2024 Skamander 850 Voyager

The Skamander by Parker Poland 850 Voyager is a modern 29 ft 11 in daycruiser designed for comfort and adventure. Powered by twin 225 Mercury engines, this boat combines lower service costs, excellent fuel economy, and easy handling. It features a retractable bimini top that hides away under the very large cockpit, berths for 4–6, a pantry with a sink and induction cooktop, and a separate bathroom with shower, the Voyager is perfect for day trips or longer stays. This specific boat does not have A/C installed, but that can be done locally if the new owner so desires.

As Motor Boat & Yachting mag, says it best:

"The Parker 850 Voyager offers impressive outboard engine performance and a clever cockpit with a keen eye on value for money

29' seems to be proving the sweet spot for single outboard-powered weekenders, with boats like the Finnmaster T8, Beneteau Flyer 8 and Jeanneau Cap Camarat 7.5DC vying for your hard earned. Into this hotly contested market comes Polish builder Parker, with the biggest of its open boat line, the 850 Voyager.

The most obvious benefit that Parker brings to this segment is sheer volume. At 9' wide it’s one of the beamiest boats in this category, which it combines with high cockpit sides that run right to the edges for the maximum amount of space (access to the foredeck is up steps and through the centre of the windscreen).

The result is plenty of seating, but the key is the terrific adaptability created by two simple moving backrests. The rearmost one hinges forward, creating aft-facing seating right at the rear of the boat, fantastic for relaxing at anchor and watching the world go by.

Hinge it back and the seat reverts to facing inward around an expensive looking folding teak table on an easily removed pedestal. It’s one side of a C-shaped dinette area, and the forward backrest performs the same trick, cantilevering between a rearward-facing part of the dinette or creating a large L-shaped seating area alongside the helm, putting three or four crew up at the front, amidst the action, and protected by the high GRP-framed windscreen.

It’s such a simple design yet it works so well, optimising the seating plan for lounging, dining or cruising. There’s a wet bar on the starboard side of the cockpit behind the helm, with a sink and an induction cooktop.

That volume works well on the lower deck too. Although the boat is clearly a cockpit-biased weekender, this is far more than just a basic cuddy downstairs. In line with modern trends, there’s no dedicated seating down here, just a large double bed (with a comfy four-inch thick mattress), but what is unusual is a second good-sized double berth running transversely beneath the cockpit, something you often find on sportscruisers, but rarely on weekenders."