UPDATE: JANUARY 22, 2014: The debut of the Oyster 825 at this year’s Düsseldorf boat show, which runs through the weekend, is already paying off. Oyster has signed a contract for an Oyster 825 for a Russian client. David Tydeman, Oyster’s CEO, says, “With over 1,000 Oysters sold in our first 40 years and over 30 yachts in our current order book it is an exciting start to 2014, particularly this 32nd order for an Oyster in the 80ft (24m) and above superyacht sector.” As for those 32 yachts, the breakdown, over the past decade, is: three Oyster 80s, 17 Oyster 82s, 2 Oyster 100s, 1 Oyster 125, and nine Oyster 825s/885s.
The original story follows.
The latest megayacht from Oyster Yachts, the Oyster 825, is making her world debut right now.
On display at Boot Düsseldorf through January 26, the Oyster 825 is the largest sailing yacht in her particular hall. (She may look even larger since her smaller sister, the Oyster 575, is also at Oyster’s stand.) She’s an all-fiberglass megayacht. Her design is a collaboration between Humphreys Yacht Design and Oyster’s own team. The Oyster 825 is the successor to the Oyster 82, which saw 17 models constructed. She’s further 15 percent more voluminous. It’s due to a new twin-rudder arrangement, letting beam be carried farther aft and lower.
Three buyers have already commissioned their own versions of the Oyster 825. Oyster allows owners to personalize their megayachts, and not just for the interior. It’s offering an external swing keel, which at least one buyer has requested. Sailplans are further customized. Given that Oyster yacht and megayacht owners often go globetrotting, it’s wise. (Oyster claims more of its yachts have completed circumnavigations than any other builder’s boats.) You can even request that the rigging for the Oyster 825 be constructed of carbon fiber.
In terms of performance, Oyster says the Oyster 825 easily can cover 250 miles in a day. You also can handle her without a full crew, via hydraulic controls and a joystick. Some purists bemoan joysticks aboard sailing yachts, but the Oyster 825 still has twin wheels.
Some other highlights of the Oyster 825: three staterooms aft and accommodations for up to four crew forward. Of course, there’s a central saloon aboard, further raised for brightness. For watersports, a boarding platform folds out from the transom. Like all Oysters, the Oyster 825 has pushpit seats (a.k.a. stern pulpit seats), too. And, befitting a proper megayacht, teak decking flows along her entire length.
Peter
That is a really nice yacht.