LIFE

4 NE WS ROUNDUP

What’s happening in the world of Oyster? Meet the newest members of the family and hear about the ongoing success of the Oyster 565.

8 OYSTER WORLD RALLY 2022-2023

Discover what the voyage of a lifetime holds for 25 Oyster owners as they set sail for the ultimate adventure in our third, fully supported, world rally.

14 OYSTER WORLD RALLY 2024-2025 Inspired to circumnavigate the world on your Oyster? Sign up today for your chance to join 90 Oyster circumnavigators who have already completed this epic voyage.

16 OYSTER PALMA RENDEZVOUS

A fantastic way to end the sailing season, with its mix of casual cruising, watersports, local cuisine and live music. Put the date in your diary for 2022, it is an unmissable event!

19 UP COMING EVENTS

We will be at, and hosting, some exciting events over the next 12 months, including the World Premiere Tour of the new Oyster 495, our Summer Rendezvous and boat shows aplenty.

28 OWNER’S STORY - INTREPID

Trevor and Judy Hill, owners of Oyster 725/01 Intrepid, share their inspiring story to ownership, experiences cruising the world, sharpening of sailing skills and how it all informed extensive preparations for their Oyster World Rally 2022-23.

38 SU STAINABILITY – PART 2

From hydro and solar power generation to efficient energy storage, we ask our experts about the evolving technology in this space.

44 CRUISING GUIDE – GALICIA, SPAIN

Get the most from a visit to Galicia, Spain. Explore this amazing area which is often overlooked when en-route to the Mediterranean. Our experts share must-visit locations, go-to ports and recommendations for the best places to eat and drink.

20 SE COND SIBLING – THE OYSTER 595

Renowned yachting journalist, Matt Sheahan, puts the new 595 through its paces on an extended test voyage and gives his verdict on our latest addition to the fleet.

48 Q &A – THE ART & CRAFT OF BOATBUILDING

Meet Peter Hamlyn, COO of Oyster Yachts, who brings over three decades of boatbuilding experience to Oyster. Find out how he is balancing traditional craft skills and technology to improve Oyster’s renowned quality.

52 INNER S TRENGTH

Have you ever wondered what makes an Oyster last a lifetime and beyond? Join us on a deep dive into the construction of the new generation Oyster yachts.

60 NE W LAUNCHES

Five new Oyster owners and the Oyster Project Management team tell the story behind their new yachts.

65 THE OYSTER FLEET

Life-changing, globe-conquering, award-winning adventure machines. The Oyster Fleet is home to the world’s finest bluewater sailing yachts. Discover what makes each model so special.

81 MEE T THE TEAM

Discover the team behind Oyster, with contact details for our Sales, Brokerage and Charter teams.

82 OYSTER YACHT CHARTER

If you are looking for a sailing adventure holiday, start here with listings of Oysters to charter. If you want to get more from your Oyster, find out how chartering can offset the costs of ownership.

86 OYSTER BROKERAGE

Pre-owned Oysters are in high demand. Oyster Brokerage is the go-to expert for buyers and sellers, with record sales over the last 12 months.

92 OYSTER AFTER SALES

Discover what has been described as “the best After Sales service in the yachting world” by one of our owners. Find out how our team will look after you, wherever you are in the world.

OYSTER SERVICE

With service centres in the most important yachting centres from the UK to the Mediterranean and the US, you have the reassurance that your Oyster is in the most experienced and knowledgeable hands.

OYSTER CREW

Whether you are looking for a Captain and Chef couple, a solo engineer or everything in between, Oyster Crew services takes the hassle out of finding your perfect crew.

CONTACT US

All the details you need to get in touch with us easily, all around the world.

I am extremely proud of our team and what they have achieved in 2021 and it’s great to see a host of new talent coming onboard. We’ve grown from 300 people a year ago to 495. Our plans to bring new talent into British boat building saw record numbers apply to the Oyster Apprenticeship Academy.

RICHARD HADIDA

BETTER, IN DEMAND & S TRONGER THAN EVER

I hope this finds you all in good health and spirits. Last year flew by, with the pace of development at Oyster accelerating despite events around us. Although not a complete return to normality, the second half of 2021 felt like a step in the right direction and 2022 promises to be equally busy and exciting.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

When people ask me how the business is doing, I tell them the new 595 sums it up perfectly: better, in demand and stronger than ever! Three years in the making, her launch was a highlight of the last quarter. We’re all immensely proud of this next generation Oyster, from the quality of her finish, effortless sailing characteristics, new tech, and super-luxurious interior.

The pandemic has given us all a few challenges, but we’ve come through with our build bays full and 22 builds in progress. Constant innovation and improvement mean we are now devoting more time than ever before to building better boats. In fact, I calculated it would take one of our craftspeople a lifetime to build one of our mid-sized yachts. No wonder Oysters last a lifetime and beyond.

Boat sales across our new yacht range and Brokerage have been exceptional. We have sold 675s and 745s, along with 885 hull 15, and the first 885GT will launch later this year. The award-winning 565 is now our most successful model with 20 hulls sold. With 12 495s already sold, we expect demand to be strong following her premiere this Spring. You can see progress of the build and behind the scenes in Shirley Robertson’s ongoing video series on our website.

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

All this activity is driving investment in our team and facilities. As well as the major investment we’ve made in the historic flying boat building in Hythe, an enormous space of over 7,000 sqm, we’re also investing in Wroxham to increase build capacity for the Oyster 565 and 595.

I am extremely proud of our team and what they have achieved in 2021 and it’s great to see a host of new talent coming onboard. We’ve grown from 300 people a year ago to 525 at the start of 2022. Our plans to bring new talent into British boat building saw record numbers apply to the Oyster Apprenticeship Academy. We took on 14 apprentices in September and they are already bringing their impeccable skills to our new builds. I’m excited about the prospect of doubling the intake this year, which will see new talent introduced across our sites.

REFINING PRODUCTION

COO Peter Hamlyn joined us in February last year. Under his guidance, we are already seeing build times reduce, with more build slots becoming available. As a master craftsman himself, his priority is to maintain our outstanding quality and craftmanship and complement it with new technology to speed up delivery times. I’m delighted to report Peter is making great progress!

WELCOMING NEW OWNERS

Last year, we welcomed lots of new owners to the Oyster family through our Brokerage service, with a record year of sales. The team’s ability to pull off complex international deals seamlessly, through lockdowns and the challenges of Brexit, has been remarkable. If you’re thinking of investing in an Oyster, do talk to the Oyster Brokerage team – their depth of knowledge and experience is unsurpassed, with a choice of yachts of every size and budget. Find out more on page 86.

PRESENTING OYSTER TO THE WORLD

We had planned to premiere the new Oyster 495 at boot Düsseldorf, but sadly, due to the pandemic it was cancelled once again. We will now unveil her in a World Premiere tour that will visit a city near you – from Oslo to Copenhagen, Barcelona to Miami. The journey begins in London, UK, 21st - 24th April 2022 at St Katharine Docks. To book your visit see our website. I hope you can join us – you won’t be disappointed.

There was lots of interest in the fleet at the Newport and Annapolis boat shows last year. We were the premier sponsor of the inaugural Safe Harbor race weekend in Newport in August which was a great success. With so many events cancelled during the year, it was good to end the season with the Palma Rendezvous in Mallorca. It was fantastic to be out on the water together and have the opportunity to socialise with family, friends and other owners. The Oyster World Rally 2022-23 left Antigua on 9 January 2022. Twenty-five lucky owners spent the summer making final preparations and they are now enjoying the first leg of this unique adventure. You can follow their progress on the Rally Live page on our website.

We launched the 2024-25 rally in February, and it sold out within days. These rallies epitomise everything an Oyster yacht has to offer. Our well-provisioned, robust, highquality yachts are the perfect adventure machines. They will take you places others cannot reach and give you experiences you will remember for a lifetime. Look out for the announcement of the next Oyster World Rally soon.

DEDICATION BEYOND EXPECTATION

Recently, we celebrated the achievements of two special colleagues: Kevin Webster and Molly Marston.

Kevin has been with Oyster for 50 years, starting as an apprentice. He retired earlier this year but will continue to pass on his time-honoured craft skills to the next generation of boat builders at the Oyster Apprenticeship Academy.

Molly originally set up (and still runs) Oyster Charter – in fact, she introduced my family and me to Oyster! She recently celebrated 25 years with Oyster, along with her thousandth charter. 2020 was tough, but Molly turned it around in 2021 with a record year for charters.

I’d like to thank Kevin and Molly for their time and commitment – their dedication is at the heart of what makes Oyster so special. See page 4 to find out more.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Oyster Life and I look forward to seeing you on the water, or at one of our events very soon.

Fair winds.

RICHARD HADIDA CEO AND OWNER

OYSTER YACHTS