Are Oyster Yachts Still Worth The High Price?

Oyster is a privately owned British boatbuilding company building luxury, go-anywhere sailing yachts since 1973.

The iconic British brand continues to set the standard for luxurious, blue-water cruisers that other brands strive to match.

Over the years, the company has been building progressively bigger and better yachts.

From starting with their first yacht, the UFO 34, the company builds a range of exceptional yachts, from their all-new, award-winning Oyster 495 to their exhilarating flagship Oyster 855 SII.

Here’s Why Oyster Yachts Are Worth Their High Price:

Oyster Yachts are the stuff dreams are made of for most blue-water sailors. These yachts are solidly built and beautifully finished and incorporate some of the best modern, innovative marine technologies available.

In addition, Oyster Yachts are worth their high price because even the base models come with an extremely high spec list.

Standard features include automated hydraulics with touchscreen controls, automated in-mast furling, electric winches, and B&G navigation systems – you will only find the best on an Oyster Yacht.

The company has evolved, refined, and become more sophisticated over the last 50 years.

Today’s fleet remains true to Oyster’s founding principles – “pioneering design, uncompromising strength of construction, exhilarating performance, quality finish, and liveaboard luxury.”

[Quote courtesy of oysteryachts.com]

How Much Exactly Do Oyster Boats Cost?

It’s difficult to determine how much exactly an Oyster yacht will cost. Every Oyster yacht is built to order, and a wide array of semi-custom options are available for the discerning new owner.

These include (but are not limited to) hull color, interior cabin layout, choice of wood finish and upholstery, choice of the keel, mast, and boom options, different sail plans, electronics packages, and many more.

However, we have managed to establish new base boat prices, and these are as follows:

Brand/Model	Price
Oyster 495	£1.2 million ex VAT
Oyster 565	£1.4 million ex VAT
Oyster 595	£2.3 million ex VAT
Oyster 675	£2.48 million ex VAT
Oyster 745	£4 million ex VAT
Oyster 885 Series II	£4.5 million ex VAT

For more detailed information about each of these models, please read our article, ‘How Much Does An Oyster Yacht Cost?’ here.

While an Oyster yacht will never be cheap, it’s worth looking at the secondhand boat market to see what Oyster Yachts are available. You may be able to pick up an older model for a slightly more affordable price.

At the time of writing, yachtworld.com, the top online boating marketplace in the world, had 76 used or secondhand Oyster yachts available.

These range from the smallest and the cheapest, an Oyster 26 from 1979 priced at $17,248 and goes all the way up to over $11 million for a 125-foot Oyster Displacement Sloop built in 2013.

However, it’s important to note that because not too many Oyster yachts have been built (compared to other brands) and because they are a premium product, Oyster yachts retain their value well, so you probably won’t find too many bargains out there.

Do Oyster Yachts Cost More Than Similar Brands?

Oyster Yachts fall into the category of high-end, luxury, go-anywhere sailing yachts. Similar brands include Amel, Hallberg-Rassy, Jeanneau, and Nautor’s Swan.

These brands are known for their luxurious quality, spaciousness, comfort, and general seaworthiness.

But are Oyster Yachts more expensive than these similar brands? Due to the very nature of these high-end, semi-custom, luxury bluewater yachts, new boat prices are difficult to establish.

So, we’ve made a price comparison on similar secondhand models.

Our criteria were to look for similar-sized yachts from each brand and the same or similar year – let’s take a closer look at the results:

Boat Brand	Size	Year	Price
Oyster	575	2019	$2,163,697
Amel	55	2018	$1,034,449
Hallberg-Rassy	57	2019	$1,622,636
Jeanneau	58	2018	$798,500
Nautor’s Swan	60	2018	$1,957,409

[Info courtesy of Yachtworld.com]

This quick price comparison indicates that Oyster yachts cost more than similar brands.

However, to establish the true value of each yacht, you would need to compare detailed inventories and the overall condition of each yacht.

Comparing yachts is very unlike comparing cars or vehicles – due to the very nature of semi-custom-built yachts, no two yachts are ever the same, even if they are built by the same factory or come from the same brand.

Why Do People Choose Oyster Over The Competition?

People choose Oyster over the competition because they know they are purchasing a superior quality product – there is no better sailing yacht in the world in this class.

In addition, an Oyster Yacht is built with both comfort and speed in mind. Oyster yachts are world-renowned for having more volume per meter than any other sailing yacht.

Oyster Yachts are internationally recognized and respected for their meticulous build quality, superior performance, and go-anywhere sailing capabilities – you can sail anywhere in an Oyster Yacht and get there quickly.

And all this is backed up with outstanding international customer support.

When you buy an Oyster Yacht, you don’t just buy a boat, you buy into a lifestyle. As an Oyster owner, you become part of the Oyster family with regular invitations to regattas, dinners, and other events.

There are two main regattas per year – one in the Caribbean at Easter and the other in the Mediterranean in September/October. Plus, there are parties and dinners for owners during various boat shows where Oyster participates, including the London, Southampton, and Annapolis boat shows and various other sailing events.

And that’s not all – as an Oyster owner, you will also receive an exclusive invitation to the voyage of a lifetime.

The Oyster World Rally is a fully supported 27,000 nm circumnavigation of the world, which takes you to some of the most remote and beautiful places on the planet.

This exclusive event is only open for Oyster owners to join and is limited to 30 yachts. It’s the ultimate adventure for most sailors and why people will choose Oysters over the competition.

Why Are Oyster Yachts So Expensive? (Explained)

Do Oyster Boats Keep Their Value Better?

As Oyster Yachts are built to such high standards, the rate of deterioration is less than you would expect with other brands of sailing yachts.

This helps Oyster Yachts keep their value better. In addition, Oyster only produces a limited amount of boats each year, so there is a limited supply.

Oyster Yachts are in high demand with entrepreneurs and successful business people, most of whom are seasoned sailors with ambitions to sail the world or race in exclusive regattas.

This demand contributes to Oyster Yachts retaining their value better than other brands.

However, as with any brand of sailing boat, your Oyster Yacht needs to be well maintained to limit its depreciation.

What Are Typical Alternatives To Oyster Boats?

In addition to the brands already mentioned in this article, typical alternatives to Oyster Yachts include Passport Yachts, Tayana Yachts, and X-Yachts.

These brands are known for their stylish good looks, modern and spacious designs, and ocean-going capabilities.

They are comfortable enough to live aboard and robust enough to sail to the far-flung corners of the world.

Do You Pay Full Price, Or Do Dealers Offer Discounts?

First, if you want a new Oyster Yacht, you will need to deal with the Oyster sales team, as they do not have a network of dealers.

This is due to the limited number of boats they build yearly, so they keep everything in-house.

As each Oyster Yacht is built to order and each yacht is semi-custom, you will typically pay full price for your new Oyster Yacht.

However, there are some reports that a 10% discount may be possible in return for allowing the boat to be used as a demo in a boat show.

Plus, if you’re a good negotiator, you may be able to negotiate bigger discounts on any additional equipment you want fitting by the factory.

But if you are looking to buy a secondhand Oyster Yacht, then depending on the owner’s circumstances or their reason for selling, the price may be more negotiable – but don’t count on it.

References:

Oyster Yachts

Oyster Yachts: A Blue Water Adventure Machine