The new paths that Frauscher has taken with the development of the 858 Fantom are recognisable at first glance. The fact thatGerald Kiska and his team of designers The precise modelling of the boat's free-form surfaces shows that Frauscher, with its extensive experience in automotive engineering, was involved in the design process. Frauscher had never before achieved such a harmonious interplay of exciting surfaces and lines.
Harry Miesbauer was responsible for the hydrodynamics, which were characterised by good driving behaviour during the test.
The fact that the new approach of the Austrian family business is working well can be seen in the following projects, as the 747 Mirage and the brand new 1414 Demon, which celebrated its premiere at Boot Düsseldorf 2016, also come from the same mould.
The way to the cockpit during our first inspection is via the aft deck. The first thing that catches the eye here is the 1.95 metre long and 96 centimetre wide bathing platform made of solid teak, which is fitted as standard. The three steps of the fold-out bathing ladder also have non-slip treads made from the precious wood. It is easy to operate from the water. The stern shower is one of the options. The way into the cockpit is via the upholstered sun lounger for two people. Immediately afterwards, the comfortable stern bench seat forms the transition to the cockpit. Further extras are hidden underneath, such as theFold-out bimini top and the 12 V cooling drawer. A teak table, which perfectly matches the standard floor covering made of the same material, can also be ordered. The helmsman and his co-driver will find solid seating with good lateral support and standing options, which can also be orientated aft. You will look in vain for windscreen wipers. We can't find a compass either, but according to Frauscher, this can be ordered at no extra cost.
The route to the foredeck begins with a climbing exercise on one of the gangways, which are only 14 cm narrow and lead past the frameless windscreen made of tinted acrylic glass to the foredeck.
The teak decking, which matches the style of the 858 Fantom, is only available at extra cost. As there are no railings or handholds, caution is advised. Such elements have been omitted in favour of the sleek appearance.
Even if it would disturb the lines, a missing railing is of course a safety problem that must be criticised. TheImpressive anchor installation is an eye-catcher and, thanks to the electric anchor winch, can be operated from the helm without having to go to the bow.
The highly polished stainless steel work of art in a science fiction look adorns the boat like a futuristic figurehead and - at least on some models - also becomes the shipyard's trademark, albeit a proud one.Surcharge of just under 12,000 euros. After all, the precious base iron hangs on a stainless steel chain.
Charming cabin
Even with a purely fair-weather boat, some owners occasionally wish to spend the night. The 858 Fantom has a cabin for this purpose. A 2.20 metre long and up to 1.60 metre wide, V-shaped berth in the bow provides a good night's sleep.
Otherwise, up to five people can socialise on the upholstered seats of the furniture. A table can also be ordered for this purpose. With a height of 1.28 metres at best, it is of course not possible to stand upright in the cabin.
But sitting is fine. The fact that a chemical toilet or even an electric toilet with black water tank can be installed here on request will please some prospective customers. Less positive is the lack of a hatch, as this restricts the desirable ventilation options.
However, air conditioning is on the options list, which is certainly useful for use in southern climes. However, the boat is hardly suitable for longer stays on board due to the lack of stowage options.
Motor and installation
In the basic version, Frauscher supplies the 858 Fantom with a Mercruiser V8 350 MAG with 224 kW (300 hp), which delivers its power to the water via a Bravo One drive. The test boat is fitted with the Mercruiser V8 8.2 MAG H.O., which also represents the maximum engine with 321 kW (430 hp) and a Bravo One X drive.
Fans of compression-ignition engines can also have the boat equipped with a D4-300 from Volvo Penta and matching duoprop system. The engine room is easily accessible after opening the cover, which consists of the rear sunbed.
First, however, a removable storage compartment for tarpaulins or other accessories must be overcome, only then does the engine follow. All components are neatly installed and easily accessible for maintenance work. Two blowers ensure that the well-insulated engine compartment is ventilated while travelling.
The automatic fire extinguisher and a total of three electric bilge pumps are waiting to be used in emergencies. Shortcoming: An additional manual bilge pump is only available as an option.
Tremendous driving pleasure
As you would expect, driving fun is not neglected with the beefy V8 big block. When starting off, the tip of the bow rises only slightly out of the water. After four seconds of acceleration, the gliding speed is reached at 2300 rpm and 15.5 knots.
The top speed of 45 knots is reached after just 15 seconds.
We determine a comfortable cruising speed at 3000 rpm, where the boat glides through the waves at just under 25 knots and an hourly consumption of 48 litres (1.97 l/sm). Although this is very slightly above the most economical speed of 2500 rpm, the Fantom then only runs at around 18 knots.
Even at 29 knots, a decent range of 149 nautical miles can still be achieved with the 370-litre aluminium tank. The engine only becomes a real gulper when the last 1000 revs are tickled out of it. At full throttle, the fun is over after less than 100 nautical miles.
To assess the driving behaviour in rough water, we had waves up to two metres high off the coast of Mallorca at our disposal - and the results are impressive!
Even in rough seas and at a speed of 20-30 knots, almost no spray water came on board.
The boat ran as if on rails in all sailing conditions and always dived very smoothly into the waves. The result is a great sense of safety for the crew. This speaks in favour of the hydrodynamic quality of the underwater hull.
Driving manoeuvres can be initiated effortlessly via the smooth hydraulic steering and are immediately converted into corresponding changes of direction. Trimming is hardly necessary. An armrest for the throttle hand would improve comfort even further. The tightest cornering at full throttle ended with cavitation on the propeller.
At 4000 rpm, however, full circles of 2.5 boat lengths were possible. Fast reversing in waves is also not recommended, as the air outlet in the stern is very low above the bathing platform and there is a risk of water ingress here. Thanks to the fitted bow thruster, which can be ordered at an additional cost of 4522 euros, the test boat was also easy to manoeuvre in harbour manoeuvres.
Our conclusion
The Frauscher 858 Fantom is not a run-of-the-mill boat. More of a sports car on the water than a sports boat, it serves a segment of its own where other brands such as Riva or Boesch are also active. However, its very distinctive lines clearly set it apart from other boats and it cuts a fine figure even in luxury marinas alongside luxury yachts. Very good handling characteristics show that there is substance behind the beautiful appearance. Whether all this justifies the proud price of 200,474 euros with the test engine for this trailerable gem is for the customer to decide.
Data sheet: Frauscher 858 Fantom
Shipyard: Frauscher Bootswerft GmbH & Co KG
Type designation: Frauscher 858 Fantom
CE category: C - Coastal waters
Length: 8,67 m
Width: 2,49 m
Displacement: 2,50 t
Price: 200.474,00 €
