Oyster Yachts are some of the finest ever produced and are known to be capable of sailing anywhere in the world. At the same time, their passengers and crew are encapsulated in complete luxury, style, comfort, and safety.
They have kept up with modern trends for seaworthy yachts, which are also good-looking and spacious and known as expensive yachts, but for a good reason.
Here’s Why Oyster Yachts are So Expensive:
Each yacht includes an extremely high standard spec, and the engineering quality and level of finish are top-of-the-line. An Oyster Yacht is as close as you’ll find to perfection. The “Oyster Family” club also includes fabulous parties and impeccable customer service to Oyster yacht owners.
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How Much Do Oyster Yachts Cost?
Oyster Yachts currently offers six brand-new models ranging from 50 to 90 feet long. However, establishing new boat prices is not straightforward as each boat is offered as a semi-custom design.
This means that each Oyster Yacht produced is built to order, so no two yachts are the same.
The Oyster Yachts website does not list their new boat prices, but reviews of the all-new Oyster 495 state that the base price of this smaller model will set you back a cool £1.2 million ex VAT.
If we take a look at the second-hand market, at the time of writing, Yachtworld.com had 71 Oyster Yachts listed (including nine new and 62 used), with prices ranging from $39,000 for a 1979 Oyster 39 ketch up to $10,494,139 for a 125 foot Oyster Displacement Sloop from 2013.
Are Oyster Yachts Built Better Than Other Yachts?
While the company has changed ownership several times, Oyster Yachts has always been a British brand. This means that you can expect only the use of the finest materials, plus the superior craftsmanship of experienced British master craftsmen and women.
Oyster Yachts has built its reputation on its meticulous attention to detail. Each yacht is built and finished in its own boatyard in Norfolk and Southampton. The company uses traditional boatbuilding skills alongside the most advanced composite technology.
Since 2018, the company has been owned by Richard Hadida, the present-day CEO. He introduced designing and, more importantly, building the yachts to comply with Lloyds Register SSC Standards.
This means that during the build process, every stage is carefully monitored by these globally trusted maritime advisors.
Oyster Yachts’ approach to safety and quality control means that nothing leaves the boatyard unless each component is installed and finished to absolute perfection, giving owner’s that extra peace of mind.
In addition, when building bluewater-capable, luxury cruising yachts, experience counts. Over its nearly 50 years in business, Oyster Yachts has built more than 1,000 yachts ranging in size from 37 feet up to 125 feet.
The company claims their yachts have collectively sailed over 20 million bluewater sailing miles, with over 90 circumnavigations completed.
Plus, this experience seems to count when winning awards too. Oyster Yachts has twice been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the highest official award for British businesses in the UK.
In addition, Oyster Yachts have been nominated for or won the following awards:
- the Oyster 625 was named the Luxury Cruiser of the Year at the Düsseldorf International Boat Show in 2012
- the Oyster 675 was voted Sailing Today’s Best Luxury Cruiser in 2016
- the Oyster 565 was voted for the same award in 2017
- the Oyster 745 was named Cruising World’s Boat of the Year in 2018
- the Oyster 495 has been nominated for the European Yacht of the Year Award for 2023
Are Oyster Yachts More Expensive Than Similar Brands?
Oyster Yachts fall into the category of high-end luxury bluewater sailing yachts. Similar brands include Amel, Hallberg-Rassy, Nautor’s Swan, and X-Yachts.
These brands are known for their luxurious quality, spaciousness, comfort, and seaworthiness.
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 second-hand models – let’s take a closer look:
| Boat Brand | Size | Year | Price |
| Oyster | 575 | 2018 | $2,300,000 |
| Amel | 50 | 2020 | $1,150,000 |
| Hallberg-Rassy | 57 | 2019 | $1,650,000 |
| Nautor’s Swan | 54 | 2019 | $1,594,714 |
| X-Yachts | NA | NA | NA |
[Info courtesy of Yachtworld.com]
This quick price comparison does indicate that Oyster Yachts are more expensive than similar brands. However, there was no information available for a similar model from X-Yachts.
Please also note that this is a quick price comparison only. The real value of any yacht will come down to the overall inventory and the condition of each yacht.
How Much Does An Oyster Yacht Cost? Here are 6 more specific examples to check out!
How Quickly Do Oyster Yachts Depreciate Compared To Other Brands?
Like buying a new car, a new luxury yacht will depreciate, including an Oyster Yacht.
Typically a luxury yacht will depreciate most during the first year. Nearly all experts agree that you should expect a 10% depreciation in year one and then a 6 – 8% depreciation for the following four to five years before leveling off.
If you buy a second-hand yacht, you can expect less of a depreciation hit.
In addition, how well your yacht has been maintained will also dictate how much depreciation your boat investment will suffer.
So if you maintain your Oyster Yacht in tip-top condition, there is no reason why it will depreciate any faster than any other brand. Indeed, as Oyster is such a niche luxury brand, an Oyster Yacht may keep its value better.
What Are The Most Expensive Oyster Yachts?
Like any brand of yacht, the bigger the size, the more expensive the yacht will be, and Oyster is no exception. Oyster has been designed as a high-end product that fills a niche market with luxurious finishes and great sailing capabilities.
Their smallest new offering today is the Oyster 495, which comes with a hefty base price of £1.2 million (ex VAT) before adding any extras.
Their other models include:
- The Oyster 565
- Oyster 595
- Oyster 675
- Oyster 745
- Oyster 885
The base price of the Oyster 885 is reported to be £5 million (ex VAT). However, that is not the most expensive Oyster Yacht, as Oyster has previously built custom superyachts.
The most expensive and largest yacht they ever built is on offer today at $10,494,139 for a 125-foot Oyster Displacement Sloop built in 2013.
What Are The Cheapest Oyster Yachts?
There is no such thing as a ‘cheap’ Oyster Yacht, so if you are looking for a more affordable model, you need to look at the used boat market. Typically, the older and smaller the boat, the cheaper they get.
Websites such as yachtworld.com and boats.com have a wide variety of Oyster Yachts for sale, starting from $39,000 for a 37′ Oyster from 1979.
While there are seemingly many great second-hand Oyster deals to be had, it’s good to bear in mind that as these yachts are designed and built to be serious long-distance cruisers, many of the older boats will have many sea miles under their hulls.
As with any long-distance cruising vessel, it’s important to be up-to-date with any maintenance issues; otherwise, you might end up with a very tired yacht.
Most importantly, if you are considering a second-hand Oyster Yacht, ensure you have it surveyed by a properly qualified marine surveyor. This additional expense may save you plenty of money in the long run.
Do People Typically Pay Full Price Or Get A Discount?
People will typically pay full price for a new Oyster Yacht as these yachts are offered as a semi-custom build, and each boat is built to order.
However, some reports mention that 10% discounts are possible in return for allowing the boat to be used in a boat show. If you’re a good negotiator, bigger discounts may be possible from time to time.
If you are looking to buy a used Oyster Yacht, then depending on the circumstances or the reason for selling, prices may be negotiable.
References:
Oyster 495: Photo Tour of Gorgeous £1.2 Million Yacht
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