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Oyster 595 test: best selling Oyster ever

Toby Hodges
November 17, 2021

Toby Hodges takes an overnight test of the Oyster 595 and finds out how this £2.3m yacht managed to pick up 16 buyers before the first one even hit the water

Your world becomes a very small place when the ease and convenience of travel is lost, a notion that has really hit home in the last couple of year, However, if uptake of the new Oyster 595 is anything to go by, many sailors are looking to set off to see a bit more of the world in the coming years.

That’s perhaps no bad thing for most sailors, particularly if it brings the realisation that we have the skills and desire to see more of this world in the best way possible – under sail. It seems for many it has forced the question, ‘why delay casting off’?

It’s evident that an increasing number of owners are not only impatient to set off, but they want to do so in the most comfort possible. That 16 deposits were placed on this £2.5m yacht before the first build was even finished is quite staggering. The new Oyster 595 is the fastest selling Oyster model to date and the British brand has clearly unveiled the right product at the right time.

Yet Oyster is not alone and, having heard similar sales results from other competitor yards recently, I’m convinced we’re seeing a new trend. Carpe diem is the theme of a new breed of wealthy sailors who want to set off bluewater cruising but in utmost comfort – whether that means a spacious multihull or a top end monohull.

The explosion in remote working together with the increased reliability of communications afloat has also helped here, in that this is not a total cut and run decision for some, who can now continue to work from on board.

Oyster has ensured the 595 can be sailed and managed short-handed. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Still, 16 pre-launch orders is phenomenal at this market level. To put that in perspective if you signed up for an Oyster 595 today you’d already be waiting until late 2024 for delivery!

So is this model a victim of its own success, and what’s behind its popularity? An exclusive 24-hour trial on the first model to launch, Skye III , was an ideal chance to find out.

Family ethos

Paul Adamson, Oyster’s CCO, certainly agrees there is a ‘seize the day’ mentality behind this demand for the largest size yachts that can be owner-operated. He was on board with us for the trial and knows today’s range arguably better than any, having previously skippered the 885 Lush around the world.

He says that up to 10 orders off plan is common, but attributes this record demand for the Oyster 595 to the Richard Hadida factor [Oyster’s CEO]. “He’s put the family ethos back into Oyster,” by which he is referring to the revamped Oyster world rally, owner gatherings and the attraction of a younger dynamic.

There are 30 taking part in its rally later this year and the 2024 edition sold out in just two days.

There have also been 21 sales of the two-year old Oyster 565 now, which Rob Humphreys co-designed with the 595 and which shares an almost identical style and layout above and below decks. While this new pair is separated by only 3ft in length, the 595 costs a whopping £0.5million more. The main (and arguably deciding) difference then comes down to space – the Oyster 595 has 14% extra internal volume.

Lit up at anchor. A meal taken under the stars proved the comfort of the large cockpit. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Both yachts are based on Oyster’s tried and tested centre cockpit layout, with an aft owner’s cabin and walk-in engine room with adjoining workroom. An alternative layout is offered, with the owner’s cabin forward, albeit an unlikely prospect for Oyster owners who like to live aboard for long periods at sea.

At 62ft 6in/19.05m LOA, the Oyster 595 replaces the Oyster 625 and has a model name chosen in part to debunk the myth that a yacht over 60ft is too big to handle, Adamson explains. It is designed around a couple being able to manage it easily, including hydraulics and push button controls for most sailing and manoeuvring.

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The £2.3m starting price includes a very high level of spec as standard, such as retractable bow and stern thrusters, genset, hydraulics etc, down to the leading-edge lighting system. It’s impressive and on boarding the Oyster 595 you’re struck by the superyacht standard of design and finish quality. You also feel that extra size immediately.

The ability to safely and easily berth such a large vessel is of paramount importance to those who cruise short-handed. You need to know you can put this 30-tonne yacht on a tight berth in a blow. Before departing Portland marina we did some practice berthing in a fresh breeze to see the fingertip control of using dual thrusters. It’s impressive and intuitive, puts you at ease and quickly makes you realise why these aids are a standard fit.

Powering towards France, the 595 kept a consistent speed through waves. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Our test boat Skye III also had another highly practical appendage fitted below the waterline. A fixed shaft hydrogenerator is installed between the keel and rudder. This Watt&Sea device proved its worth during our trials, consistently generating 20A once at or over 9 knots. That’s enough free juice to power the fridge and autopilot, and for minimal drag. The only downside is the vibration noise it creates in the interior, something Oyster is looking into.

Elsewhere the insulation is once again first class – were it not for the water rushing past the vertical portlights while I was still below decks, it would have been hard to tell we were underway doing 8 knots at just 1,800rpm.

Again it was just the fuss-free push of a couple of buttons on the pedestal to hydraulically unfurl the genoa and in-mast mainsail. Sailing along the Dorset coastline in the calmer stuff, typically making 7-8.5 knots close-hauled against a summer north-easterly was, unsurprisingly, very pleasant.

I noticed a marked difference when you only have single figure winds though, as the apparent wind reduces significantly, as does speed. Tom Humphreys tells me the 595 has slightly higher sail area and ballast ratios in comparison to the 565 so may take a bit more breeze to get powered up, but should then be slightly stiffer.

The test boat had an enticing light oak finish. Teak, ash, or walnut is offered. Saloon table butterflies open to reveal stunning marquetry. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

On the helm it certainly feels like a larger yacht than the Oyster 565. We were grateful for the asymmetric spinnaker, which, although not the optimal size, helped provide plenty of enjoyment and in the lighter breeze and flatter water encouraged an average of 8-9 knots.

Performance for an ocean cruiser comes down to much more than figures of course: you want the legs to tick off miles, the handling to be easy and the motion comfortable. And it was during a marathon leg out to sea, chasing an elusive window of sun for the photographer, that I really felt we experienced some of these aspects and the offshore pedigree of this design.

The Oyster powered along magnificently towards a beckoning empty horizon. It was during that reach across a swell, which grew the further we got into the Channel, sailing with the kite in a Force 5 at 150° to the true wind, where I really felt the yacht’s passagemaking ability, as the log steadily clocked 9.5-11 knots.

The deep twin rudders provide stacks of grip yet let you know when they are loaded. With full sail up in a 2m swell and gusts topping 20 knots on the beam, we remained in control even though the helm felt laden. The motion remained very comfortable despite the power, and I was impressed with the consistent average speeds.

Indeed, when we finally gave up the chase, we were approaching the Traffic Separation Scheme mid-Channel. Were we not in travel restricted times, we’d have been tempted to plough on to France.

The mate, Johnny, prepares roasted vegetables while water rushes past the hull portlights. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The Oyster 595 has the displacement, shape and length to slice through waves effortlessly. And during the fetch/close hauled leg back to the coast, we averaged 9 knots, up to 9.5. In these conditions it felt like a relatively high angle of heel. This is particularly noticeable when you go below decks under sail, where it’s tricky to move forward across the saloon as the handrail on the deckhead is so high.

Arguably these are the downsides for those who choose this extra length and volume over the 565 – it’s that much more yacht to manoeuvre around at heel and it is not quite as rewarding to sail. That said, the heavy feel of the helm on the test boat is likely to do with the fact that the rudder bar and tow angles had not been optimised. Adamson has since reported: “After resetting the tow angle and with a slight adjustment to the geometry of the drag link, she is now super light on the helm”.

For those still concerned about the use of twin rudders for bluewater sailing, he says the yard has never had an issue with rudder damage. The blades are designed to sever in the case of a serious impact and there are watertight bulkheads each side of the stocks. They also allow for a shallow draught centreboard option.

The contemporary deck layout is practically identical to the 565, including the flush foredeck, excellent sail locker and generous lazarette, but with some extra space in those ends and in the cockpit. Again there’s a substantial bowsprit, which allows for the easy setting of a large anchor. An impressive 130m of stainless steel chain comes as standard, complete with a deckwash system.

The light show

Anchoring for the night below the embrace of the Purbeck hills at dusk gave us an ideal opportunity to experience many of the comfort features of the boat at rest. The windlass can be operated from the helm, while a touch of the screen at the pedestal changed the nav lights to anchor and spreader lights, illuminating the foredeck. Underwater lights then beamed into the deep like a space probe, attracting marine life.

New Guardian Angel touchscreen and lighting system is intuitive and forward-thinking. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The ability to change the lighting at the push of a button from the helm or below decks is a feature which quickly grew on me. Having said this, it still came as a surprise when the first thing Adamson wanted to show me on boarding was the lighting system. He says Hadida is adamant that if people spend millions on a yacht, they should have a decent lighting and sound system.

The LED spotlights, sunk into the deckheads so you don’t see the lenses, are a particularly neat touch. There are three different mood lighting settings as standard, encouraging you to instantly change the lights to a brighter/softer/night time mode at the push of a button.

C-Zone’s digital switching is at the heart of this and the electronics system. It has encouraged Hadida to also develop and integrate a ‘Guardian Angel’ system, which clearly displays all the yacht’s systems on touchscreen displays. In time this system will enable the yacht’s technical systems to be beamed live to Oyster HQ via the Yellowbrick tracker system.

“We will be able to push notifications to them and owners will be able to push a button to ‘request assistance’ – a concierge service,” says Adamson. Prize layout

The 595’s interior shows Oyster at its best. Anyone who has sailed its midsize central cockpit designs in the last two decades will know the aft cabin, galley and engine room layout is hard to better for ocean cruising.

Granted, the seven companionway steps are a comparatively steep descent by today’s standards, but they help open out an impressively light and modern saloon and navstation. It’s a vibrant, bright, voluminous and modern interior awash with natural light. The ventilation is also excellent, particularly from the forward-facing coachroof windows.

The opulent master cabin is showered in light. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The spacious saloon is raised enough to create abundant machinery space below, but the open spaces and height present a challenge when trying to traverse it at heel. The navstation is set at 45º and has plenty of space for instruments, however it feels a little compact, particularly for those wanting to use it as an office too.

The backrest is very upright, and you can’t stretch your feet out properly, though it is possible to have a swing-out stool instead. Otherwise, however, it has a large chart table and an excellent layout of electronic systems, with easy access to the wiring behind.

The passageway galley is superb. With abundant worktop and locker space it is bright and practical to work at at sea. You can brace against the opposing countertop, yet it is wide enough for two to pass.

Formidable galley with space and stowage aplenty. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The test boat was brimming with domestic appliances including dishwasher, ice-maker, washer-dryer and microwave. Its GN Espace induction cooker set-up is an option but one Adamson is pushing to make standard.

World cruisers are always searching for gas bottles and different countries use different regulators, he comments. “With this you can use the generator and if you lose that you can run the microwave through the inverter and service batteries.”

I’d wager that it’s on viewing the aft cabin where the majority of cheques get signed. This cabin presents a supreme amount of space and natural light. The standout features are the triple vertical hull portlights and the ambient lighting. You lose standing headroom alongside the berth, yet there’s plenty at the forward end of the cabin (6ft 3in/1.90m).

The saloon the manifolds and systems are intelligibly installed for easy servicing. Photo: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Guests would feel pretty spoiled in the forward cabin too, where the stellar skylights harness so much natural light. Look closely at how well Oyster has integrated the dual blinds, the lee cloth attachments, ventilation and spotlights into the headlining alone, and you’ll appreciate the premium quality.

The forward cabin has its own access into the shared heads and shower. Given this will be used by crew in two or three cabins, it needs to be, and is spacious and practical, with a deep sink, good stowage and light. A heated rail or some method of drying towels and wet gear would benefit both heads compartments further.

The standard Oyster 595 has two bunks in the midships cabin. Skye III has been set up for the world rally and will be crewed by a professional skipper and first mate, who have a pilot berth cum workroom, which I think is ideal.

Lift the saloon sole panels and you’ll find the whole of the central section is an intelligibly laid out manifold network, as per the 565, with the portside for engineering (engine and genset) and the starboard side for services such as refrigeration and aircon. If one becomes blocked you can link to the other. An aluminium grid provides a stiff structure for the floor panels.

Oyster’s current method of using monolithic carbon infused structures (as opposed to the foam-topped method of the past), creates additional bilge space above the deep keel sump. The Lloyds-approved structures are costly but create more structural stiffness.

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Oyster 595 Review – Dream treatment

Oyster Press magazine stack OCEAN mockup

Oyster’s new 595 has already proven a sales hit, which is hardly surprising – it captures the very essence of a bluewater sailing pearl.

As a rule, pulling up the floorboards might not seem an obvious highlight when exploring an AU $5-million, 60-foot sailing yacht but, as a rule, you’re probably not on an Oyster. I am, and a highlight it is.

What we’re looking at is not so much double seawater inlets, easily accessible filters, industrial-strength pipework or a deep sump for dry bilges, but rather four decades of bluewater sailing yacht experience enhanced with the renewed energy of a resurgent boatbuilding icon.

Oyster COO Paul Adamson typifies this new lease on life for the brand. Adamson is a professional captain, who spent the early part of his career running an Oyster 56 and landed on Eddie Jordan’s 885 Lush in time for its launch and subsequent Oyster World Rally. Adamson’s enthusiasm is infectious.

It makes you feel Oyster really is back on track – and it’s reflected in the figures, too. The 595 sold 16 hulls before the first one even hit the water. Having sailed that first 595 on a calm and balmy September afternoon, I suspect there will be 16 very happy owners in due course.

“Many people ask me what I do, what Oyster does,” smiles Adamson. “I always say we create dreams, but we happen to build boats,” he says, which takes us straight back to that bilge. A yacht can quickly turn from dream to nightmare when things are badly put together or not accessible. “It’s all thought out,” Adamson enthuses.

“These are not only beautiful, luxury, go-anywhere yachts, they are also practical. We haven’t lost that feel that this is a yacht that’s going to go to sea, which we need to be able to look after and maintain properly.”

All hulls are now built to Lloyd’s Register, which is evident in the monolithic carbon L-frame structure of the hull. The 595 is also the first Oyster to feature Oyster Command – full digital switching, controllable through a custom app. (See Ocean issue #98 for more on the digital switching system.)

It all adds up to an impressive package, and as we motor out into the Solent on the UK’s south coast, the first thing that’s apparent is just how quiet this yacht is. As we stand down below discussing various design aspects, conversation is easy above the drone of the donk. To illustrate how well insulated it is, Adamson opens the starboard side access to the engine bay and the difference is startling.

The 595 will cruise quite happily at 9 knots under power, and at 7 knots it burns barely 2 litres of diesel per hour. Furthermore, this Oyster has been conceived as the largest that can be comfortably handled by a couple, and for marina manoeuvres, this is borne out by the retractable bow and stern thrusters that come as part of the standard spec.

She’s pretty nimble anyway and turns on her keel – there’s an option for a centreboard keel if you need a shallower draft of just 1.66 metres, and that version may feel further benefit from the thrusters in a crosswind.

Our test boat featured an upgrade to lithium-ion batteries, which can be kept topped up thanks to the 11 kW Onan genset and a hydrogenator, which sits on a fixed saildrive leg between the keel and the twin rudders. It easily grabs 20 W or more for nothing as we sail along, and although it isn’t retractable, it can be put into freewheel mode if you think it’s costing you boatspeed.

That said, this is a bluewater cruiser, not a regatta queen. Although a standard mast with fully battened big roach main and Park Avenue boom is available as an option, as Adamson says, “None of the 16 boats sold so far have it!”

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What they have all chosen is a Selden rig with an in-mast hydraulic furling vertical-batten main, which is easy to control from the cockpit, coupled with a 105-percent hydraulic furling headsail. The headsail sheets are run aft via inner-deck tracks to reduce deck trip hazards and eliminate flailing yankee sheets. The main also gets simplified, with the omission of a traveller. “You just don’t use them on a bluewater boat; you vang sheet a boat like this,” Adamson offers.

“We’ve taken away a lot of the toe-stubbing equipment and that’s definitely a big change. If you jumped off this and onto a 625 or a 575, you’d notice how cluttered that deck is. All of that is gone – we’ve gone for really flush decks and tried to simplify the boat.”

This is evident in the rig plan too, which features swept-back spreaders and chainplates that are moulded into the topsides. This ensures greater strength, takes out a point that could leak and creates a wide shroud base, which in turn makes it easy to walk forward.

And, once up on the foredeck, the wide-open space is a joy. Oyster has managed to omit the pickle fork that typically creates headroom below decks by adding in the most subtle of reverse sheers, which means this area can be used as a delightful leisure zone at anchor thanks to clip-on sun pads.

Even under way, things have been kept simple – there are no halyard tails hanging from the mast, and if you want additional downwind grunt, you can either tack an asymmetric to the stem head or opt for a dedicated Code Zero, which again can be controlled from the cockpit.

None of this has meant a compromise in sailing performance. While the Solent didn’t offer 40 knots of wind to test heavy airs capabilities, the bluewater credentials of Oysters are well established. Light airs can be tricky, however. And, as I well know from experience, there is nothing more morale-sapping than being stuck in the middle of the ocean adrift in the zephyrs with three lemons on the log – zero speed!

The Solent teases us with 11 to 12 knots true then, on flat water with headsail and full main, she quickly climbs to 8.3 knots through the water at 90 degrees true wind angle (TWA).

Soon, the breeze fades, but the 595 is not fazed – 6.9 knots boat speed at 70 degrees TWA and 7 knots true wind speed (TWS); 6.5 to 7 knots boat speed at a TWA of 40 to 60 degrees and 6 knots TWS; and finally, 5.3 knots boat speed at 75 degrees true as the wind dies to 4.5 knots and finally disappears.

What’s more, even in those light airs, the steering not only remains responsive but also retains feel, meaning you stay engaged with the experience. Perhaps this beast could be a regatta queen, after all.

Sitting at anchor, we get to enjoy the other side of the 595. The guest cockpit is large, and the folding table will easily cater to alfresco dinners with family and friends. The cockpit feels very secure, helped in part by the twin helm area being separated from it.

That’s not to say the cockpit is cut off – a walkway between the helms leads to the aft deck, the twin transom corner seats, and the sea off the back.

“We say you should almost be able to get your swimming costume on then run in a straight line to dive off the back of the boat,” Adamson enthuses. “That’s pretty much what we’ve got on the 595.”

The standard transom is fixed, but the hydraulic option, which drops to create a swim platform, is worth considering as it also makes boarding the tender easier. Another tempting option is the hydraulic passerelle that sits in a cassette to starboard in the transom. This makes getting on and off the boat a breeze.

Bluewater cruisers will also appreciate the extensive stowage aboard, from the large lazarette to the giant foredeck sail locker behind the chain locker. The anchor system itself uses a Lewmar powered windlass, and the 595 comes with 130 metres of stainless chain. There’s also a vented locker aft, a throwback to carrying gas bottles (the 595 is a gas-free boat), which is perfect for carrying petrol for the tender’s outboard. The tender itself is carried aft on davits.

Our test boat had a full-beam master aft with a second double cabin in the bows and an additional twin bunk cabin forward to port, although usually this would be a cosy double.

There’s an option to have the master forward and then two guest doubles in the aft end, for which the third cabin forward becomes a large seating area in the master, but so far no-one has opted for that layout.

There’s also an additional bunk cabin to starboard aft of the chart table, which could be used as a crew cabin or a workshop. The master gets two sets of seascape windows and the cabin has plenty of headroom, ensuite, big robes and a feeling of space. The 595 also features a multi-mode lighting system with preset moods.

The galley runs up the port side from the master and into the saloon, wide enough for two to pass but narrow enough to give good bracing at sea.

Standard equipment is high-spec, and options for a washer-dryer, dishwasher and other elements mean the 595 will be great for long-term cruising. There’s an induction cooktop, and an option for a Quooker tap for instant boiling water.

The saloon is spacious, and opening front windows allow for plenty of air when moored. Running below the coachroof windows to the sides is a rail that offers both a handhold and conceals recessed lighting and the air-con vents. The popular finish du jour is oak, but Oyster offers a variety of woods to suit.

It’s easy to get lost in the details on the 595, and it’s true that this level of quality comes at a price – close to AU$5 million, or more when you start adding in some of the desirable options – but this is a yacht you could keep for life and it would still have life left in it.

It is, as Adamson implies, not just a boat – it’s a dream.

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