Oyster 53

British company Oyster Marine has carved out a stately home for itself at the luxury end of the international production yacht market. It builds a range of bluewater cruisers from 42-82ft, all incorporating the deck saloon concept which the company claims to have introduced to the world more than 20 years ago.

The yachts are built for short or long-range cruising in comfort, utilising traditional, time-proven construction methods and high standards of craftsmanship. "Well-built, solid and stylish" is a typical description of these craft, which are usually included alongside other prestige marques such as Nautor Swan in lists of the world's finest ocean cruisers.

Oyster's reputation doesn't come at a budget price. No matter how fast you say it, around $2.14 million (or more specifically, 720,000 pounds sterling) still sounds like a lot of money for a 53ft yacht (even if that 53-footer has an LOA of 53ft 10in). With that sort of price tag, you're justified in expecting a very special sailing craft.

In an interesting example of globalisation reported in detail in last month's Trade-A-Boat, the British company has now contracted the respected Auckland firm, McDell Marine, to build a series of Oyster 53s and 49s, starting with the larger model.

But before you jump for joy at the prospect of a cheaper product at our doorstep, it should be said that Oyster Marine's intention is for the Kiwi-built yachts to be virtually indistinguishable from their British siblings, with no difference in pricing. All Oysters will continue to be sold in British pounds. And in fact, according to Ralph Hogg of Australian Oyster representative North South Yachting, the differences in labour and material costs between the two locations are in fact quite minimal.

In spite of the high price tag, Hogg says he is receiving a high level of enquiries from potential buyers in our part of the world. He says it's the lifestyle offered by the Oysters that adds that extra cachet, whether 'the dream' involves long-term cruising - say across the Pacific, around Australia, or around the Med and then across the Atlantic in company with the many Oysters sailing in each year's ARC Rally - or simply enjoying what the boats have to offer on the harbour and at the marina.

Part of the attraction, Hogg says, is the 'Oyster club' element, with the company fostering contact between owners through regatta parties, newsletters and so on. He points to two Oysters currently cruising in company through Queensland waters, as an example of the shared experiences that can result.

We were able to take a closer look at what the fuss is all about with a test-sail of the first Oyster 53 off the McDell Marine production line in Auckland, before it was shipped off to England for a thorough inspection by Oyster Marine and then commissioning for its new owner.

Construction of the second boat, earmarked for North South Yachting, was also well underway and it is expected to be on show at the Sydney International Boat Show.

BUILT FOR COMFORT
The 53 is one of Oyster's newest models, and in keeping with the company's 'design team approach' owes its hull lines, appendages and sail plan to noted British yacht designer, Rob Humphreys, while styling and other input was developed in-house.

Humphreys calls the craft a "performance cruiser", in spite of the vessel's stated displacement of around 22 tonnes.

Acknowledging the moderately high displacement to length ratio resulting from "the commonly-stated Oyster owner's preference for a robust, even traditional approach to structural design...[and] the standard of comfort and lavish fit-out", Humphreys says: "One cannot magic away displacement when that parameter is the definitive manifestation of onboard well-being, but one can take a different view as to how to arrange its distribution. This essentially, is the step represented by the 53...

"The resulting product is a hull-form whose topside configuration reflects what goes on under the water, allowing the necessarily full immersed volume to run seamlessly into a similarly full topside afterbody, encouraging the water to exit the hull with minimal disturbance and raising the speed potential of the boat over what has traditionally been termed the hull-speed hump.

"The hull form aft coincidentally produces increased form stability and, in flattening the wavetrain, improves directional stability by allowing the rudder to work more efficiently and by negating the effect of a suspending quarter wave."

Oyster Marine takes pride in its construction techniques, using 'no-nonsense, belt and braces style' methods to produce boats for the long term. Both the hull and deck are constructed of solid, hand-laid GRP in female moulds, using vinylester resin and power-bound mat in the outer hull laminate for increased waterproofing (Oyster Marine offers a one-year hull warranty and three years for GRP below the waterline).

The standard keel has what Oyster calls the HPB (High Performance Bulb), getting the lead ballast as low as possible.

The rudder is hung from a full-length skeg which is reinforced with a bronze base plate to provide thorough protection.

WHERE TO START?
The biggest challenge involved in this boat test was working out where to start. First impressions at the marina were of a full-bodied craft with well-proportioned, stylish lines, presenting a modern take on cruising tradition.

The teak decks from stem to stern were just a foretaste of the timberwork lying in wait below decks, where parquetry-style 'chequerboard' teak flooring complements the North American white oak joinery throughout.

The overwhelming first impression when you venture down the companionway, though, is a feeling of generous space. This is thanks to the deck saloon arrangement, which provides a very high coachroof and more than ample airiness and light in the saloon.

High quality furnishings add to the feeling that this is a custom built craft rather than a production line model. Oyster Marine in fact promotes its ability to complete each boat on a 'semi-custom basis' with owners able to specify their choice of interior layout, joinery and equipment.

The standard layout provides two large double cabins - the master stateroom aft and the guests' cabin forward - in addition to two more cabins which each house two single bunks, two bathrooms, a well-equipped walkthrough galley, navigation station and ample storage and locker space.

There is much to explore below decks, but also a serious question to be addressed back in the cockpit. That is: how does the boat sail?

After all, it's no surprise to discover a luxury fitout, given the Oyster 53's price tag, but if the boat is loaded down with so much weight that it can't sail out of its own way (in spite of the designer's claims), there's not going to be much fun involved with sailing on the bay or the ocean.

UNDER SAIL
We didn't get a lot of wind on Auckland harbour, but Kiwi Oyster's performance in the 8-12kt breeze was enough to reveal that this is a true sailing yacht, rather than a glorified floating apartment.

Kiwi Oyster is set up with a Selden rig incorporating optional in-mast furling, which requires a hollow-leeched mainsail. The mast is keel-stepped and the masthead cutter rig provides inner and outer forestays, both set up with Harken roller furling systems.

The second McDell Marine-built boat, destined for Australia, will instead be set up with a masthead sloop rig (with detachable inner forestay) incorporating a Profurl in-boom mainsail furling system, Matrix aluminium mast and Profurl headsail furling system.

In-boom furling would be 100% my choice, too, rather than the in-mast option, given the efficiency of the modern boom systems, their ability to deal with fully-battened mainsails, plus the thought of having to go up the rig to deal with a problem with the in-mast furling system in the sort of conditions when you need to get the mainsail reefed most. (Yes, I'm paranoid; more on that subject later.)

Having said all that, I was surprised by how well Kiwi Oyster's mainsail did set up. In flat water under the cutter rig we were able to power the boat up nicely between 30-40? apparent wind angle, with the speed surging towards 10kt and acceleration surprisingly quick to build the pace.

At broader reaching angles the pace was more sedate, hovering around the 5-6kt mark and probably falling below the crossover point to motorsailing that would probably be observed during a longer passage. (Range under the auxiliary engine is estimated at 1600nm with the standard diesel tankage of 750-800lt, which can be extended by another 250lt if required.)

The yacht nonetheless retained a sense of purpose under sail, holding its momentum through the lulls as you'd expect of a 22-tonne vessel, and it would be fun to see how it performs under the big masthead spinnaker that is included on the long list of options.

All-round vision is good from the helmstation, and steering via the Whitlock system, although balanced to the point of being curiously weightless (it's easy to oversteer at first), seemed very direct.

The boat was set up with electric-powered Lewmar 64 self-tailing primary winches, mounted outside the cockpit coamings, while the in-mast furling also relied on an electric system.

Seating in the cockpit is comfortable and can be provided with protection from the elements via the standard sprayhood and the addition of an optional bimini (to be fitted on the first Australian boat).

There is ample space for passengers on the broad aft decks, completely out of the way of ropes and rigging. There is access via a winch handle into the aft storage compartments for sails and associated deck gear. Buyers contemplating long-range cruising might consider alternative layouts providing even more deck storage space than the standard layout.

The test yacht was equipped with the optional bow thruster, an 8hp Sleipner unit controlled from the helmstation, which allowed the boat to be manoeuvred within its own length in the crowded Westhaven Marina.

DECK SALOON STYLE
Stepping down through the companionway (which has a neat optional arrangement allowing the stormboard to be locked at various heights as required), you are confronted with a large lounge area to starboard, including semi-circular seating furnished in plush blue Alcantara for up four to six people around a double drop-leaf table. There is seating for two more on the port side (and space for mounting a television) forward of the generously proportioned navigation station.

The deck saloon area is slightly raised to allow functional positioning of tankage and storage in the bilge, but without losing the sense of space provided by all that headroom.

I wondered about the large windows that are an essential element of the deck saloon concept, and I say that in a general sense regarding all modern deck saloon craft, not just the Oysters.

I can never quite get out of my mind the experience of a Sydney two-handed crew who had to abandon their yacht (a garden-variety production yacht) in terrible weather on the way to Lord Howe Island, after the saloon windows were stove in by the sea. The owner was later able to go back out there and recover his yacht, so I guess that particular story had a happy ending. And the number of Oysters equipped with large deck saloon windows which have now completed all manner of ocean passages and circumnavigations provide the weight of evidence that my concerns are unnecessary. But don't you, too, ever look at the windows on modern deck saloon craft and just wonder?

Well, I asked the question during this test, to be told that these windows are made of very high specification 12mm "Superglass", capable of withstanding waves breaking on deck, and in any case the company provides the option of stormboards which can be fitted over the windows in dire conditions (think Perfect Storm). "An option for the paranoid," Hogg called this; I have to confess I'd take the option.

Moving aft along the port side, there is good access to the centrally-mounted engine (a Yanmar 100hp turbodiesel is standard), opposite two single seaberths, and access to the giant master stateroom aft, which includes a large double island berth, ensuite bathroom, hanging locker, storage space and seating.

Moving forward along the starboard side leads you through the galley, which is well-equipped with double stainless steel sinks inboard, and front-opening 24V DC Frigomatic refrigerator and gas cooker with four burners, grill and oven outboard. Mica laminate countertops provide food prep space.

The standard domestic systems include a 750lt hot and cold pressurised freshwater system supplying the galley and showers, while electrics include 24V DC ship's system, additional 175-amp, 24V alternator and shorepower facility.

Navigational electronics supplied as standard include a Raytheon (now Raymarine) ST7000+ twin linear system and ST60 sailing instruments, Garmin 12 channel GPS interfaced with the autopilot, VHF radio and stereo CD/FM radio with cockpit and saloon speakers.

Forward of the saloon there is a second bathroom to port (both bathrooms house manual Jabsco toilets, which surprised me at first, as I was expecting the latest whizzbang flush system, but according to Oyster Marine the manual units are preferred because they are "simple, reliable and easy to use and maintain," a philosophy which the company also employs with its deck hardware wherever possible. According to Oyster Marine, a popular optional upgrade is the Vacuflush freshwater toilet.

There is a private double cabin forward and a twin bunk cabin on the starboard side, both with hanging lockers space and storage space.

PART OF THE FAMILY
For what it's worth, I should mention that my own previous experience with the Oyster range was on a very different craft, an Oyster Lightwave 395 cruiser/racer previously produced by the company, which in fact began life as a builder of racing yachts (founder and current chairman Richard Matthews being a keen and successful ocean racing yachtsman).

My personal experience on that boat, Lightwave, included the 1990 Sydney to Hobart Race (where it was an IMS division winner) and a Sydney-Southport. It rated well and was a tough customer, standing up to all the punishment we dished out during a tough slog across Bass Strait and some wild gybe-broaches during the big spinnaker run beforehand.

Lightwave's owner Brian Ashenden then completed the Two-handed Melbourne to Osaka Race with that boat, and I see his face again in Oyster's recent booklet to celebrate its 25th anniversary, where it's recorded that Brian and his wife Jilly have since gone on to circumnavigate the globe in an Oyster 435. Once an Oyster owner, always an Oyster owner, perhaps.

WHERE CAN I SIGN?
The Oyster 53 is a handsome, solidly-built bluewater cruiser which could take you just about anywhere - not in a tearing hurry, but in comfort, style and - given prudent seamanship - as much safety as possible.

Whether or not it is good value for money at the Australian dollar's current rate of exchange with the British pound is a matter potential buyers will be weighing up.

For alternatives, thinking Swan, Buizen, or a one-off custom craft, the price tag may not be dissimilar by the time the boat is sailing.

And like other prestige marques, Oyster Marine is keen to stress those two little words, 'residual value', that mean so much when it's time to move on... To the Oyster 82 Pilot House, perhaps.

HIGHS

LOWS