16 minute read
UP COMING EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS THE OYSTER 495 WORLD PREMIERE
2022
21st - 24th April – London Luxury Afloat Show 28th April - 1st May – Palma International Boat Show 20th - 22nd May – Ancora Boat Show, Germany TBC - Summer Oyster Rendezvous 6th - 11th September – Cannes Yachting Festival 15th - 18th September – Newport Brokerage Show 16th - 25th September – Southampton Boat Show 26th - 30th September – Oyster Palma Regatta 13th - 17th October – United States Sailboat Show, Annapolis 14th - 20th November – Preparation for the ARC
2023
15th - 19th February – Miami International Boat Show April – Oyster World Rally 2022-23 finish April – Oyster Antigua Regatta (following the OWR finish)
We are bringing the new Oyster 495 to you.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see this new bluewater benchmark, as we unveil her in a World Premiere tour that will visit a city near you. Select a location and visit our website to book your personal tour of the Oyster 495:
21st - 24th April – St Katharine Docks, London, UK 7th - 8th May – Oslo, Norway 14th - 15th May – Gothenburg, Sweden 20th - 22nd May – Hamburg Ancora Boat Show, Germany 28th - 29th May – Copenhagen, Denmark 15th - 19th June – Southampton, UK 30th - 31st July – Barcelona, Spain 6th - 11th September – Cannes Yachting Festival, France 7th - 9th October – Palma, Mallorca, Spain 15th - 19th February 2023 – Miami International Boat Show, USA July - August 2023 – Sydney, Australia
SECOND SIBLING
Chasing a distant ray of sunshine for the perfect aerial shot took much longer than we had imagined. Our quest had not only taken us ninety degrees off track but had dragged us out towards the middle of the English Channel where, after several hours, we were approaching the northern side of the busy shipping lanes. It was now late in the afternoon, we were more than 20 miles offshore, the conditions had built and our return trip looked likely to be long and cold.
OYSTER 595
BY MATTHEW SHEAHAN
RIGHT:
SHE OFFERS RESPONSIVE FINGERTIP CONTROL ON THE HELM, COURTESY OF THE TWIN RUDDER DESIGN.
But, after two days of overcast skies we had become obsessed with the idea of sliding the first of the brand new Oyster 595s into the natural spotlight as she stretched her legs for the first time. That mission had now been achieved.
Minutes later, with the shaft of light now gone as the cloud filled in, our photographer was breathing a sigh of relief. He had got the shot and the video footage was now in the can. Just as importantly, he had managed to recover his drone in what were now quite challenging conditions for flying a radiocontrolled aircraft at sea. A lumpy English Channel is a lively place for a landing strip.
But there had been more to this mad dash south than just a photo shoot. With the breeze up in the low twenties and with a sea state to match, we had been powering along on a broad reach at 10-12 knots, surfing the waves as they swept through underneath us - perfect conditions to assess whether the twin rudder, twin wheel and beamy aft sections really work on a long distance bluewater cruiser.
A few hours earlier when we left Dorset’s Jurassic coastline to head south, we had set a full main and asymmetric kite. At that point the offshore breeze was in the low teens with a flat sea. Now, conditions were very different and had delivered a superb test for this new 60 footer.
And even then, we were still only halfway through our time aboard. A night at anchor was to come followed by a 50 mile beat home in blustery conditions against the tide. With the added pressure of a deadline these were real life conditions – in short, perfect.
LEFT:
THE INCREASED HULL VOLUME WITH A WIDE BEAM AFT CAN HANDLE PLENTY OF SAIL POWER FOR FASTER PASSAGEMAKING SPEEDS.
ON DECK
Declaring that a boat is ‘much-anticipated’ is often an overstatement, marketing speak designed to boost expectations. But in the case of the 595 such language is easily justified when you look at the sales figures. Before the first one had even sailed, 16 had been sold – particularly impressive given the £2.45million price tag.
Her sibling, the 565 is priced at £1.95million and has enjoyed similar success with 20 sold since the first boat was publicly unveiled under London’s Tower Bridge in 2019.
While this surge in interest has come as a pleasant surprise to the company, the fact that it has happened to their latest two models is no accident.
Conceived as a double act they share the same overall looks and largely the same layouts. On deck the 595 has the same twin wheel, twin cockpit configuration as the 565 that allows guests to be low and secure in a clutter free cockpit set amidships.
All the control lines run through conduits around the outside of the coamings, emerging at the helm stations on either side. This not only keeps the decks clutter free and makes for a secure side deck to walk along, but in conjunction with the non-overlapping headsail ensures that the jib sheets can’t flog near guests.
The twin helm stations are particularly good. Well positioned and proportioned it is this area that provides one of the first key clues as to what sets the 595 apart from her smaller sister – space.
The larger volume means that humans scale into the cockpit just that bit more easily. Twin wheels in a raised position can leave you feeling a little more exposed on smaller boats, but aboard the 595 this is not the case. Yes, you are further back from the spray dodger and slightly more exposed to the elements than you might be aboard a more traditional centre cockpit with a single wheel, but the benefit of better visibility forwards, while also being closer to the winches and control line clutches, is a distinct advantage.
Push button controls for the furling mainsail and headsail, along with powered winches for the primary and secondary winches, as well as the mainsheet winch, are much as you might expect. Yet, aside from the ease of powered systems, what stood out for me was the accessibility of the winches, both for the helmsman and crew. Even if you did have to break out a winch handle from its packaging, reverting to manual trimming is still easy to do thanks to the good cockpit ergonomics.
Proportions are also at the heart of the matter when it comes to stowage where the cavernous lazarette and a decent sail locker forward swallow up kit and sails. The forward locker is easily large enough to deploy and stow a downwind sail, as we did several times during our trip.
Overall, the 595 has a high standard specification, but an interesting option aboard 595/01 is the reaching package which includes outboard lead tracks fitted amidships on the gunwale. One of the disadvantages of a non-overlapping, high aspect ratio headsail is the loss of power in the sail as you crack off and the skinny head of the sail opens out.
Fitting a pad eye for an outboard lead is one way of pulling the leech down and restoring the lost power. And while this is also an option, Oyster have gone a stage further for those who will be spending more time with sheets cracked even further. This option allows for a larger overlapping, high clew style reacher to be fitted and sheeted outboard.
This reaching sail replaces the nonoverlapping genoa in the normal furling system when required and is operated in the same way. It’s not a sail change you would make in an instant, but according to Oyster’s CCO Paul Adamson, the cut of the new reaching sails and the geometry of the chain plate base on the 595 means that the reaching headsail can be used for going upwind too, albeit not quite as close to the wind as the genoa.
AMPLE SPACE TO SOCIALISE IN THE COCKPIT, ON THE FLUSH AFT AND FOREDECKS, AS WELL AS AN OPTIONAL SWIM DECK.
ACCOMMODATION
Below decks the overall layout with an owner’s double cabin aft, a guest double forward and a twin sea berth style cabin to port follows a well-established configuration albeit with a few handy tweaks. Separate access for the shared heads forward is one such example, as is the skipper’s cabin/workshop set just abaft the navigation station on the starboard side. Both are good, practical details that benefit from the additional volume that the 595 offers over her smaller sister.
The navigation station itself may raise some eyebrows with its 45 degree orientation yet the benefits of this are twofold. The first is that it is easier to be secure on both tacks rather than just one. The second is that by not facing fully forward the area integrates better with the main saloon accommodation. The configuration, along with the modestly proportioned chart table, may not be to everyone’s taste at first but throughout our three day trials the arrangement worked well on both tacks.
The longitudinal galley on the port side is another example of the benefits of more internal volume where surfaces increase by the square and stowage by the cube. The bottom line is that there is ample worktop space and plenty of stowage, plus, it is easy to pass someone without a squeeze. When it comes to the aft cabin, there is no question about space, there’s plenty of it. The feeling is enhanced by the Seascape windows that allow tremendous visibility whether at rest or under sail, a feature that is common to the main saloon.
Overall, the 595 has an interior that is largely conventional but with the benefit of more space. And when it comes to the finish, the beautifully crafted joinery throughout continues to be at the top of the game in the industry.
But it’s not until the sun goes down that you discover another subtle detail below decks, the lighting. Aboard his own boat, Oyster 885/01 Lush, mood lighting is something that company owner Richard Hadida is very proud of. His enthusiasm for it has translated across to the 595 where subtle LED lighting creates three different ambiences; bright, soft and night mode.
Oyster’s proprietary digital switching system, Oyster Command™, (which is another key part of the new generation of Oysters), controls the lighting modes which are selected on a simple touch screen system at the navigation station. And while this might sound like a small detail, the overall effect delivers a significant step beyond the already luxurious, plush feel throughout.
ABOVE:
THE IMPRESSIVE ENSUITE MASTER CABIN COMPLEMENTED BY OUR SIGNATURE SEASCAPE WINDOWS.
LEFT:
A CONTEMPORARY, LUXURIOUS SALOON MAKING LIVING ABOARD TRULY PLEASURABLE.
Lifting the cabin sole in the saloon reveals just how sophisticated the new generation Oysters have become, but also how well the myriad systems are laid out. Here, in addition to Paul Adamson talking me through the installations during our trials, a few weeks later I went to Oyster’s East Anglian facility in Wroxham to see three of the new 595s in various states of build.
There’s nothing new in building various elements of joinery off the boat, but Oyster has clearly invested a great deal of time and money in taking a close look at how to create even better boats more efficiently. This has led to some big changes, from assembling large items such as the engine room off the boat, to their recent investment in new advanced machinery to create complete wiring looms automotive style that are fully tested before they get anywhere near the boat.
The result is a far more efficient build to impressively high standards. This and other changes to the way in which the new boats are built means that systems are easier to access, identify and service. The raw water inlet valves connect to a manifold that allows one inlet to be isolated while the other is serviced on the go is just one of several examples. The easy access to the Commander units for the two hydraulic pumps is another and the list goes on.
When it comes to construction, one of the most noticeable changes to the fundamental structure is the move away from foam cored stiffeners in favour of solid laminate panels with carbon capping that form ‘L’ and ‘T’ beams. The move, which is certified by Lloyd’s Register, has been driven by a number of factors including the accuracy and efficiency that this method allows.
Initially it looked like we might make it past the Needles with just a couple of gybes, but as the breeze swung further astern it was clear that we were going to be far busier. Half an hour and five or six gybes later, we were. Steering and gybing the main at the same time, (without using the autopilot), is easy for the helmsman, as is easing and trimming the asymmetric kite sheets through each manoeuvre for the crew.
From the Needles, our downwind passage to Weymouth via a lunchtime stopover off the Jurassic coast was a doddle, with the 595 sitting at 10 knots with ease. This boat eats up the miles. But it was the sunshine Channel dash the following day that formed one of the highlights of the trip.
A 20+knot breeze on the aft quarter with waves to match would provide a good test for any boat, especially under autopilot. But the 595 sat there at 10-12 knots, rock solid on her heading, surfing the odd wave that lifted her beamy stern.
Despite having her loaded up with a full main and asymmetric kite, at no time did she show any sign of deviating off course. And while it was tempting to put such directional stability down to the dexterity and sophistication of her modern autopilot, taking the helm in hand simply revealed that it was the boat that was doing the bulk of the work. Balanced, sure footed and almost neutral on the helm, she needed little if any encouragement through the wheel to have her galloping downwind.
Two of the key factors that allow this are the smart distribution of buoyancy in the hull lines and the twin rudder configuration, both of which work well together to give that sure footed feel. On our fetch back north to Worbarrow Bay for the night she felt equally secure, powering along and making short work of the sea state.
Our third and final day on board saw a long beat back to the Solent, a trip that started in flat water before gradually building throughout the day. Once again, she was powerful, refused to slam and remained easy to handle.
When it came to close quarters handling under engine power, be it in a marina or the confines of Lulworth Cove, she was every bit as nimble as the 565. Here the bow and stern thrusters not only allow her to be rotated within her length and around her keel, but can move her sideways ferry style. Admittedly, it’s not the most efficient way to berth, but it’s a handy trick to have up your sleeve whether arriving or departing and impressed those watching on in Portland Marina who were doubtless wondering how such a large boat would fit in such a snug berth.
Indeed, with none of us on board having brought a boat of this size into this particular marina, we were wondering the same thing. A few minutes later and the proof was sitting at the dock.
The bottom line is that for all the sophistication, high quality joiner work, seductive lighting, straight line performance or any of the other good points that can be found abord the 595, I wouldn’t mind betting that for many potential owners this feature is the one that seals the deal.
UNDER SAIL & POWER
While I have completed many a boat test in the dark, it’s been a long time since I started one before sunrise. But making the best of the ebb tide to flush us out of the Solent on our passage west set the opening agenda for the next three days and meant an early start. As we left the River Hamble with a 10-12 knot north easterly breeze astern there was little reason not to get stuck in straight away and pop the asymmetric kite. With the tide under us we were whistled down the Western Solent and through the Hurst Narrows.
RIGHT:
THE PERFECT ALL-ROUNDER, SHE IS DESIGNED FOR SAFE YET FAST, EXHILARATING CRUISING.
WITH OYSTER DNA RUNNING THROUGH HER FROM STEM TO STERN, SHE IS CAPABLE OF GREAT THINGS.
PERFECT CREDENTIALS FOR A GLOBETROTTING CRUISER
Length overall including stemhead 19.05m / 62’6” Length of waterline 18.14m / 59’6” Beam 5.36m / 17’7” Draft - standard keel 2.68m / 8’10” Draft - centreboard up | centreboard down 1.79m / 5’10” | 4.06m / 13’4” Displacement - standard keel 30,807kg / 67,918lbs Berths 7-8w Typical engine Volvo Penta D3-150 110kW (150hp) Tanks - fuel 1,420 litres / 312 Imp Gallons (375 US gals) Tanks - water 1,140 litres / 250 Imp Gallons (301 US gals) Sail area - including 105% foretriangle 180m2 / 1,938ft2 Air draft approx, excluding antennae 27.59m / 90’6”
CONCLUSIONS
For all her allure, the big question is why would you spend another £500k on a boat that is simply a slightly longer version of the 565? The number of cabins is the same, the systems are much the same, but when you step aboard the 595 she feels huge and almost intimidating by comparison. But herein lies the key to the answer and what sets the two sisterships apart. The 595 benefits from more volume in pretty much every area on board and as such will appeal to those looking to head further over the horizon for long periods of time.
Her larger proportions deliver a longer waterline length but also more beam resulting in a more powerful hull, more performance and hence longer legs than her smaller sister. The sail plan is also correspondingly larger, yet it is no less manageable. And while the 565 is just as capable of world cruising, the additional volume makes it easier to take the kind of kit that’s required for a long term liveaboard as well as being able to accommodate one or two professional crew.
For me, 60ft is around the size when boats can start to feel pretty big, especially if you are planning to sail them shorthanded. The acid test is whether after time they feel like they have shrunk to manageable proportions after you’ve spent a few days aboard. Not all of them do, but the 595 is definitely one of those boats that grows on and around you the more you sail her.
