NEW LAUNCHES

The journey to become an Oyster owner begins in many ways. For some it starts as a childhood dream, for others, it’s the fruition of years of research that leads them to conclude there is no other choice but an Oyster. But for all those buying a new Oyster the delights of ownership starts the minute you begin her build. Building an Oyster is an experience our owners savour, guided at every step by our legendary project managers. The experience adds to the deep sense of ownership you will feel when you step aboard for the first time to begin a very special adventure. Discover more about our most recent proud new owners who have completed their builds and begun their adventures. And, if you’re considering ordering your first (or second or third) Oyster, you will find some useful insights from their stories.

OYSTER 475/07

AQUENE

OWNER:

SYLVAIN BLANCHETTE AND ANDREE BEGIN

PROJECT MANAGER:

JOHN JOHNSON

Named with the Native American word for ‘peace’, Aquene’s first voyage took her to the far side of the Atlantic without getting her feet wet.

Aquene is the first shoal draft 475. Built with sloop rig and in-mast furling on the main sail and aft mainsheet configuration making it easy for a couple to handle. The owners live near Rochester NY and they chose the shoal draft option, which reduces the draft from the standard 2.16m to 1.75m, perfect for the shallow anchorages and harbours in the Great Lakes.

She is also equipped with a stunning painted genoa and gold cruising chute, which will catch everyone’s attention. The interior has been beautifully finished in quarter cut oak joinery to the owners’ specification, giving her a luxurious and modern hand-crafted feel. With temperatures falling as low as minus 20 in the winter, Aquene’s mast will need to be removed and stored inside at the end of every season. Our designers made this a much simpler task by modifying the mast connections to Deutsch series connectors.

PROJECT MANAGER COMMENTS

Aquene was due to be handed over in April 2020, but at the last minute the pandemic prevented this and a new plan was hastily hatched. Eager to begin enjoying Aquene the owners decided to have her shipped to the US. Her journey was a voyage in itself – Aquene was sailed to Antwerp, where she was loaded onto a ship bound for Cleveland USA. Following a route up the Gulf of Lawrence through Quebec, Montreal, Buffalo, the ship carrying her passed her home port on the way. So on arrival, she was then moved back 300 miles north to Shumway Marina via the Welland Canal near Rochester before reaching her final destination.

Will White from Oyster’s Newport base supervised the unloading and took the new owners through a rigorous handover to familiarise them with the yacht’s systems. The team in the UK took part in our first ever virtual handover by WhatsApp – a new experience for us all but also a great example of the determination of the team and how technology can overcome unexpected challenges.

The couple were thrilled to take ownership and plan to set off on their first adventures in the Great Lakes in spring 2021.

We are delighted to see Aquene launched and she is testament to the perseverance of the whole team in Wroxham, the commissioning team and everyone involved over the last four years.

SYLVAIN BLANCHETTE AND ANDREE BEGIN

OYSTER 565/03

AKOYA

OWNER:

HUGH MULLENS

PROJECT MANAGER:

ANDY ARMSHAW

It feels like a lifetime since we launched 565/03 at the end of 2019 to get her to January’s boot Düsseldorf show. It took a lot of hard work and skill to get her ready to splash for the first time and motor across the North Sea in some ‘exciting’ conditions in December. She arrived in Düsseldorf with ease and was the talk of the show, garnering excellent positive feedback.

At the end of January 2020, she returned to Fox’s marina for her final fit out and preparation for final commissioning. After a couple of weeks under wraps in the shed, she came out dressed in her new vinyl colour scheme. The rig was stepped, sail trials completed, and she was ready for handover.

Even with much of the world on pause, you can’t hold back an Oyster and nothing could delay the launch of Akoya. Owner Hugh Mullens took ownership of Akoya at the handover ceremony in Ipswich in the summer, choosing the 565 for its exceptional build quality and long-distance bluewater cruising capability. His dream of circumnavigation of the globe is now a definite plan – Akoya is signed up for the 2022-23 Oyster World Rally. Their first outing was a little less ambitious, sailing from Ipswich to Lymington. “It was a combination of trepidation and sheer joy in a gusty Force 7,” Hugh says. “And a good test of her ability to take on an uncomfortable sea.”

PROJECT MANAGER COMMENTS

During our initial conversations, it quickly became clear that Hugh saw the correct specification for serious blue water cruising as more important consideration than budget. As a result, he carefully specified a very practical boat for serious offshore sailing.

Specifying the necessary kit to make long-distance passage-making possible was paramount. He chose a hydrogenerator, vital to keep the batteries topped-up while sailing and reduce runtime and servicing of the generator. The water-maker was also chosen for its ability to work without running the generator.

Knowing that reliable fuel is not always a given in far-flung places, we installed a fuel polisher to deal with poor-quality fuel for his upcoming Oyster World Rally.

Was the owner delighted with his new yacht? We think his final comment gives it away: “I feel like the luckiest man on the planet – she is just fabulous.”

I’ve ended up with the most beautifully crafted boat – the quality of the workmanship is just outstanding. It’s just the right yacht for me, it’s fantastic… and I feel I’ve joined a real family with Oyster.

HUGH MULLENS

OYSTER 565/05

POLLUX

OWNER:

KLAUS ROSENTHAL

PROJECT MANAGER:

ANDY ARMSHAW

Klaus and his son Sven had never sailed a 565 before they came for the handover of their new yacht in October. The last time they saw her was before her deck was installed back in early summer – Covid restrictions prevented them seeing her again during the build. So it was with great excitement they arrived at the yard in Ipswich on a wet and blustery autumn day.

Regular photo updates from the team meant they saw her progress as she came to life in the build. Before handover Klaus and Sven had kindly allowed us to use their yacht at the Oyster Private View in Southampton. She took pride of place in the line up and was extremely well-received. Klaus loved the way she was presented, and her high-quality finish and style was much-admired – a testament to the owner’s taste and the team who worked on her from start to finish.

Klaus’s plans are focused on sunnier, more temperate climes, far from the autumnal squalls and chill of the North Sea. He has taken Pollux to Palma with a quick stopover in Germany to register her en route. The plan is to base her in Palma for a couple of years before setting off on bigger adventures in the future.

PROJECT MANAGER COMMENTS

We managed to bring forward the handover to make sure the new owners were not held back by potential lockdowns. Despite the changeable weather, we avoided the worst of the rain and enjoyed an excellent day’s sailing. It was pleasure to see Klaus and Sven so pleased with their design and fit out choices – and their smiles were maintained even after a whole day of looking at systems in the bilges!

Their smiles were even wider when they took her out on the water to put her through her paces. Klaus and Sven were thrilled with how she performed in boisterous conditions. It was a great experience for their maiden sail. Sailing downwind with white sails, they followed up with the asymmetric spinnaker, reaching 18 knots on the North Sea just past Felixstowe.

Knowing the challenges the team overcame during lockdown to get 565/05 finished, it was a real pleasure to see her set sail with her new owners.

We are delighted with our choice of the 565 and we’re really happy to be the newest members of the Oyster family.

KLAUS ROSENTHAL

OYSTER 745/05

PERLE DI NAUTILUS

OWNER:

DOMENIC PILLA AND LOUISE DE SERRES

PROJECT MANAGER:

MATTHEW TOWNSEND

For most Oyster owners upgrading to the right boat to satisfy new ambitions for adventure drives the decision to trade up. This was the motivation for Domenic Pilla and Louise de Serres to switch up from their 575 to a new 745.

“For around 25 years we chartered instead as we moved around,” explains Domenic. “So even though we missed having our own boat, it was a great opportunity to explore different parts of the world from Thailand to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. We also got to try out a range of boats in the process which, as it turns out, helped us when it came to understanding what we might want in a boat if we ever got to own one later on.” They chose the 575 and happily sailed over 10,000 miles on her. The impetus to upgrade came from the wish for more space to share their sailing adventures with family and friends. The 675 didn’t offer the step up in size and versatility they wanted, so they chose the 745 for its size and ability to accommodate a full crew without limiting the number of guests.

The couple’s sailing plans take in the Caribbean until May 2021, the Mediterranean for summer 2021 before then heading to the Adriatic. After that we plan to return to the Caribbean. “And then we will keep things open, it’s part of the adventure!” says Domenic.

PROJECT MANAGER COMMENTS

Versatility of space below decks was paramount and the owners chose a five cabin layout with 11 berths and five heads. Two of the cabins can be configured as a double or a twin. Everyone’s privacy is maintained by separate crew quarters with independent access to the deck.

The cutter rig with in-mast furling is another obvious change from the standard Oyster specification, chosen for ease of handling shorthanded.

We love the 745 – the way she sails, her size and the ease with which she can be managed with an accommodation layout that suits us, our family and friends.

DOMENIC PILLA AND LOUISE DE SERRES

OYSTER 885/10

ACHENAR

OWNER:

DAVID & WENDY BRABEN

PROJECT MANAGER:

ANDREW MARTIN

Many people dream of owning an Oyster. And many Oyster owners dream of upgrading to a larger Oyster as their taste for adventure grows. David and Wendy’s first Oyster 575 drew them into the family and, when the time was right, they decided to commission 88510 to take their bluewater adventures to another level. Achenar perfectly showcases the many possibilities for personalisation of our yachts.

They named her Achenar after a star that is ten times brighter than the sun and appears elliptical when viewed through a telescope. This precise shape has been cleverly designed into the pink and white turtle logo (designed by the Brabens) that runs through the entire boat, from the striking dark blue hull to the elliptical drainer feature of the Onyx stone back-lit bar of the saloon drinks servery.

Featuring the signature Oyster raised deck saloon, Achenar is highly specified with a Halls carbon mast and Oceanfurl inboom furling mainsail. The sails are North 3Di in a striking black finish. These are complemented by an asymmetric spinnaker and Code 0 on a hydraulic furler. All this adds up to a yacht that is capable of taking on adventures of all shapes and sizes.

The couple are looking forward to her hand over in spring 2021 and plan to head to the Mediterranean, then take her across the Atlantic to the Caribbean for the following year.

PROJECT MANAGER COMMENTS

David and Wendy were closely involved with the interior design, choosing the colour scheme, light ash joinery with walnut detailing and cabin soles. Carefully chosen contrasting fabric provides a stunning result. They also had the middle cabin turned into a snug/cabin area, with a day WC and open plan bulkhead to a settee. The bulkhead can be closed off and settee extended to create a comfortable en-suite double cabin. Between this cabin and the galley, a large TV drops down to reveal an open bulkhead, linking the snug and galley spaces together.

They were keen to be able to run their air conditioning overnight without running the generators. We achieved this by fitting a large bank of Lithium Ion batteries with a total capacity of 2800 amp/hours. These are charged by two engine alternators and six battery chargers. Six inverters convert the 24V DC battery power into 230V AC to power the aircon and AC appliances overnight and in the morning before the generators are started up to recharge the batteries. See more on this in the New Round-up.

David and Wendy were delighted to see Achenar launched and very pleased with how she looks on the water. The complete interiors with uncovered joinery detailing surpassed their expectations.

We are thrilled with the finish and the way the team have gone the extra mile to bring our vision to life. We can’t wait to take her out for her first adventure next summer.

DAVID & WENDY BRABEN