Old Oyster worth considering?

[Toutvabien]

yacht "OYSTER 35/12A" | eBay

That looks like a good start, may need a new engine before long it the Perkins is original.

 

[Stemar]

Drifting furiously, as you do when you find yourself looking at yachts on ebay, this would be no good for world cruising, but as a liveaboard pottering around the Med, I could definitely be tempted

12 Metre - Turkish Gulet Yacht ‘Yurdagul’ - With mooring in Fethiye Turkey | eBay

 

[PHN]

Not the boats I am looking for, but the serach continues. There is no hurry. Should definitely be a world cruiser in the 37-40 ft range. No ketch, no teak deck.

 

[Kukri]

Yes. I’ve looked a dreamt as well, unfortunately about 3 times my budget. Been for sale for quite a while, I wonder how open to offers.
If I remember corectly built for sail training, sea scouts or the like. So a bit basic but recently refitted for a RTW who gave up in the Canaries.
So probably has all the requirements.

Old design, so not selling fast. I suppose it lacks kerb appeal, to some.
I’m a sure it would sell at the right price.

“The sights a man sees when he hasn’t got his gun...”

Appeals immensely to me, but I’ve already got Big Sister.

Be in no doubt at all about the sailing qualities of these boats, both up and down wind. The hull form is as much RORC as IOR and I can say with confidence that they run very fast and very steadily, contrary to what some experts will tell you about boats with narrow sterns.

Very light and gentle on the helm, balanced and will not round up out of control in a puff: on the contrary they lean over and accelerate.

Downsides:

1. The overhangs should contain nothing but air.

2. Marina handling not brilliant, owing to half mile gap between propeller and rudder.

 

[PHN]

Appeals immensely to me ...

Not my cup of tea.

I have seen similar boats sell for about half the price they are asking for this one. Not very popular due to age and massive maintenance/running costs.

 

[Kukri]

Not my cup of tea.

I have seen similar boats sell for about half the price they are asking for this one. Not very popular due to age and massive maintenance/running costs.

I’m a bit puzzled.

You started this thread asking about older boats, Oysters in particular, and you got detailed answers from two people who own Oyster Heritages and answers from a lot of other people.

You seem to have known all the answers all the time, which means that everyone who took the trouble to reply to you has been wasting their time.

Why did you ask?

 

[PHN]

I’m a bit puzzled.

You started this thread asking about older boats, Oysters in particular, and you got detailed answers from two people who own Oyster Heritages and answers from a lot of other people.

You seem to have known all the answers all the time, which means that everyone who took the trouble to reply to you has been wasting their time.

Why did you ask?

The Oyster Heritage (and similar) answers are fine and very useful to me. I do appreciate these comments. My focus is on the 37-40ft range. I have a good impression what boat asking prices are today and what actual sales prices are. But that does not answer my question if a boat is technically suited for my purpose.

I am referencing specifically the Nicholson 45 advertisement which was suggested as the "perfect" boat for my plans and to which you comment it "appeals immensely" to you . To that I comment that this particular boat is "not my cup of tea", because it is too big (outside my 37-40 ft range as explained before), not have (in my opinion) a practical lay-out and that I have seen similar boats sell for a lot less. If I would have wanted a boat of that size I would have bought a well maintained blue water boat which was offered to me for less than 40K GBP. I declined that opportunity mainly because that boat was too big (i.e. too high maintenance/running costs).

I have seen 1980's Oysters in the size range I am looking for offered at less than about 30K (ready to sail). Just don't know if that still would be a good boat and that actually triggered my OP.

In my quest I also found a Breehorn 37 with a very shallow draft (1,4 meter) for less than 30K, but declined it because of the shallow draft. Close was a Grand Soleil 42 Frers (indeed a little bigger than 40ft) for less than 40K, but declined by the surveyor.

 

[V1701]

If you're seeing those sorts of boats in that sort of condition for those sorts of prices then looking for and finding reasons for not going ahead then I'm afraid you'll never buy one. Good luck all the same...

 

[PHN]

If you're seeing those sorts of boats in that sort of condition for those sorts of prices then looking for and finding reasons for not going ahead then I'm afraid you'll never buy one. Good luck all the same...

I respectfully disagree. First of all I have plenty of time to make my decision and still make great sailing trips while not (yet) having found my new boat.

The boats I mentioned were either rejected by a surveyor or had specifications (too shallow draft / too big) that made them not fit for my purpose after thorough investigation. With regards to pricing: all these boats were long time advertised on the internet and available for anyone to "grab". Apparently it did not happen for a variety of reasons.

Again, the comments about the older Oysters were very helpful to me and I do appreciate them.

Whether I will buy and older or newer boat depends on both quality (to last for at least a decade) as well as price of what I find and this still may take some time.

 

[rotrax]

I believe you will find that the perfect boat for you does not exist.

You will find EXACTLY what your requirements are, but with teak decks, and therefore reject it.

Try an older Island Packet - a 35 for example.

But - shallow draught.

Is that really a stopper? They are long keel, heavy displacement and noted for being seaworthy and of exceptional quality and finish.

Good luck. I suggest you make a wish list with nice to haves and must haves in columns. Tick them off. I doubt you will tick all the boxes - we never have.

But then, we are pragmatic as a sailing couple and understand the realities of boat searches. Instead of fussing about we are actually out on the Ocean doing it!

Whatever you decide, good luck, and happy sailing.

 

[Justo29]

Aww, thanks Kukri!

If anyone wants to know the faults and foibles of the Oyster Heritage please PM me. They are pretty solid boats and only have a couple of weak points.

Hi there
I see this thread is quite old but I’ve just made an offer on a ‘85 oyster 46hp. Very well taken care of and teak decks replaced in 2015.
if live to hear about your opinions of the faults and foibles as well as the positives!
I’m not sure how to Pm on this forum.
thanks in advance!

 

[SaltIre]

Welcome to the forum. To PM, "hover" over a username then click "Start Conversation (PM)" - but you need to have made a certain number of posts and been registered for a certain number of days before you can do so. Five posts and 2-3 days perhaps. Not sure...

 

[Dutch01527]

“Still looking for a true blue water sailing yacht (38-40 ft) to be used for the next 10 years or so to sail the world. Mostly looking at the better AWB's of around year 2000.”

To my mind, a bit of a conflict built into the initial statement. We all know that every boat is a compromise.

A true bluewater boat will be designed to maximise safety, sea keeping, practicality to live and sleep in underway, heavy weather reserves of stability, performance with large following seas/swells, keel strength, water tight bulkheads, duplication of systems ect ect.

A AWB tends to be built to a competitive cost and will be designed to maximise internal and external space, light, comfort sleeping when stationary, galley layout, number of heads, speed, light wind performance ect, ect

Neither are good or bad, just different. Assuming a limited budget I would buy a well founded older bluewater boat if I intended to sail on long trips continually in all weathers, year around exploring remote locations.

If my intention for the around the world trip was to spend a year or two cruising each of the Med, Caribbean, South Pacific, Australia/NZ ect with occasional, weather window ocean crossings in between. In that scenario a good AWB maybe the best choice.

I suspect that there are two types of sailor, those for whom the sailing journey is the primary objective who prefer to sail 24x7 across long distances and those who enjoy the sailing but where enjoying the destination is the primary objective and who tend to day sail from location to location with occasional long trips to a new cruising ground.

I am of the latter type, sitting at a beach bar sipping a rum cocktail before a good dinner has its attractions to me.

 

[Kukri]

^^ Really good post!

 

[michael_w]

Hi there
I see this thread is quite old but I’ve just made an offer on a ‘85 oyster 46hp. Very well taken care of and teak decks replaced in 2015.
if live to hear about your opinions of the faults and foibles as well as the positives!
I’m not sure how to Pm on this forum.
thanks in advance!

A useful source of information is the Oyster owners website. I don't know much about the 46 hp.

 

[tudorsailor]

Hi there
I see this thread is quite old but I’ve just made an offer on a ‘85 oyster 46hp. Very well taken care of and teak decks replaced in 2015.
if live to hear about your opinions of the faults and foibles as well as the positives!
I’m not sure how to Pm on this forum.
thanks in advance!

If your offer is accepted and your become an Oyster owner, please contact www.oyster-owners.com. You will find it a welcoming community with lots of support and advice
TS

 

[Rbrtzues]

Hi there, we have an old Oyster 35, built in 1980, that we had since 2004 and have done lots of miles in, across the Atlantic, Biscay, West of Ireland, Spain and Portugal. Currently based in La Rochelle.

I think they they work well as a liveaboard for a couple of people, our aft cabin is particularly spacious. Stowge is really very good for lengthy passage making, big tanks for fuel, 250 litre and water, 500 litres. Strong and secure and the quality of the build is a real positive when investing further money in new kit etc. Over the years we have put a lot of money into the boat,Hydrovane, rerigged, new engine, recovered deck, repainted the hull, new epoxy and coppercoat etc. etc ,and it is now looking like it is good for another 40 years. Sail well in stronger winds, but not much good in less that about 10knots of breeze, secure and predicable motion in a big ocean swell, so that you can still be in the cockpit drinking tea going downwind in a force 7/8.

Our boat is completely unpredictable in reverse, so a bow thruster was required for dodging around in a marina, but that is the main complaint that I have.

We could have easily bought a newer boat over the years, but the size works very well for us as a cruising couple and we decided to invest in the boat that we already have instead. We have a good forepeak cabin for guests but only one heads, galley is well designed , nav table is big enough for paper charts.

I guess it depends what you call a money pit, we have spent a lot of money on the boat over the last fifteen years but the boat has been worked hard, and certainly earned its keep. Oyster 35 and 39 are very similar boats, I am not sure how many were built but not that many seem to be on the market at any time. The basic structure will last well so like anything else attention to the detail of an individual boat such as engine rigging etc. will repay dividends.