oyster sailboat reviews

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Oyster 495: the dream boat that sets the bar

• Sam Fortescue
• January 2, 2023

Oyster have long set the standard for luxurious blue-water cruisers, and the Oyster 495 is the new baby in the range. Even if you’re not in the market for one, it’s nice to dream, says Sam Fortescue

Product Overview

• High build quality
• Very stable
• Modern hull shape
• Flexible sail plan
• Accessible technical spaces
• Lots of deck stowage
• Numerous interior steps
• Limited clothes storage
• Captive main/jib halyard

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:.

Following an era which saw Oyster yachts getting progressively bigger and bigger, the iconic British boatbuilder has shifted its gaze back to the sort of boats that made it famous. And the first fruit of this welcome development is the comely Oyster 495.

The best part of £2 million all told, she is eye-wateringly expensive. So why sail her?

Well, this iconic British brand has long set the standard when it comes to offshore and ocean luxury cruising yachts, so it’s worth seeing, if only to measure other boats against.

The cockpit is deep, secure and well-sheltered. Credit: Morten Strauch

Even if you haven’t got that kind of loose change in your pocket, it’s nice to dream, isn’t it?

Freshly designed from the keel up, this is a that boat aims to combine comfort, quality build and reliable blue-water passagemaking with features found on the bigger boats.

Drawn by Humphreys Yacht Design, the Oyster 495 is the first new model since Richard Hadida bought the business in 2018.

‘She’s a go-anywhere adventure machine capable of taking her owners to the four corners of the globe,’ says Hadida, for whom this first boat has been built with a huge array of extras.

Oyster 495: a new icon

Approaching the Tuborg Marina in Copenhagen to join ship for the overnight passage to Kiel, there was absolutely no mistaking this boat, whose glossy black carbon mast gave her away long before I spotted the trademark Oyster eyebrow.

Hull number one, which is on a promotional world tour lasting well into 2023, also has a bold turquoise vinyl hull wrap.

Solo sailing is feasible thanks to almost all controls being push-button. Credit: Morten Strauch

In line with recent thinking on hull shape , the Oyster 495 punches a plumb bow into the seas and carries much of her beam well aft – noticeably more so than previous models.

Such a hull form resists heeling and reduces the need for ballast.

The halyards make off to the mast and can be tensioned by winches, but must be moused to be lowered. Credit: Morten Strauch

‘With the twin rudder configuration that we have adopted as standard on all our Oyster designs since the 885 model, it provides us with more flexibility to carry a higher proportion of form stability by increasing the power of the aft hull sections,’ says naval architect Tom Humphreys.

‘This is still introduced sensitively to ensure motions and control in waves is not compromised.’

Generous accommodation

Together with the slightly higher beam and topsides compared to the 46, it creates a lot of volume below for the master cabin and extra headroom in the fo’c’sle.

As is typical for Oyster, the mast is keel-stepped. It intrudes slightly into the corridor forward, but does a better job of transferring rig forces to the keel and reduces chainplate loading.

Our test boat had the full carbon mast option from Selden with in-mast furling, and in some ways, this is a bit of an oxymoron.

Headsail furling is electric on the Oyster 495, with a double bow roller in the integral bow sprit. Credit: Morten Strauch

The carbon mast adds nearly £100,000 to the pricetag for a big weight saving of some 200kg, but the mandrel and furling gear puts some of that weight back in.

On the other hand, it reduces the sail area by 10 per cent and prohibits the use of performance-enhancing battens.

‘You get more sailing done this way,’ explains sales director Richard Gibson, and that is a key point in a blue-water yacht.

The sail plan is designed with an efficient 54m2 jib, which can be set up for self-tacking, or remain on tracks set well inboard for good tight angles upwind.

Then there’s an attractive moulded-in bowsprit which carries two tack points for asymmetric or reaching sails, while beefy padeyes along the raised bulwarks give you heaps of options for fixing the blocks needed to run sheets and guys.

A large sprayhood, and an optional bimini or cockpit tent offer good protection from the elements. Credit: Morten Strauch

As well as push-button controls for the mast furling and outhaul, this test boat has the optional hydraulic mainsail trim.

Effectively reversing the mainsheet to be trimmed in the boom and not on deck, this clever kit was first developed by Wally superyachts.

The mainsheet is spliced to a strop on the deck behind the helm and a ram hidden in the boom does the trimming, removing trailing ropes in the cockpit.

Just the jib sheets come back to the cockpit, because all the halyards are designed to be handled at the mast.

The mainsheet control is hydraulic and hidden inside the boom. Credit: Richard Langdon

It keeps the cockpit remarkably tidy, but requires you to spend time crouched at the foot of the mast to launch or douse a reaching or running sail.

Similarly, the jib and main halyards terminate with loops over a mast fitting which is tensioned then pegged off.

As they are cut to this length with the sails hoisted, you can’t lower them in a hurry.

You need to unload the hook using a winch, then tie on the provided mousing line. Tidy, yes; practical, no.

Hunting for wind

Now, we had lamentably low wind during our test sail, and the delivery team were intent on reaching Kiel by daybreak, so we spent much of our 24 hours aboard with the motor running and the sails furled.

And here, it must be said that the boat performs very well.

At an optimal 2,300rpm, the efficient Yanmar 110hp shoved us along at 8 knots through oily calm seas, consuming 8.7 litres of diesel per hour.

That’s roughly 1 litre per nautical mile, or nearly 4 days and nights of motoring on a full tank of 800 litres.

Excellent deck stowage is located aft of the single-point mainsheet attachment. Credit: Morten Strauch

And though the engine sits in the traditional spot beneath the companionway, with the chart table to starboard and the galley to port, it is very well muffled.

Crucially for the workhorse on a blue-water cruising boat, access is possible via hatches on all four sides of the engine block, while the compartment itself offers plenty of room for additional equipment.

During two passages of moderate wind, the skipper obligingly let us set the main and jib – a slow but simple question of pressing buttons, with jib sheet winches within easy reach of the helm on the coaming.

She remained light and responsive on the helm and at one point, we clocked up a decent 5.1 knots of boat speed, fetching easily into 8 knots AWS.

Oyster is proud of its cockpit table, which contains a drinks fridge. Credit: Morten Strauch

Conditions didn’t permit much more, but polars indicate that she will perform up to about 32º true wind angle, quickly accelerating to 7 knots upwind in a 10-knot breeze.

Broad reaching with the 197 m² asymmetric, she can manage 11 knots in a blow.

Despite being resin-infused, the boat has a relatively heavy glassfibre construction and weighs in at 21 tonnes without fuel, water, food, gear or crew.

The saloon is large and extremely light thanks to the trademark deck saloon windows

Her sail area to displacement ratio of 16.1 is that of a solid offshore cruiser, while the waterline length to displacement ratio of 203 promises a little more power.

It gives her a very solid feel on the water, like her bigger siblings, but limits performance.

‘You want the boat to be the destination in a way,’ says Tom Humphreys. And like all Oysters, the 495 is just that.

The trademark raised centre cockpit means plenty of aft deck for lounging, fishing or blowing up tenders, while the seating, with its central fold-up table, is deep and well protected.

The optional cockpit tent and a bimini would be a boon for warm water or Baltic sailing .

A proper forward facing chart table is essential for ocean navigation and as a work station

Deck, rigging and underwater lighting may be a little showy for some, but do create real atmosphere. The heart of the boat, though, is its large saloon area.

Deep upholstery on either side provides space to put your feet up and relax, gather with friends, sit down for a meal around the eight-person table or even watch a movie on the pop-up TV.

Luxury styling in the cabins hasn’t made Oyster forget practicalities such as lee cloths and handholds.

The space communicates nicely with a very well-found galley to port and the chart table to starboard, and there are handrails to help you make your way everywhere.

The finish is Oyster to the core and styling has been revitalised with a new superyacht inspired look that is all geometric relief, pale wood and Nordic lamps.

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One step too far

If I had one criticism of this otherwise spotless interior, it would be the number of little level changes that connect the spaces.

We counted 12 steps in total, besides the companionway.

While they maximise the volume, they also present a tripping risk.

The hull form includes a plumb bow to stretch waterline length, and carries its beam well aft, controlled by twin rudders. Credit: Brian Carlin

One of the reasons for these steps is clear: the saloon sole is raised somewhat in order to create space for the tankage beneath, as well as enjoy the views from the deckhouse windows.

And there, at least, the benefit is overwhelming, because you can easily inspect each tank, as well as the batteries and other equipment.

Custom joinery adapts the galley storage to your crockery and glassware.

The galley of the Oyster 495 is well laid out for use at sea

Standard is a four-burner hob and oven from GN Espace, side opening boat fridge plus an optional freezer and microwave.

Another highlight is the huge chart table.

There are those that scoff at the waste of space in a digital age, but anyone undertaking blue-water cruising knows the value of this space.

The saloon deckhouse leaves the foredeck clear for sail handling, lounging, or dinghy stowage. Credit: Morten Strauch

B&G instruments are the standard choice. The main interfaces are touchscreen displays that drive C-Zone digital switching , but key kit still features two-pole manual switches.

‘We wanted to introduce tech into the boat, but we had to make sure that if something breaks down mid-ocean you could fix it,’ explains Gibson.

Down steps aft, the owner’s cabin is clearly inspired by the big Oysters.

The engine compartment is well insulated and has ample space for a genset and other systems. Credit: Morten Strauch

The island bed measures 140cm across and features an elaborate fabric headboard that shows off the new styling to maximum effect.

There’s the option of a huge TV on the forward bulkhead, plus a vanity table and a sofa.

A luxurious ensuite heads features a separate shower, reached – you’ve guessed it – down another step.

The second cabin lies in the fo’c’sle and it runs to another good sized semi-island bed.

The boat remains a medium-heavy displacement cruiser, but the new hull shape adds extra performance. Credit: Richard Langdon

Having shared this space overnight with the photographer, I can attest to the comfort, and the natural light.

There is a third cabin to starboard with a pair of useful bunks, sharing the forward heads and shower. Finish quality is, as you’d expect, excellent.

In the end, Oyster has been ambitious in trying to squeeze in the features of its larger boats onto this design.

But it has been a successful project and, even as we hove in sight of Kiel’s green approaches, it was all too easy to imagine settling in and heeding the call of the high seas.

Verdict on the Oyster 495

New focus from Oyster and some modern hull design courtesy of Humphreys have given the Oyster 495 a modest performance boost and some welcome contemporary features.

However, she remains very true to Oyster’s keystone values of safety, seaworthiness and comfort. And in that sense, at least, she is not a radical boat.

Her layout, too, would be familiar to an Oyster 49 owner from 2001.

The Oyster 495 is built for serious long-distance cruising. Credit: Brian Carlin

There’s plenty of technology here – digital switching, plotters galore, good AV options and hydraulic sail controls. But it is not dressed up to be flashy.

The boat is solid, well-built and beautifully finished. She is easy to handle, capable and well organised.

Our only misgivings were about the less-than-easy halyard handling, and reliance on hydraulics for sail trim.

It’s all very neat, but is that really the priority for blue-water cruising?

As to whether she represents the world’s best 50ft blue-water yacht, time will tell, but with 16 boats sold off plan, some buyers clearly think so.

Would the Oyster 495 suit you and your crew?

Oysters are the stuff of dreams, and the new 495 is no exception.

If money were no object, and it needs not to be for this boat (our tricked-out test boat cost £1.6m ex-VAT or £1.92m inc VAT), then this is a vessel custom made to fulfil blue-water cruising hopes.

She would best suit a family with a steady flow of visiting friends, or a mix of older and younger kids.

The integral bowsprit on the Oyster 495 facilitates the setting of various offwind sails to maintain passage speeds. Credit: Brian Carlin

The disparity between the aft and fo’c’sle cabins rules out a project involving two couples.

She would also work well with a couple and some paid hands, although the ease of sail control and trim makes her perfectly viable for sailing solo or two-up.

There’s no reason that you couldn’t take the 495 up Britain’s rivers and estuaries, with her 2.28m draught and option for a 1.83m shoal keel.

But a boat of this capability demands to cover miles.

Sail round Britain , up to Svalbard , round the Mediterranean or around the world – the boat could undoubtedly handle it all with aplomb – but make sure you’re stretching her legs.

Solid, well-built and beautifully finished

10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

‍ There's no denying that sailors are certainly a passionate bunch. We’re so passionate about our boats that we always try going for the best sailboats. To make it a lot easier for you, here are the best sailboat brands.

Owning a sailboat is an indulgence that many of us only dream about but very few ever have the privilege of sailing the seas in what they can actually call their own.

While there's nothing wrong with renting a sailboat, the honor of owning one is certain what many sailors dream of.

With a perfectly crafted sailboat as company, gliding through the water, waves, and wind brings some sort of unmatched comfort and peace.

Add this to the fact that sailing takes you far away from the daily hustles and bustles that we've become accustomed to in our daily lives and you'll see why the life of sailing is very appealing to the masses.

But without a proper sailboat, all this fun and the good life of sailing are thrown out of the window.

Contrary to the widespread opinion, owning a sailboat isn't beyond anyone's reach. It's something that we can all achieve. But before getting into that, it's important to know some of the best sailboat brands.

The best sailboat brands will make your life as a sailor a lot easier and more fun. The best sailboat brands have, for decades if not centuries, mastered the art of woodworking. They've dedicated their skills and immense amount of their time to designing and manufacturing nothing but the best quality of sailboats in the industry.

So if you've been looking for the best sailboat brands from all over the world, you've come to the right place. We'll discuss the best of the best, something that will give you a perfect getaway from your normal life.

Table of contents

‍ Must-Have Features for Your Sailboat

Before highlighting the best sailboat brands, it would be appropriate to jog your mind a little with some of the features that must be available in your sailboat.

Choosing a sailboat can sometimes be a matter of compromises. In other words, it's sometimes sensible to accept that a sailboat cannot have all the features that you desire.

As such, it's all about going with a sailboat that has the features that matter to you most.

For this reason, let's look at the most basic features that can make the difference in both safety and comfort while improving your sailing experience.

A Safe and Comfortable Sailing Cockpit

You'll most definitely be spending a huge amount of time in the cockpit. Whether you're keeping watch, trimming sails , helming, or just enjoying the scenery, there's no better place to do all these than from the cockpit. That being said, a good cockpit should have the following.

• Have a good depth for safety reasons and adequate drainage
• Should give you a quick and easy access to jammers, cleats, and other important parts of the winch system
• Should have a seat or seats that are about 35 cm high, 50 to 55 cm wide to provide ideal support
• The seats should be adjustable to offer maximum comfort and allow you to change your position

GPS Chartplotter

Use a GPS Chartplotter once and your sailing will never be the same without it. It not only allows you to map a course but is also a great way of ensuring that your sailboat exactly follows that course. It also gives you constant updates on ocean conditions, weather conditions , and potential hazards such as deadly currents and sandbars.

A GPS Chartplotter is also an important safety device that can help you in some very critical situations while out there on the water.

For instance, it has a man-overboard button that is essentially meant to allow you to receive coordinates of the exact location should someone fall off your boat.

Electric Winch System

This is an amazing addition to any sailboat. It allows you to sheet a jib even in high and strong winds with a simple press of a button. It also gives you the chance of trimming a mainsail easily while still carry out other essential tasks in the sailboat.

An electric winch system can be of great importance, especially if you're short on crew. This is because it can free up some crew members to carry other important tasks. In other words, it can make duties that would otherwise require more crew members a lot easier.

More importantly, an electric winch system can maintain safety even in the roughest of conditions, thereby preventing you and your crew from getting injured. In essence, an electric winch system will make your sailing a lot safer, less stressful, and more enjoyable.

Reverse Osmosis Watermaker

This is a very valuable accessory, especially if you're going on long sea voyages. You can spend days on end without drinking clean and safe water.

As the name suggests, you can use this accessory to turn seawater into purified drinking water. It uses the reverse osmosis method that's essential not only in removing bacteria and parasites from the water but also in turning the water into purified and safe drinking water.

Even though this device is pricey, it's a great way to mitigate the over-reliance on huge water tanks. All you have to do is to ensure that it's properly maintained and you'll have an endless streak of safe drinking water no matter where you are.

Wide and Clutter-free Deck

While the deck is often an overlooked feature of a sailboat, it can be the difference between a great sailing experience and a stressful one. In essence, the deck of a sailboat should be wide enough and clutter-free.

This is significant as it can enable you to quickly access different parts of your sailboat with hindrance or getting tangled. As you can see, this is particularly important in improving safety and reducing stress.

With that in mind, make sure that the deck is organized in such a way that you can have easy access to sails, masts, and winches.

You should, therefore, avoid sailboats with decks that are designed in such a way that you have to climb on top of the cabin just to access these features. Needless to say, this can be quite unstable and very dangerous especially when conditions are rough.

The Best Sailboat Brands and Why

1. hallberg-rassy.

Hallberg-Rassy is a Swedish yacht maker that's very well-known in the blue water cruising circles for making some of the highest quality and sturdiest sailboats. For many sailors, this is the number one sailboat brand as it offers absolute comfort, utmost safety, and good and easy handling.

This brand is not only synonymous with sturdy construction but you won't worry getting soaking wet while out there on the water. This is because it has a well-protected deck and cockpit, finished with nice woodwork, and has a powerful engine with a big tankage just to ensure that you can go on long voyages.

When designing its sailboats, this brand has made it a norm to add some features that stand out from the rest. For instance, the bowsprit is an integral feature that makes sailing a Hallberg-Rassy quite easy and much enjoyable. This is because it grants easy access to and from the deck. Its electric anchor winches facilitate smooth maneuvering. Even more, its large steering wheels makes it much easier to control the boat even in the roughest of conditions. In essence, this brand has features that provide good control and an extra sense of safety.

Although this brand has evolved over the years, you'll easily recognize it even from a distance. And why is this? A Hallberg-Rassy never goes out of style. This is a unique sailboat brand that has always stayed true to its principles and concept. No matter which part of the world you go, Hallberg-Rassy will remain the undisputed king of blue water cruising.

2. Nautor's Swan

For over 50 years, Nautor's Swan has endlessly raised the sailing levels by designing and manufacturing new sailboat models that not only push the boundaries but also meet that many requirements and demands of sailors across the world. Thanks to its wide range of seaworthy, timeless, elegant, and highly-performing sailboats, the Nautor's Swan remains one of the best if not the best sailboat makers in the world.

Based in Jakobstad, Finland, this brand has severally set the industry standard with its speedy and sleek models such as the Swan 48, Swan 65, Swan 98, Swan 78, and Swan 120. These models have one thing in common: they never compromise on safety. As a brand that puts safety first, it ensures that its models are made of foam-cored glass fiber and reinforced both with carbon-fiber and epoxy. In essence, Nautor's Swan is widely revered for its unmatched seafaring and safety records.

Additionally, Nautor's Swan models are incredibly responsive. You can easily tell this just by the feel of the wheel. This brand has models that will gracefully slice through the biggest of waves with ease. That's not all; the interior of these models that are very comfortable even when the going gets tough. This is, without a doubt, a brand that strives to create self-contained worlds with each model.

3. Beneteau

This is perhaps the most selling sailboat brand in the world. For over a century now, this brand has based its models in a combination of simplicity and performance. This is a brand that will serve you just right across all latitudes and in all circumstances. Whether you prefer the Oceanis Yacht 62 or the Figaro Beneteau 3, this brand will never let you down on all fronts.

This brand revolves around a simple concept of creating a link around the world. From the deck space to its design and light, this brand does everything possible not just to uniformly transform life at sea but also to open doors to new horizons in a very luxurious yet practical way. Its models are designed with clear deck plans, stable hulls, simplified maneuvering and interior materials and equipment that can be easily personalized.

Whether you're looking for a racing sailboat or something that's designed to explore and enjoy the world in the company of friends and family, Beneteau is a true combination of sensations and simplicity. This is a brand that brings to the seas fun, simplicity, smartness, toughness, safety, intuitiveness, as well as dazzling reinvention.

4. Amel Yachts

Based on the ethos of designing and manufacturing comfortable, robust, and easy-to-handle boats, this French brand has, for over five decades, offered sailors and other sailing enthusiasts the perfect opportunity to explore the seas with the utmost quality, comfort, and more importantly, safety.

Using 100% French know-how, this brand has brought to the sailing world some of the best boats such as the Santorini, the Mango, the Super Maramu, and the Maramu. We would be doing this brand total injustice if we said that they're distinctive. Truth be told, there's nothing comparable to an Amel model. Well Amel was and still is, the ultimate standard by which other sailboat models are measured.

From items such as electric winches and furling, to generators, Watermaker , and washing machine down to the simplest of items such as towels. Spare filters, bathrobes, deck brush, and a boat safe, the Amel is in reality with what the real life of a sailor is and should be.

Although some may say that Amel still has room for improvement in terms of specifications and personalization, it cannot be denied that the Amel is a serious brand that designs and manufactures complete boats. With this brand, you'll be guaranteed of a higher degree of reliability, safety, and an edge of fun while out there on the water.

5. Hinckley Yachts

Based in Maine, United States, Hinckley Yachts is a brand that has been building robust, luxury, and safe sailboats for more than 90 years now. In its sailboat class, you'll find several sailboats that have classic shapes, inner strength, dramatic lines, and features that are absolutely essential in dealing with the challenges of the North Atlantic.

This brand has been successful in integrating impeccable craftsmanship with new technologies to ensure that their models always stand out while articulating advanced sailing practices, timeless aesthetic, robust construction, and the utmost safety. Whether you choose the Bermuda 50, the Sou'wester 53 or any model for that matter, you'll never be short of advanced performance based on the best design and technology.

In terms of features, this brand provides sailboat models with modern performance hulls. These hulls are constructed with inner layers of carbon, outer layers of Kevlar, and are aligned with computer-designed load paths. Every feature is designed without compromising comfort.

To this end, this brand offers you a perfect combination of both fun and sail. This brand offers more than just sailing. Instead, it offers a unique sailing experience that's combined with the pure joys of sailing in the blue waters with an ease of ownership and maneuverability.

6. Oyster Yachts

If you've been looking for luxury more than anything else, Oyster Yachts provides you with numerous solutions. This British brand is widely known for manufacturing a wide range of luxury cruising sailing yachts. Its sailboats are among the finest in the world and are immensely capable of taking you to some of the far-flung places in the world without having to worry about high winds and hellish waves.

Whether you choose the iconic Oyster 565 or the immense Oyster 595 you never fall short of experiencing the new world like never before. These are models that will enable you to own your adventure, choose your destination, set your courses, pick your anchorage, and stay safe at all times. If you want to hold the wheel and pull the sail while feeling the tang of salt spray on your face, Oyster Yachts is the way to go.

This is, unquestionably, a brand that's meant for you if you want to explore the seas in comfort, luxury and utmost safety. From craftsmanship, sailboat design, to hull, deck, and keel configurations, everything is designed to allow you to circumnavigate the world in comfort, elegance, and style.

7. Tartan Yachts

Based in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, there's arguably no better to begin your sailing adventures than with a sailboat designed and manufactured by Tartan Yachts. With several award-winning designs and construction, this brand is widely known for providing easy handling, great performance, and an ultimately stable platform.

This brand always strives to deliver a unique and the best possible experience to every sailor. As a brand, Tartan fully understands that every sailor has his/her unique sailing needs. As such every component of their models is designed with engineering levels that guarantee optimum performance, excellent on-deck visibility, and luxurious interior.

From the Tartan 5300, the Tartan 4300, the Tartan 345 to the New 365 and the Fantail, this brand makes it a priority to ensure that its models are among the strongest, lightest, and more importantly, the safest in the sailing industry. In essence, this brand can be ideal if you appreciate performance. It has rewarding sailing features both in narrow water lines and wider passages. Add this to its easy handling and you'll have a top-notch performer in virtually every condition.

8. Catalina Yachts

As one of the most popular boat manufacturers in the world, this American brand is widely revered for building the sturdiest boats that can hold up perfectly well in real-world conditions. These are generally family-oriented boats that are intelligently designed to ensure that your entire family can have fun out there on the water.

Some of the models include the cruiser series such as the Catalina 315, the Catalina 385, the Catalina 425 while the sport series include the Catalina 12.5 Expo, the Catalina 16.5, and the Catalina 14.2 Expo. As the current winner of the "Boat of the Year" Cruising World, you'll rarely go wrong with a Catalina model.

It offers a wide range of sailboat sizes that suits your lifestyle. This brand makes it a priority to ensure that all their models are not only safe but offer the best ownership and sailing experience. If anything, this brand is widely known to have one of the most excellent resale values in the sailing industry.

9. Island Packet Yachts

From the IP 525, the IP 439 to the IP 379, the Island Packet Yachts is a brand that encourages its customers not to keep the world waiting. This brand is meant for sailors who want to explore the world in utmost comfort and safety.

The first thing you'll notice in an IP sailboat is its large aft deck. This is not only perfect for sunbathing but can also serve you well if you want an impromptu dinner with friends and family while out there on the water. The living space is also large enough to carry most of your belongings, which is an added advantage especially if you've been planning to spend longer periods in the seas.

With modern evolution and refinement, as well as proven features, this brand is known to offer sailors maximum comfort, luxury, and safety. You'll have better access to the cockpit, have enough space, and are excellently designed to provide superior seafaring and the best features to enable you to spend extended periods when cruising.

10. Sparkman & Stephens

For more than 90 years, Sparkman & Stephens has been at the forefront of the belief that sailboat excellence goes beyond hull lines and deck plans. Instead, this brand believes in excellent naval architecture, innovation, sophistication, and beauty. This is a brand that has laid the foundation of sailboat as a sport not just in America but all over the world.

These models have graced the world for decades and bring immense pleasure to their owners in terms of innovation, performance, and excellence. Though rooted in tradition, the brand has pushed sophistication, technology, and sailing experience to a whole new level. You'll be a proud owner of the Sparkman & Stephens model.

There you have it; these are the best sailboat brands in the world. Although there are several other sailboat brands to choose from, the-above described brands stand shoulder above others in terms of quality, safety, performances and luxury.

Hopefully, you're at a much better place when it comes to choosing a sailboat that suits your lifestyle, needs, and budget .

Happy sailing!

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Common Issues With Catalina Yacht Sailboats

Common Issues With Island Packet Yacht Sailboats

Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Oyster 54 review: from the archive

• Matthew Sheahan
• June 2, 2021

Matthew Sheahan sets off on a shakedown cruise around the Channel Islands and Brittany to find out how the new Oyster 54 shapes up and whether he and the owner had ticked the right boxes during her build

Raiatea at anchor off Sark. Credit: Ocean Images/ywpix

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

For once, there was no need to remove every cushion, lift every floorboard and squeeze into the engine room for a boat test.

Having acted as the owner’s consultant in this, our second Oyster, I had been party to many of the decisions made over the course of the conception and build of this Oyster 54.

I had acted in the same role for James Eilis’s previous Oyster 47, Rukuhia , and enjoyed seven seasons of cruising afterwards, which placed us both in a far better position to make judgements this time around based on practical experience.

Between order and delivery, Raiatea had grown and changed her model name from the 525 originally announced, to the 54 after Oyster decided that more stowage space could be provided in the lazarette by extending her transom slightly.

On paper we had tried to create the perfect cruiser, but to find out whether we’d got it right, we headed off on a week-long shakedown cruise in the direction of Brittany.

Beamy sections aft make fir a powerful hull and a stiff boat in a breeze, two great attributes for a long-distance crusing.

This trip would involve more sail changes, anchorages and dinghy deployments than we had carried out in an entire season aboard the previous boat – perfect.

Our cruise plan was deliberately open.

Despite having brought the boat around from Ipswich to St Katherine Docks in London and then on to Hamble, we were still getting used to her capabilities under sail and power as she appeared to be considerably more slippery than the 47.

In the event, a bow thruster joystick failure meant our plans took a diversion and we headed towards Guernsey.

She’s a far slipperier and more responsive boat than the 47 and great fun to sail.

The prospect of nosing into small French rock-strewn harbours with a brand new boat, high topsides, no bow thruster and plenty of breeze and tide didn’t appeal.

Once the new part had been fitted in the Channel Islands, we headed off to Lezardrieux.

Where, as it turned out, the harbour was empty enough to turn a supertanker and the breeze insufficient to snuff a candle.

Changing gear

Good performance in my book is a combination of long legs and handling that doesn’t frighten the family.

The ability to change gear without having to leave the cockpit by opening the leech of the genoa and twisting off the main to depower makes for a less physically demanding experience and extends the wind range for a given configuration.

Aboard the 47 we had achieved a sail plan that was a doddle to handle from the cockpit without having to resort to an in-mast furling mainsail and complex hydraulic systems.

The idea behind the Oyster 54 was to have precisely the same arrangement, but within a considerably bigger sail plan.

A fully battened, single-line reefing mainsail and a standard rope-operated furling genoa can both be operated manually.

A big boat, but modest freeboard for her size makes the step/jump down onto the pontoon manageable.

Although in practice the electric primaries, mainsheet and halyard winches mean that there are few operations that don’t involve a gentle squeeze of a Lew mar button.

Another essential ingredient is decent sails that keep their shape through a broad wind range.

Once again, North did us proud with a suit of white sails in Spectra Gatorback and a well-cut, stable, asymmetric cruising chute.

The result is a powerful, yet easily manageable sail plan which in 30 knots of breeze demonstrated that the Oyster 54 can power-reach happily under two reefs and 50 per cent headsail.

The bottom line is that she’s a far slipperier and more responsive boat than the 4 7 and great fun to sail.

The crew at lunch.

Where she really impresses is in her light airs performance (we mostly had 5-20 knots of breeze).

Of the few disappointments above decks, stowage quickly became the biggest bugbear.

With no forward sail locker to stow the spinnaker or staysail when on passage, changing sails became a back-breaking chore, digging the sails out from the cavernous lazarette and hauling them along the side decks.

Fender stowage was also an issue and frequently resulted in us tying the four of them to the pushpit rather than see them buried in a locker that couldn’t really cope with their size.

Where to stow all the kit?

For each increment in boat length, sail area increases by the square, volume by the cube and stability by the power of four.

It’s a great way to justify the sometimes breathtaking increase in cost per foot!

What came as a surprise with this 54-footer, however, was that with our usual cruising team of five, kit bags and sailing gear still cluttered cabins.

Despite the extra length, there appears to be little extra practical stowage space below other than in the saloon and galley.

Sleeping cabins may be slightly bigger, but once you’re under way and have gone through the first 24-hour watch cycle, you’d be hard pressed to notice.

A simple, yet practical and comfortable layout.

The lack of a workshop/walk-in hanging area is frustrating – a small wet locker towards the aft end of the galley provides the only place for clutter and wet kit in the boat.

And it’s only just large enough for foulweather gear and the odd broom and you have to drag it through the galley to stow it.

There are fewer drawers for torches, knives, tape, sail ties, etc, as well.

In addition, the main power switches and relays are positioned under the navigator’s seat and only easily accessible to those who enjoy limbo dancing.

Having said all that, the galley is a big improvement over the 47 and is very easy, comfortable and safe to work in, even when sailing upwind.

Throughout our test, our notorious appetites were never left unsatisfied and the very few meals eaten ashore gave testament to the Oyster 54’s functionality and practicality.

Eating aboard at anchor, drinking ashore in pubs, the pattern became quite familiar.

The saloon area has a simple layout.

The saloon is spacious, yet practical and secure with handholds in all the right places.

The navstation is sited low in the hull, but its fit-out is just what we wanted and perfectly executed.

The whisky stowage is also safe when under way and practical when at rest. And then there’s the oak joiner work, which is quite simply beautiful.

On deck of the Oyster 54

When flying the asymmetric on the carbon spinnaker pole and using just one extra line as a guy, the tack line becomes the downhaul as you wind the guy back.

In this configuration, you can sail as low as 170° true for very little additional effort. As a result we don’t carry a conventional symmetric spinnaker.

You can sail as low as 170° true.

A non-standard carbon boom by Selden. The Y-shaped section provides a mini Park Avenue-style boom with just enough landing to ensure that the mainsail sits tidily and easily on top.

Of all the on-deck decisions, this one took the longest to make. But has proved to be the best option for us-easy to use and practical and well worth the extra cost.

The carbon boom is non standard by Seldon.

One end of the double-ended mainsheet ends up alongside the halyards and reef lines at the companionway hatch.

The other is led to a powered winch at the aft quarter of the cockpit and within easy reach of the helmsman.

Being able to ease the mainsheet to bear away is essential for any boat, especially one with a decent-sized main.

We have gone for pinstop cars rather than traveller control lines to keep the cockpit clutter to a minimum.

Most of the time you can use the kicker to provide mainsail leech tension.

On a long passage you might set up the traveller to leeward beforehand

Companionway hatch.

Below deck the Oyster 54 in detail

The galley is the best part of this boat below decks. There is enough space to ensure that cooking doesn’t become a logistical exercise, yet there is always somewhere to brace yourself when under way. A galley for keen appetites.

A galley for keen appetites .

As navigator and serial web surfer I’m particularly pleased with this navstation.

The boat’s laptop is stored in its own locker and hooks up to a dedicated remote screen and wireless keyboard and mouse.

The system can display different chartplotting systems and AIS targets as well as acting as a repeater for the radar.

Navstation of the Oyster 54.

Offering the forward double cabin to the other crew members and guests as they join the boat will make you appear benevolent.

Indeed, at rest this cabin, like all other forward doubles, is sumptuously comfortable.

Upwind in a blow it is a different story, yet our dedicated crew rode it out.

Forward double cabin.

The owner’s double aft.

There was only one person in our crew who didn’t think this cabin was maybe a little too big and might have compromised the on-deck stowage. Yet strangely no one sought to challenge him on the matter.

The owner’s double aft cabin.

The Oyster 54 is a terrific sailing boat, not for her straight line speed or any particularly nimble handling.

But for her balance – balance between powerful sailing characteristics in a breeze.

Where her high righting moment makes it difficult to dip the leeward rail and the ease with which she ghosts along in the light.

Balance between decent manoeuvrability and noise/vibration free, effortless pace on passage under engine.

And balance between a healthy amount of sail area that ensures that you can spend more time sailing than motoring and yet can manhandle her without a squad of 6ft fitness freaks.

She might be only 8ft bigger than our previous boat, a mere 17per cent, but the sum of her parts makes her a far bigger boat to manage. Yet a few days into our trip and she’d shrunk – a good sign. A few hundred miles more under her keel and I suspect she’ll feel almost normal.

So will the increased distances and shortened passages that are now possible with such an injection of pace.

It is this and her ability to provide enough volume to offer versatility in her layout that will make her a popular size in the range.

Tweaking the stowage arrangements will address one of the few serious criticisms and set her on a path towards being a new benchmark for Oyster.

First published in the September 2009 issue of YW.

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The Best Sailboats for the High Seas?

At the St. Petersburg Boat Show month last month, I had the pleasure of seeing delivery skipper and author John Kretschmers presentation on what he called sailboats for a serious ocean. I have reservations about any ideal boat list, but Kretschmer, who reviews boats for Sail Magazine and whose most recent book Sailing a Serious Ocean is available in our online bookstore , has the ideal background for this sort of work, and a list like this is undeniably helpful for wannabe cruisers who need a place to start their search.

I certainly wouldnt limit my search to boats on such a list, but by paying careful attention to the pros and cons of each, you can find something that suits your own aspirations.

Here are the boats Kretschmer suggests: Contessa 32, Pacific Seacraft 34, Pretorien 35, Cape Dory/Robinhood 36, Valiant/Esprit 37, Prout Snowgoose 37, Alajuela 38, Privelege 39, Freya 39, Passport 40, Caliber 40, Baba 40, Hallberg Rassy 42, Taswell 43, Hylas 44, Norseman 447, Beneteau 456, Outbound 44, Hylas 46, Kaufman 47, Tayana 48, Hylas 49, Amel Maramu 53, and the Sundeer 60/64. For a brief capsule summary of each, be sure to check out his website.

The list is hardly definitive. There are plenty of good boats that arent featured, and some of these would be ill-matched for the wrong sailor-Kretschmer clearly pointed this out during his talk. I like how the list presents a good cross-section of the various shapes and sizes for a boat in this category. For example, Kretschmer includes the Prout Snowgoose and Steve Dashews Sundeer 60, boats that, notwithstanding their successful record at sea, fill an outlying niche.

If I were going to expand the list, one of the heavier-displacement microcruisers like those I blogged about would be a nice addition. Although I would be wary of promoting even the most formidable of this breed as well-suited for a serious ocean, John Neale of Mahina Tiare Expeditions includes one of them, the Dana 24, on his own list of recommend cruising boats . Neales much broader list of boats is accompanied by a very helpful discussion of design elements to consider.

What got me thinking about formidable cruising boats was our series of reports o n sailboat construction , focusing specifically on structural details. Although there are plenty of excellent coastal cruisers on the market, once you start talking about offshore duty, scan’tlings (the dimensions for structural components) take on far more importance.

A few years ago we touched on this subject in our Mailport section, encouraging readers to suggest their own nominees for a list of what we called at the time, tough boats, vessels that were built to take a beating, requiring minimal care and upkeep.

Here are some of the boats that were suggested from our readers: Mariner 36, Cal 34, Morgan 43, Swan 43, Bermuda 40, Island Packet 26, Mariner 47, LeComte Northeast 38, Westsail 32, Dana 24, J/35, and the CSY 44.

Id be interested in hearing of other nominees for this list, or other good resources for sailors looking for a short list of good offshore boats.

For those who are frustrated to find that their own ideal boat isn’t on anybodys list, I wouldnt be too miffed. The best line Ive heard in a while on this topic came from Steve Callahan, the author of the survival classic Adrift , who gave a presentation at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Show . When I asked Steve, who has sailed extensively on both multihulls and monohulls, what type of boat he preferred, he said, quite seriously. Well, at the end of the day, the best cruising boat is the one that you are on.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

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Interesting list. I am fond of Hylas of which you chose three models. However, I am suspect of their yard and construction techniques and do not have confidence that they are as strong as they are beautiful. Only one Hallberg-Rassy was selected, which is a far more robust and dry sailing boat than the Hylas. Passports make a good boat as does Cape Dory and several others on your list. Didn’t four sailors die on a Beneteau in 2018? Over all it is a decent list.

https://metro.co.uk/2018/04/25/last-pictures-doomed-yacht-cheeki-rafiki-sank-killing-four-british-sailors-7497805/

I believe this is the accident you’re talking about in which a Beneteau and it’s bolted on keel parted company.

Almost all of the sailing clubs in San Diego rent Beneteaus out. They are a decent coastal sailboat. I have a couple friends who have even made the crossing to Maui in them..not me, not ever. I consider them a living room boat. Having said that, I am certainly no expert so its just my opinion. If I am crossing an ocean I want a capable kindly strong boat with redundancy built into critical systems.

Curious to think what people think about the early 70s Swan 43 as a cruising boat for a couple with occasional guests for a round the world trip? I have an S&S 30 which is too small but I do have some bias towards their designs. Add a watermaker and some power generation and off you go… Any thoughts?

Are Motor Sailors like the Nauticats or Fishers ocean worthy ( if their pilot house windows and sliding doors are lifeboatified ? )

Walt Schulz’s Shannon 43 is a beautiful, sea kindly, comfortable and sturdy bluewater boat. Walt had not only the ICW and Bahamas in mind when he designed and built 52 of them. He designed for ocean cruising. He believes his boats should outlive him and still sailing for generations. We sailed the Chesapeake, Bahamas, Caribbean and Pacific to Australia on a Shannon 43 ketch. She took great care of us and is still turning heads.

Great article! John Kretchmer is one of my fave modern day sailors. While there is only one Crealock design on John’s list, and the Dana is added on John Neale’s list, I was surprised not to see a Crealock/ Pacific Seacraft 37 mentioned. But there are so many great serious off shore boats, it’s hard to narrow it down to 10. Here’s a few to think about. Cape George Cutter 36. Biscay 36, tradewind 35, Rustler 36, Nicholson 31 (never talked about) and 32. Seldom seen on top 10 lists, but great boats. Thanks for the article.

Great comment and interesting to note that the first four of your additions are those currently entered in the 2022 Golden Globe Race – kind of the definition of a blue water boat.

Hey! I know this is somewhat off-topic however I needed to ask. Does operating a well-established blog like yours take a massive amount work? I am completely new to writing a blog but I do write in my journal everyday. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my experience and feelings online. Please let me know if you have any kind of recommendations or tips for new aspiring blog owners. Thankyou!|

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An inspired 75 foot yacht, offering infinite configuration options, generous luxury living space and flexible crew quarters

DESIGNED FOR THE LONG HAUL

The Oyster 745 is a long range cruising yacht, designed to take you to the remotest corners of the world. She is a joy to sail yourself, with a small crew to assist and maintain her. This 75 foot sailboat is the smallest in the Oyster range with dedicated crew quarters. The internal layout offers a separate ensuite crew cabin and galley with discrete access, guaranteeing privacy for you, your family and friends. This versatile yacht offers huge scope for customisation, allowing you to add your personal touch to the spacious living accommodation. Well provisioned with generous cabins, capacious storage and tankage, she is as well-suited to long haul liveaboard adventures as she is local cruising and entertaining. The design and configuration of this offshore sailboat makes her the perfect model to offer for charter when you are not aboard enjoying her yourself.

EXCEPTIONAL PASSAGE-MAKING CAPABILITY

The Oyster 745 is a thrilling, large sailing yacht - her immense scale makes it an unforgettable experience. Her powerful, large volume hull form with twin rudders offers perfect stability and effortless finger-tip control on the helm. Visibility is excellent from both protected helm stations, making tricky manoeuvres simple and the smart sail plan makes her easy to handle, delivering consistently fast passage-making speeds. It all adds up to a beautifully balanced offshore sailboat. The large cockpit offers safety and comfort for family and friends; concealed lines, clutter-free decks with flush hatches and plenty of stowage for sails and kit make moving around safer under sail. Exceptionally large tankage and generous stowage below means you can make extended voyages without re-stocking. Wherever this Oyster 745 long-range cruising yacht takes you, you can be sure adventure comes as standard.

A true long range cruising yacht

The Oyster 745 is well-provisioned for long haul bluewater cruising. The smallest boat in the Oyster fleet with dedicated crew quarters, you can enjoy time at the helm, or let the crew take over while you relax and enjoy the view with family and friends.

Choose from a variety of options to accommodate up to four crew, the standard layout offers a double bunk crew cabin forward, linear galley with a further double ensuite cabin which can be used for crew or guests. This yacht also has the option for a full width galley, offering two double bunk crew cabins in the bow, with two heads.

There are plenty of opportunities to add a personal touch to almost every aspect of the interior, from your choices of wood and fabric, to entertainment, connectivity and navigation equipment.

Engineering features are easily accessible, with a large engine room under the saloon sole with room for two generators. Services and systems are clearly labelled and easily accessed. Intelligent design makes use of every available space for storage and the optional extended transom opens up a larger, full width lazarette for all your bluewater cruising and water sports gear.

ENTRIES OPEN

Embark on the sailing adventure of a lifetime. entries are now open for the oyster world rally 2028-29.

MATTHEW SHEAHAN REVIEWS

Join international sailing journalist Matthew Sheahan as he reviews the Oyster 745

Find out more about the Oyster 745

True liveaboard luxury

As you would expect on an offshore sailboat, the Oyster 745 is luxurious and well-appointed, for weekend cruising or setting sail around the world. Below decks, the large hull volume offers versatile choices to customise the layout. The generous aft ensuite owner’s cabin is luxurious and light, with signature triple Seascape windows connecting you to spectacular views. A further three ensuite guest cabins let you make the most of the space. The forward-opening saloon windows and Seascapes flood the saloon with light, making it a delightful space in which to entertain or relax. Her saloon table can seat eight or more comfortably, or you can dine in the cockpit with up to 12 guests on the fold-out table with its integrated refrigerator. Mood lighting and air-conditioning come as standard, along with forced-air ventilation to keep the yacht dry and comfortable in any climate.

THE LUXURY OF SPACE

This expansive 75 foot sailboat is designed for sailing and relaxing in style. The protected guest cockpit is incredibly comfortable, with 20% more space than our smaller models. Its smart layout and sprayhood make it a dry, safe and relaxing place to enjoy the views under sail. At anchor, she has all the amenities needed to spend quality time with friends and family. The clutter-free decks offer wide open spaces fore and aft for sunbathing. The extended transom option opens up more entertaining space aft and a larger, full width lazarette for all your bluewater cruising and water sports gear. The hydraulic swim deck is another perfect spot to enjoy a sundowner after a day under sail. Below, a dedicated chart table with the latest navigation equipment can also be personalised for homeworking.

Step onboard

Join us for a detailed walk-through of the Oyster 745

Effortless automation

Ergonomic cockpit design

Luxurious master cabin

Spacious saloon

Clear and spacious aft deck

Command helm position

Outstanding guest accommodation

Accessible galley

Flush foredeck

Crew quarters

Practical navigation station

Clear side decks

745 CENTREBOARD

SHALLOW DRAFT

The go-anywhere Oyster 745CB with retractable centreboard keel opens up a world of possibilities.

SPECIFICATION

LENGTH OVERALL INCLUDING STEMHEAD

22.74m / 74'7"

LENGTH OF HULL

21.93m / 71'11"

LENGTH OF WATERLINE

20.03m / 65'9"

5.91m / 19'5"

DRAFT - STANDARD KEEL

3.10m / 10'2"

DRAFT - CENTREBOARD UP

1.98m / 6’6"

DRAFT - CENTREBOARD DOWN

4.56m / 14’11"

DISPLACEMENT - STANDARD KEEL

53,957kg / 118,955lbs

TYPICAL ENGINE

Cummins Turbo-charged QSB6.7-250 184kW (247hp)

TANKS - FUEL

2,000 litres / 440 Imp Gallons (528 US gals)

TANKS - WATER

1,500 litres / 330 Imp Gallons (396 US gals)

SAIL AREA - INCLUDING 106% FORETRIANGLE (SLAB REEF)

279m2 / 3007ft2

SAIL AREA - INCLUDING 106% FORETRIANGLE (IMF)

269m2 / 2896ft2

AIR DRAFT APPROX, EXCLUDING ANTENNAE

32.49m / 106’ 7”

Summer 2026

• Interior Layouts

OYSTER 745 WATERLINE SAIL PLAN

OYSTER 745 EXTENDED TRANSOM WATERLINE SAIL PLAN

OYSTER 745 WATERLINE PLAN

OYSTER 745 STANDARD KEEL CONFIGURATION

OYSTER 745 DECK PLAN

OYSTER 745 DECK PLAN WITH SWIMMING PLATFORM

OYSTER 745 DECK PLAN WITH EXTENDED TRANSOM

OYSTER 745 INTERIOR PLAN

OYSTER 745 INTERIOR PLAN FULL WIDTH GALLEY

See the Oyster 745 in person – book your private tour

With up to ten berths in five double cabins, all with ensuite bathrooms, the 745 offers ample space and privacy. From the generous and luxurious owners’ cabin aft to the crew quarters forward, there is room for everyone.

The forward twin bunk cabin with ensuite gives your crew room to relax and recharge, with a separate access hatch so they can operate the boat without disturbing you and your guests.

Hidden beneath the saloon sole, the fully sound insulated engine room contains an Onan MDKDV e-QD 230V AC generator to run all your amenities. Fitted with a sound shield it run silently when in use and has a remote start/stop.

Like all our new models, the 745’s hulls and deck mouldings are certified by Lloyd’s Register for build quality, strength and integrity. They also meet the stringent EU RCDII standards.

Every aspect of her design and equipment has been refined to create a beautiful and practical yacht. Featuring signature Seascape windows, it also boasts retractable hydraulic bow and stern thrusters as standard, air conditioning and a water maker.

Choose from a variety of interior layouts to suit your unique requirements. See interior plans for more options and talk to the sales team if you have alternative formats in mind.

Oyster’s craftspeople spend hundreds of hours creating the contemporary solid wood interiors with a stunning choice of unexpected woods including walnut, ash and cherry.

The fold down hydraulic transom bathing platform is perfect to pull up to in your tender or to dive in for a refreshing dip. Push-button controlled, it has teak plank decking, swim ladders and a pair of removable dinghy bumper bars.

The extended transom option opens up a full width lazarette for extra storage, ideal for all your water sports kit. It also provides extra entertaining space on the aft deck.

Step on and off your 745 in style with a retractable hydraulic passerelle, with remote control or operated from the cockpit or your smartphone. Extending 1.9m from inside the transom, it is finished in stylish teak decking with stainless-steel details.

SAIL THE OYSTER 745

Join us as we go sailing on our spectacular 75-foot long range bluewater cruiser

Handcrafted with pride

No two Oysters are the same. Each of our yachts is designed and handcrafted using time-honoured skills, insights and learnings gained over 50 years from a loyal group of visionaries including owners, staff, sales team and project managers. Working with the finest materials and an obsessive attention to detail, our craftspeople know how to translate your vision into a yacht that is an Oyster through and through, while making her unique to you.

The Connected Yacht

Leading-edge technology is seamlessly woven into the Oyster 745 making it digitally-enabled, so you are always connected anywhere in the world. Every system is chosen for its ruggedness and fitness for purpose. Oyster’s proprietary digital switching system Oyster Command™, which now comes as standard on all our models, lets you monitor and control various systems over a digital network through the touchscreens at the navigation table and helm positions, or on your tablet device from anywhere on the boat. Specified systems are tested thoroughly at sea to give you complete peace of mind – we only specify safety and navigation technology that we know is reliable and trustworthy from first-hand experience.

Oyster Command

Oyster Command™ is a digital switching system that controls everything from on board entertainment and lighting, to all your main systems, utilities, and security. It can be controlled from any multi-functional display you have installed on your yacht or mobile device. The system is accessed through a clear, intuitive and easy to use graphic interface. It is simple to navigate and operate from the screen at the navigation table, helm positions, or on any other multi-functional display you have on board.

Internet and WiFi

All Oyster yachts are fully connected, featuring wifi throughout, accessed through the latest satellite technology. A 4/5G cellular antenna picks up signal when you are close to onshore radio masts.

Audio-Visual Systems

We work with you to specify the right audio-visual equipment for you. These entertainment systems are seamlessly integrated into your yacht to keep you entertained wherever you are on the boat.

Oyster proprietary mood lighting system allows you to adjust the lighting tones to your mood via our pre-set digital light switches, making environments comfortable, relaxing and well-lit. LED light tones are matched throughout the yacht to provide a seamless experience. Recessed and LED strip lights are intelligently placed to offer perfect mood lighting throughout.

BUILT FOR A LIFETIME OF ADVENTURE

As a British boatbuilder, our heritage spans over 50 years in shipyards that have been in operation for over 100 years. Built with a meticulous attention to detail, every aspect of our yacht build undergoes exacting scrutiny. Every Oyster is specified well-beyond normal requirements so the single skin hulls are extremely robust, giving you peace of mind in any conditions – from extreme cold to tropical heat or heavy weather. To ensure strength and integrity, Lloyd’s Register certifies our hulls and decks which they inspect on a weekly basis throughout the moulding process. The combined skills of all experts involved contributes to your Oyster’s exceptional quality and finish. So when you take ownership of your Oyster 745, you know she has been built to last a lifetime.

Take a closer look

If you like what you have seen of the Oyster 745 so far, why not find out more? The perfect 75 foot sailboat, she is a pleasure to own and sail with a crew. Spend some time exploring the reviews, video and images here.

Oyster 745/06 Sailing

Oyster 745 Pitanga - Oyster Palma Regatta

Oyster 745 Satori - Oyster Palma Regatta

The Oyster 745 in action

Introducing the Oyster 745

Oyster 745 Pitanga - Oyster Antigua Regatta

Launching the 745/01

Oyster 745 Satori

Step aboard

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OYSTER WORLD RALLY 2028-29

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OYSTER OWNERSHIP

Personalised care, unforgettable experiences and lifelong yacht support

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Winner of European Yacht of the Year 2023. She is a new breed of luxury 50 foot yacht, offering effortless shorthanded sailing capability.

A magnificent, award-winning sub 60 foot sailing yacht, offering luxurious living space and outstanding shorthanded sailing capability.

A beautifully proportioned 60 foot, luxury liveaboard bluewater cruiser, offering effortless shorthanded sailing capability.

A superb sub 70 foot ocean sailboat offering versatile luxury living space and impeccable sailing performance.

An inspired 75 foot yacht, offering infinite configuration options, generous luxury living space and flexible crew quarters.

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Oyster 625 Review

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Yacht Review

Oyster 625 Bluewater Cruising Sailboat Review

Category: Bluewater Cruising Sailboats | Brand: Oyster Yachts

The Oyster 625 is a magnificent sailboat. Her sailing abilities are among the best for her size and offer a large step up when compared to the usual cruising boats owned and operated by couples. This, coupled with a voluminous and well designed interior makes the 625 one of the finest cruising yachts ever built by Oyster Marine.

The ability to sail at ten knots instead of seven or eight over an extended period of time allows owners to completely change their cruising plans. The Oyster 625 is a powerful sailboat that can be handled by an experienced couple but also has ample space for a captain and crew if that is the desired cruising mode. As well as being faster than her little sisters the 625 is also a much heavier allowing her to handle seaways that often keep standard cruising yachts on the dock.

The cockpit layout on the 625 is ideal for couples that enjoy sailing and entertaining. The twin helms are aft of the main cockpit and have all engine and sail controls within easy reach. The large cockpit features a beautiful table with a built in fridge. This space is a great place to have drinks dinner or lie down and take a nap. While underway it is also comfortable and out of the way of any needed controls.

Most of the oyster 625’s are able to accommodate crew forward while still having cabins available for family and guests. The 625 also has a storage area forward of the of the guest cabins in the forepeak. The galley is a passageway style galley that allows two people to work comfortably at the same time. The large salon separates the the galley and the master cabin aft from the forward cabins. The salon has large vertical hull windows and of course features Oysters G5 raised salon widows making the space pleasant in all conditions.

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• By Kenny Woooton
• Updated: January 5, 2007

For boatbuilders, the own-ers rendezvous has become a key selling venue. Owners share camaraderie, adventure, and competition, but more important for the builders, the attendees get firsthand exposure to recent-and, the builders hope, bigger-versions of the brand these captive clients love. Such events can carry risk, though. Animated discussions over dinner can lead to exchanges about performance or execution shortfalls, or-worse still for the builders-owners sharing stories of how they beat down the price of equipment.

Britain’s Oyster Marine joined the rendezvous game five years ago and has enjoyed considerable success gathering owners for casual racing, golf, and bread breaking in popular cruising locales around the world. The 2006 Montpelier Oyster Regatta last summer in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, provided plenty of what Oyster and the owners attending had hoped for: good racing, good social events, and good boat chat. For many, including me, the event provided a first look at the new Oyster 46, which was introduced at the 2005 London Boat Show and was due to make landfall in the U.S. at the 2006 U.S. Boat Show in Annapolis, Maryland. I had the opportunity to steer the boat in a good breeze for much of a 23-mile race in the Solent and found it nimble, easily managed shorthanded, and in step with Oyster’s reputation for building premium, well-found, semicustom cruising boats.

The 46 replaces the stalwart Oyster 45 as the “entry-level” model in the line, which currently extends up to 82 feet. The 46 is faster, more spacious belowdecks, and, with Oyster’s new styling scheme, prettier than its predecessor.

“There are major changes in several areas over the 45,” says Oyster chairman Richard Matthews of the new 46. “First is the new G5 styling.”

G5 denotes the fifth generation of Oyster deck-saloon boats. The signature element is the profile view of the deck saloon, which emphasizes double curves and contours over the boxier look of years past. The 46 and the recently launched Oyster 655 and 72 were designed from the ground up with those elements in place. The decks on the rest of the line have been redesigned and retooled to reflect the changes.

“The hull has also been updated with more beam, especially aft, a longer waterline, and a fully optimized keel with a low center of gravity,” says Matthews.

Although he builds boats primarily intended for cruising, Matthews is an inveterate racer, and while few would mistake an Oyster for a grand-prix product, improving the performance specifications on the boats is an ongoing concern. Oyster performance-enhancing duties have fallen on designer Rob Humphreys in recent years. Humphreys, who’s designed a number of notable raceboats, including Ellen MacArthur’s Open 60 Kingfisher, and the Oyster design team have created a hull shape they say provides a marked improvement in speed and stability over the 45, while also accommodating 15 percent more interior volume.

The 46 carries 2 feet 7 inches more waterline length than the 45, 6 inches more beam, 3,600 pounds more displacement, and 186 square feet more sail area. Humphreys, who was primarily responsible for the boat’s lines, gave it a modern shape with a fine entry and flatter sections aft. His intention was to provide speed and stability while accommodating the three-stateroom plan and owners’ load-carrying needs. Humphreys says the keel, a filleted bulb, is an evolution of many of the cruising keels he’s done for Oyster and others. The rudder is skeg-hung.

“The 46 is powerful, but stands to the sails like a bigger boat,” says Humphreys.

During the race on the Solent last summer, I found the 46 to be-dare I say of a cruising boat?-exhilarating to sail. The breeze was southwest at about 14 knots; the sky was layered in gray and white with intermittent showers about. I was aboard Solway Mist, which Oyster delivered to owner John Maxwell during the regatta. Maxwell was generous enough to concede the wheel to me for nearly half the race.

The Solent is a labyrinth of fast, tricky currents, and the zigzag course to the west of Cowes had us on every point of sail working the tide at every possible angle. The first leg was down current. I found the boat to be exceptionally stiff and weatherly, able to hold speeds of 6.5 to 7 knots with an apparent-wind angle of about 40 degrees. I expected to get wet, but with the boat’s generous freeboard, the only hosing we got was from the rain showers. While the decks weren’t slippery, the hull certainly was. By the first weather mark, we’d dusted most of the competition in our class.

Oyster offers an in-mast furling main, but Solway Mist was equipped with a fully battened main, roller-furling genoa, and asymmetric spinnaker. With some effort, we were able to carry the asymmetric on a short close-reaching leg, which produced the highest speeds of the afternoon. We sailed most of the leg at speeds above 8.5 knots. Solway Mist has the standard 7-foot-1-inch deep keel, which certainly contributed to the boat’s strong upwind performance; a shoal-draft model, with a draft of 5 feet 9 inches, is also available.

Maxwell’s previous yacht was an Oyster 56, which he says was a bit much for his wife and him to handle without crew. The 46 is a three-cabin, two-head boat, which Maxwell says is ideal for his intended uses, which he hopes will include some long-term cruising and passagemaking. The deck layout and the sailhandling systems are designed with a cruising couple in mind. The halyards, reefing lines, outhaul, topping lift-and mainsheet, if the owner chooses to have it there-lead under the coachroof to stoppers under the spray hood. Maxwell’s setup included electric primary and mainsheet winches, with the mainsheet just outside the cockpit coaming within easy reach of the helm. Bulwarks with teak caprails and uncluttered decks contribute safety and security to the package.

The center-cockpit arrangement Oyster uses provides friendly on-deck entertaining space and, while at sea, good visibility. Oyster says the 46 has 15 percent more cockpit space than the 45, due in part to the additional beam. Maxwell specified a Whitlock collapsible wheel that permits full walk-around access when the boat’s not under way. In addition to a solid complement of communications gear, Maxwell had his helm and nav station set up with Raymarine’s E80 multifunction system. The system, with a secondary display at the helm, provides full charting information, including current direction and velocity relative to our course, which proved particularly useful in the Solent during the regatta.

The interior on the 46 is first-class, as you might expect from a boat in the $1 million price range. The joinery is substantial, well-fitted, and finished to a high level. Maxwell’s interior is teak. I’m a fan, but Oyster also offers lighter finishes, such as cherry and white oak.

Oyster’s widely emulated deck-saloon configuration contributes light and airy headroom below. The broad forward windows, which are larger than those on the 45, open to provide significant ventilation and draw in light. A burled-maple-veneered table folds across the saloon to accommodate dining for six or seven.

Tanks, batteries, and mechanicals are positioned beneath the raised-saloon sole. The tanks are molded into the hull and serve as structural elements while keeping weight near the boat’s center of gravity.

The standard arrangement has a well-setup galley to port and a forward-facing nav station to starboard at the base of the companionway, each with separate access to the master stateroom. The center cockpit allows maximum headroom in the master-a feature that will appeal to anyone who plans to stay aboard for extended periods. The master’s en-suite head has a space-saving aft-facing toilet that’s centered in the enclosure. Given the capacious proportions of the other interior spaces though, the curtained shower stall feels a bit like a Star Trek transporter tube. Owners with large girths won’t appreciate the cold curtain sticking to them while they’re getting ready for an evening ashore.

The midships cabin has bunks, but it might serve better as a workshop for long-haulers. While not nearly as spacious as the master, the forward cabin is comfortable and well-equipped with gear and clothing stowage. The two cabins share a comfortable head with shower.

Oyster builds its hulls of tried-and-true FRP, but with recent designs the company has used a laminate employing vinylester, polyester, and blended resins. The only cored parts of the boat are the deck and other horizontal elements.

The standard engine is a 75-horsepower Volvo diesel mated to a saildrive. Oyster will do a straight shaft if an owner prefers. According to the company, the boat will cruise at about 8 knots under power.

The tweaks that have contributed to the increased interior volume and improved sailing performance are far less dramatic than the latest styling elements, instituted first on the recent Oyster 72. Matthews once described the overlapping curves, tapered side windows, and lower profile of the latest generation of deck-saloon superstructure as “horny.” The look does evoke lusty metaphors. Cowes-regatta attendees used terms such as “sexy” and “kinky” to describe the look of the 46. However you see it, the new design does manage to make the traditional, inherently boxy center-cockpit/deck-saloon profile look downright dowdy. Once upon a time, customers for boats like this were older men who’d sold a business and were off to live the dream. Oyster acknowledges that success is coming earlier in life to many and that the average age of its customers is dropping. The sex appeal of this boat is a direct shot at that demographic.

For Oyster and its owners, the Cowes regatta had the desired effect. Sir Nigel Southward, vice commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and his wife were on board Solway Mist for the race in the Solent. His new 46 is due to be delivered in April. As with many at the regatta, he could be seen in a huddle with other Oyster owners discussing specs and performance. The rendezvous was an eye-opener and validated his purchase-and probably delighted Oyster, too.

“It makes me really quite happy to be on this boat knowing what I’ve done,” says Southward of his purchase after his outing on the water. “But I fear I’ve spent a lot of money today.”

Oyster 46 Specs

LOA: 46′ 10″ (14.26 m.) LWL: 40′ 7″ (12.36 m.) Beam: 14′ 6″ (4.41 m.) Draft (standard/shoal): 7′ 1″/5′ 9″ (2.16/1.75 m.) Sail Area: 1,317 sq. ft. (122.3 sq. m.) (150-percent foretriangle) Ballast: 11,900 lb. (5,400 kg.) Displacement: 38,580 lb. (17,500 kg.) Ballast/D: 0.31 D/L: 228 SA/D: 18.09 Water: 172 gal. (650 l.) Fuel: 198 gal. (750 l.) Height of masthead: 62′ 5″ (19.03 m.) Including antennas: 65′ 11″ (20.1 m.) Engine: 75-hp. Volvo with saildrive Designer: Rob Humphreys with Oyster Design Team Price: $1,150,000 (delivered to Newport, R. I.) Oyster Marine USA, www.oystermarine.com , (401) 846-7400

Formerly a CW editor at large and the editor in chief of Yachting, Kenny Wooton recently became executive editor of ShowBoats International.

• More: 2001 - 2010 , 2011+ , 41 - 50 ft , Bluewater Cruising , keelboat , monohull , oyster , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
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Oyster 39, Should I buy it?

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Hello, Does anyone know anything about the Oyster 39' ketch? I'm looking at a 1979 boat that seems in reasonable shape, but I'm drawing blanks trying to find out anything about these boats on the net. Any help would be terrific! Tanny  

I have no personal experience with Oyster, but for what it's worth, everyone that I've seen has been a gem. They are profiled in The World's Best Sailboats, Volume 2 by Ferenc Mate. I have the book and the profile will make you drool. They are extremely high quality boats with great attention paid to detail. Sorry that I can not provide specifics. Amazon.com: The World's Best Sailboats, Volume 2 (9780920256442): Ferenc Máté, Ferenc Mate: Books  

Oyster 39, Should I buy it? Click to expand...

The 39 was extremely popular due to her excellent accommodation for a yacht of this size. One of the best-known examples, Morningtown, was radio relay vessel throughout the 1979 Fastnet storm and stayed at sea, without incident, in some of the UK's most severe weather. Click to expand...

eherlihy said: ...and if your query is with regard to the 1979 model on eBay, it looks like a beautiful boat. Oyster Ketch, 39' Blue Water Cruiser : eBay Motors (item 140374187156 end time Jan-23-10 15:32:37 PST) The current price of $28,100 is ridiculously low. That boat, however, is in St. Martin. Oyster's website says this about the 39; I have been aboard the Rona II. The hull is an Oyster, but the Rona syndicate finishes off the interior. The hull on that boat is like a tank. Oyster is known for the fit & finish of their interior. Click to expand...

If you post your question on a UK based forum such as YM Scuttlebut you should get a response. Never had one or looked at one but they are well regarded in the UK as a top quality cruising boat.  

Plenty of pictures here... as has been mentioned Oyster has a good rep.. none of these are in North America. Oyster (Sail) Boats For Sale  

Here is a once in a lifetime offer. I am willing to let you buy the oyster and I will give it a one or two year shakedown and report on the positives and negatives of the boat. In the meantime you can borrow my Mariner 28. My boat does need new batteries and an autopilot so I'd appreciate it if you'd take care of those details. Just kidding of course. I've always heard great things about oysters, but like any boat get a survey and take a test sail. Any great boat can be ruined by a bad owner. Good luck.  

Yea buy it! You should give me the Mariner 28, you won't be needing it anymore. jk  

Buy It!!  

During my boat selection phases I looked at a couple of Oysters and was impressed at their massive solidity. They are designed as solid bluewater boats - with all that that entails. They tend to be heavy, full-keeled boats that are not particularly fast (hence they always race against other Oysters) but they will get there. You will get a lot of looks, sort of like driving up in a Bentley. If all you intend to do is local and coastal sailing then the Oyster might not be the optimal boat, you might want one that is faster or sprightlier or that has more light belowdecks and bigger open spaces. As a British boat, the electrics might be worth checking into; but assuming typical Oyster maintenance the hull and sail systems will be top-notch. How serious are you on this boat? I have a friend sailing up the islands and who is supposed to be in St. Martin sometime soon and who would certainly take a look at the boat to see if there are any major "gotchas" that would preclude doing a survey. There are a LOT of boats in the lagoon that will never make it out of there on their own and on the surface, but an Oyster is unlikely to be in that category. PM me if you are interested in pursuing it.  

If it is indeed the one listed on eBay then, if the pictures are recent and the items listed are all present and functional, the boat is a very good deal. St. Martin is also the best place in the Caribbean to source parts and supplies and spares and labour is qualified and will get the job done. I can also recommend a surveyor for you, he would fly from the BVI ($150 airfare or so) and check out the boat.  

Heard nothing but good about them.I think it will go much higher though.Best of luck.marc  

I've decided against this boat - and yes, it's the same one listed on eBay, but it was brought to my attention by my broker. My reasons were mainly its size, its teak decks and inconvenient dingy access. The boat is in good shape for a '79, and I got a hold of a survey done in 2008. There were no major issues identified in the survey and the current owners have added electronics and re-done the teak on the deck in the past year. It would be a great boat for a couple or a small family - but for me as a singlehander, it's too much to maintain. Thanks for all you replies!  

Your post prompted me to look at the listing in Yachtworld. This boat is nutz! 1979/Oyster-39-Ketch-2045502/Simpson-Bay/St.-Maarten-St.-Martin  

Hi, my first yacht at 36 yrs old and its one of these. I sailed it single handed yesterday for the first time. It was a piece of cake. Presently the auto pilot isnt working and it was still managable. Im not the only one that thinks so either...there are a coulpe of uk threads here... Someone else states how easy they are to handle single handed on the ybw dot com forum, if you search for Oyster 39, or PM me I can send you the links - I cant post here yet as my post count is too low. Regards Mark  

One more post, and I can post the links..  

in this thread: Oyster 39 - Yachting and Boating World Forums And then this is a thread I started, with some pics of my own: Oyster 39 owners, discussion and issues. - Yachting and Boating World Forums  

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