Oyster 406 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for an Oyster 406 means chasing a small, purposeful cohort: just thirty-five were built between 1986 and 1990, and most carry thousands of sea miles. These centre-cockpit bluewater cruisers, designed by Holman and Pye, turn up as either coachroof or deck-saloon versions, and the practical two-cabin, two-head plan makes them straightforward to assess as liveaboard candidates.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 406 was sold with a two-cabin arrangement, never a three-cabin variant. The centre cockpit frees a private owner's suite aft; later hulls have a large centreline double there, while early boats used a starboard-offset berth. Forward is a solid guest cabin with its own heads and shower. The walkthrough galley runs about three metres of counter and was laid out to work both anchored and sailing, and a proper nav station sits in the saloon. High freeboard gives a roomy feel below and a drier ride, though the saloon settees were not raised for a view out.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Teak decks, life raft, heating, bimini, dodger, cockpit shower, radar, autopilot, and EPIRB are commonly fitted and speak to the boat's bluewater intent. Less universal but seen are spinnaker or asymmetric spinnaker, furling main, electric winches, dinghy davits, AIS, chartplotter, and setups geared for short-handed or round-the-world use. For a buyer, the meaningful clusters are safety and self-sufficiency — the raft, EPIRB, and autopilot reduce crew load on passage — and sail-handling upgrades like a furling main or electric winches that tame the boat's larger rig.
What to Inspect
The points to weigh are behavioural: handling under power is not as crisp as newer designs, especially in reverse, so trial the boat both ahead and astern. The relatively heavy displacement drives a larger rig, making sail handling more energetic, and you should confirm winches, furling gear, and standing rigging are up to the load.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts are typically found in the United Kingdom, Greece, and France. For a checklist: confirm coachroof versus deck-saloon and early versus late aft-berth layout; verify galley and nav station condition; test reverse handling; and review the currency of safety gear and any shorthanded rigging upgrades.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Oyster 406. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $87,396 | — |
| Jul 25 | 1 | $68,751 | -21.3% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $68,751 | 0.0% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $101,955 | +48.3% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $108,684 | +6.6% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $108,684 | 0.0% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $92,439 | -14.9% |
Where they're listed
Oyster 406 listings appear across 2 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 6 (85.7%), followed by Greece.
Country view
7 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $105,319 | 6 | 1 | 85.7% |
| Greece | $68,751 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
10 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hylas 46 | 46.25' | $ 420,000 | 48 | 8 |
| Beneteau First 405 | 40.67' | $ 56,000 | 39 | 13 |
| Hallberg-Rassy 46 | 48.5' | $ 390,368 | 33 | 7 |
| Rustler Yachts 36 | 35.33' | $ 101,955 | 30 | 8 |
| Swan 46 | 47.08' | $ 147,247 | 24 | 6 |
| Tartan 40 | 40.25' | $ 89,900 | 13 | 3 |
| Najad 460 | 45.77' | $ 332,982 | 10 | 3 |
| WindBoats Marine 406You are here | — | $ 101,955 | 7 | 1 |
| Oyster Yachts 46 | 46' | $ 543,760 | 7 | 1 |
| Moody 46 | 46.13' | $ 263,051 | 6 | 2 |