronics pack

PRICED FROM

A$134,888 with Honda BF200

outboard

GENERAL

MATERIAL GRP

LENGTH 8.4m (LOA)

BEAM 2.9m

WEIGHT 2500kg (hull only)

CAPACITIES

PEOPLE 8 (day) 6 (night)

REC HP 220

REC MAX HP 300

WATER 78L

BLACK WATER 40L

FUEL 230L

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL Mercury Diesel QSD 220

TYPE Inline four-cylinder, four-stroke,

common-rail turbo diesel

RATED HP 220

DISPLACEMENT 2.8L

WEIGHT 477kg (with Bravo-3 leg)

SUPPLIED BY

MY MARINE

100-108 Nepean Hwy,

Dromana, Vic 3936

PH +61 3 5987 0900

WEB mymarine.com.au

36 trade aboat.com.au