Oyster 39 owners, discussion and issues.

[Obi]

Hi all Oyster 39 owners (and other interested parties)

I know there are a few out there on this forum, I thought I would start a thread where we can "register/introduce" ourselves to one another, and share issues and thoughts about the model.

I appreciate that in this thread a limited audience of Oyster 39 owners will mean we dont get a lot of advice we might want to seek from the other users of this forum, so this thread is probably not the best place to seek advice but we could use it more as an area to just ponder over the things we have noticed and wonder about specific to the model.

I have a 1980 Landamore built Oyster 39 Ketch in International Snow white/lauderdale blue which I took ownership of in July 2009 in Birdham and am now in Gosport. Im still getting to know her, but have found her very seaworthy and "user freindly" so far and managed my first-ever single handed slipping lines and re-berthing in light winds very easily. Ive done a lot of work on her and spent more on new parts, services, and labour than I did on the yacht itself, as well as putting in 4 months of effort in myself, and she is now looking like new externally (apart from the mast/boom), but inside Ive a challenge of improving the wood, I think some replacement with new wood in some areas is the best bet really. I might do this somewhere where the labour is cheaper, Bulgaria for example I seem to have an on going issue with my old B&G electronics as well, which Im clearly going to need to upgrade soon.

I hope this thread works and attracts the other Oyster owners. I have seen another Oyster 39 in Portsmouth harbour -once.

Kind regards
Mark

 

[Obi]

My yacht as work was in progress during July:

 

[lw395]

Used to have an LW395, so not really relevant, but don't junk your B&G before seeing if Tinley Electronics can sort it out.
Good luck with your boat.
Cheers,

 

[DaiB]

oyster 39

Hi we have a 39 an have had her for 12 years now. Come across others occasionally but not very often. PM me for further details. Cheers.

 

[seanfoster]

I'm currently putting a 'wish list' of boats together for an extended cruise and was looking at the oyster 39, I'd be interested in hearing owners views of offshore performance, heavy weather sailing, mods for bluewater cruising and of course lots of pics!?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Lots of pics? Then be prepared to see one of the ugliest boats ever designed!

 

[Obi]

Ken, someone once said "opinions are like ********s, everyone has one and most of them stink".

Ugly? I beg to differ : look at the links below:


http://www.oysterbrokerage.com/files/pic...87059457499.jpg

http://www.oysterbrokerage.com/files/pic...381eb30fcd8.jpg



Seanfoster,
the seaworthiness can not be doubted, although going astern can be a little challenging in confined spaces - but you soon get used to it. Ive seen 44 on the windex on approach to the needles channel at night time, we were pitching steeply over the swell and burying a significant part of the bows into the water, down below there was none of the crashing sounds or terrifying vibrations of a modern lightweight GRP yacht. I had a chap "RYA competant crew level" on the helm who was perfectly happy, there was just the two of us on board and we were both comfortable.
Inside the space is surprising, Im 6 foot and only one area by the entrance to the aft cabin do I need to stoop.
I was in the market for an Oyster 435 until the euro:£ exchange rate changed that, I ignored the 39 and travelled far and wide looking for something else, despite several people suggesting I should look at the 39, including the very helpful Oyster Brokerage guys. Eventually after looking at maybe 40 yachts or more, I settled on an Oyster 39, saw two and bought one. I wish I had listened.

You will be buying into a heritage, history and something with an unquestionable reputation. You can contact Oyster or Landamores (In my case) and get build files and the history of your yacht from them. They will log you as the current owner, and you will be a part of that yachts history from that point on.

I can see why people dislike the look, but from many angles she looks great, and not even the most beautiful creations are beautiful from every angle.

Before listening to the others who criticise the looks, it might be worth seeing what they are sailing and see if they are in glass houses.

Mark

 

[Obi]

Pictures

 

[seanfoster]

Mark,

Thanks for your reply, from the info I have so far it's definitely going on my shortlist for a bluewater cruiser so far I have a Bavaria 390/430 (the heavier built early 90's ones) Moody 41, Sigma 41 and Furia 44.

Although I have to agree with other comments about the external looks of the Oyster, is that what would be important to you if you were mid ocean in a heavy gale or squall?

I am looking to buy in about 2 years time and I'm doing my homework now to find the right boat for an extended cruise.

This boat certainly looks like it fits the bill in terms of stability and internal space.
Have you thought about adding a bathing platform to the transom? I think that would be a useful addition.

Do you know what the ballast ration and AVS is for the oyster?

Sean

 

[Obi]

Hi Seanfoster,
a similar list to the ones I looked at and I started to look about 2 years before buying, for exactly the same purpose - extended cruising.

Unfortunately, a change from 1.6 euros to the pound to 1:1 made a large impact in what yachts I could choose from. Oh well. At the end of the day, Im happy and cant wait for better weather to head south to the med.

I did ponder on a bathing platform, but decided that with a large follwoing sea, one is better off with out one. I can live wiht the bathing ladder.

Not sure on the AVS or the ballast ratio - sorry.

 

[Obi]

Thanks LW395 - I talked to them about the log, they couldnt fix it. But thankfully I traded some 48 winches for a bunch of charts and B&G spares, so now it works - mostly

You are right though - I have heard they are the ones who can fix most things B&G if they are fixable.

 

[ronniemac]

Birdham Pool

Hi Mark

We met briefly at Birdham in the summer. I admired your boat and we chatted for a while. Good to see your getting her up to a good standard.

Interesting reading the comments on the boat's appearance in this and another thread. I have opinions on this too. The 39 might not be considered pretty, but to me it is a beautiful boat, beauty being related to the appearance of something being fit for purpose, an expression of what it is mean to do. Perhaps it looks outdated in a marina - the 39 is not a fashion statement, but to understand what it is, it must be important to observe this boat at sea. I'll concede the aft cabin windows are a little excessive from outside, maybe unnecessarily large, but that apart, the shape of hull is magnificent, and there's not much afloat that has such beautiful tumblehome. Some day, if I have the courage to go blue water sailing, it will most likely be in an Oyster 39, and certainly not in my perhaps fashionable Bavaria 37.

Anyway Mark, these ramblings are, of course, not directed at you. You have a good eye for a boat and I wish you well in your travels.

 

[Obi]

Hello RonnieMac,
yes, I remember you - nice to hear from you again.

Thanks for your thumbs up. I know what you mean about the aft windows, but an owner hardly sees them, apart from looking out from the inside.

Its a lovely view from inside to see last thing at night reading a book, and first thing with a cup of tea and the radio. There are not many yachts that have such a view from such a large aft cabiin in this price bracket. I have come to think of those windows as big plus points.


On an aside -
I saw MorningTown (the famous Oyster 39 from the Fastnet 1979) today at Port Solent. She is lovely, and has had a lot of work done and a lot of modifications. Most notably a wheel house, and windows in the aft coaming. Also less windows in the outer hull.

She looks more like a typical, larger Oyster from mid 80s than a 39. Very nice indeed and has given me some thoughts

M

 

[TerryMac]

Hi Obi,

We have an Oyster 39 from 1984, (Libertine - hull no. 42/43) and are very happy with her. We have lived aboard her for a year now and intend to do so for the next 3 or 4 years. We set off from UK in May last year and have hopped around the Med and are now wintering in Ionian, Greece. As I'm sure you're aware, she is very sea-worthy and makes a superb live-aboard boat. I have never come across a 39 ft boat with as much room inside. Some folk might say this makes her ugly but when I pull my curtains open in a morning and admire my all round view of a beautiful anchorage then you can keep your sleek lines and cramped pilot berths!

There is an Oyster owners group on Google (http://groups.google.co.uk/group/oyster-owners-group?hl=en-GB&pli=1) which you may be interested in.

We have met a couple of other Oyster 39 owners on our way down here and also through this forum.

I hope you get as much pleasure being an Oyster 39 owner as we do. Feel free to PM me.

Terry

 

[TerryMac]

A few pics of our pride and joy

 

[stormeagle]

Just found this thread - have had an Oyster 39 for ten years, currently lying Marmaris.
We spend about 3 months each year on her, and have covered the northern med from Barcelona to Turkey, including a couple of circuits of Sicily, and a couple of years in the Adriatic.
This year we will be heading west with a view to selling her.

 

[DaiB]

Oyster 39

Hi Stormeagle,
saw your boat on the hard at Yat Marine. We are also in the same marina, when do you go back out, we could meet for a beer and to do the ooohs and aaaahs on each other's boat!!!

 

[chops]

oyster 39

hi
we own 39 oyster for the last 6 years, have to agree, not the prettest boat out their.
but excelent sea boat and live aboard, what she lack in looks she makes up in acom and sail.
we have lied aboard for the last 5years and travelled across the atlantic and back ,seen us through 3 storms, sail back from antigua to azores in light winds 12kts runing down wind and was stil making 4.5kts hr.
have made lots of improvement to her ie bruntons autoprop/dc genset/new sails/windtubine/aquagen /watermaker/new keel cool fridge/and the list goes on£
getting ready for next trip , any questions that i can answer for you, be glad to
ken

 

[Obi]

Going astern.

Hi fellow Oyster 39 owners.
I decided to have a little play with going astern yesterday after leaving my berth for a single handed sail. In the confines of the marina it was tricky, neighbours must have looked on in glee/horror depending on how close they were to me. So I made my departure resolving to have a go in the open space of the Solent.
I have a 85hp Perkins (or is it 80hp), and a three blade prop, significant prop walk to port.

My helm is generally quite heavy under engine with the prop washing over the rudder. But going astern at about 3-4-5 knots I could eventually get a straight line, and even turn to starboard.

Do any of you experience the same characteristics, I knew she would be hard work. Has anyone found a way to work around this? Can we exist only going forward in the UK, Europe and the Med, apart from when leaving a berth?


Thanks
Mark

 

[chops]

going back wards oyster 39

hi yes we had the same problem with our 39, so decided to check out different props. We bought an autoprop from Bruntons, when fitted it still had prop walk but not as bad as with the 2 blade one we took off, but the difference it made to speed and power was superb , also using less rpm's to make 6 kts = less fuel.
as regards mornigtown oyster 39 you say its had a hard top fitted , have you any pics of this mod, as we thought of doing somethink simlar ours,
hope this may help regards ken.