Oyster 485 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for an Oyster 485 means looking at a limited production run of thirty-six boats built between 1992 and 2002, all from the Holman and Pye era of Oyster Marine. These are bluewater cruisers under 50 feet that have circulated through both private ownership and charter use, so the buyer is choosing among a small, mature population rather than a high-volume class.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common configuration afloat, though both layout variants appear. Ex-charter examples are common and worth a closer look for wear patterns. The three-cabin plan gives a separate shower in the owner's head thanks to the boat's extra length over the smaller 45 and 47, plus a dedicated generator space just aft of the engine. A deck saloon with eyebrow styling anchors the interior, and one of the three staterooms tends to be rather contracted, so a buyer should board with an eye to whether that cabin suits guests or storage.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a deep inventory aimed at independent cruising. Commonly fitted systems include a watermaker, generator, inverter, bow thruster, electric winches, and a furling main — the kind of kit that makes a 37,550-pound yacht manageable short-handed. Navigation and safety gear such as chartplotter, radar, autopilot, AIS, EPIRB, and life raft are usual, while cockpit comfort is covered by bimini, dodger, and cockpit shower. Teak decks, air conditioning, hot water, and dinghy davits show up routinely, with heating often seen and a circumnavigation-grade rigging package a less common owner upgrade.
What to Inspect
Verify the fin-and-bulb keel and full-skeg rudder for impact or repair history, and check the Stoway mast furling mechanism for service condition since the small rig depends on it. Confirm the generator space aft of the engine is intact and not repurposed, and inspect the cockpit coaming height of about 9 inches for added padding or modification by prior owners. The contracted third stateroom should be viewed in person to judge liveability.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts typically appear in the United States, Greece, and Spain. For a buyer, the checklist is straightforward: prefer an owner three-cabin layout unless a charter history is acceptable; confirm the separate owner's shower and generator space; verify the furling main and electric winches are operational; check the skeg rudder and fin-bulb keel; and budget for heating if not fitted. The Oyster 485 rewards the careful shopper with a proven, modest-volume bluewater cruiser.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Oyster 485. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 9 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $265,000 | — |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $280,030 | +5.7% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $424,232 | +51.5% |
| Jan 26 | 5 | $295,000 | -30.5% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $329,000 | +11.5% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $295,000 | -10.3% |
| May 26 | 3 | $295,000 | 0.0% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $295,000 | 0.0% |
| Sep 26 | 1 | $295,000 | 0.0% |
Where they're listed
Oyster 485 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 12 (80.0%), followed by Greece.
Country view
15 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $295,000 | 12 | 2 | 80.0% |
| Greece | $222,904 | 3 | 0 | 20.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moody 425 | 41.67' | $ 86,172 | 41 | 3 |
| Oyster Yachts 53 | 53' | $ 446,928 | 27 | 5 |
| Island Packet 485/525 | 52.17' | $ 398,000 | 25 | 3 |
| Dufour 485 Grand Large | 48.33' | $ 223,464 | 21 | 8 |
| Catalina 425 | 43.5' | $ 397,450 | 20 | 6 |
| Oyster 485You are here | — | $ 295,000 | 15 | 2 |
| Oyster Yachts 49 | 51.83' | $ 376,725 | 14 | 2 |
| Oyster Yachts 435 | 43.42' | $ 109,000 | 14 | 4 |
| Oyster 54 | 53.92' | $ 606,973 | 12 | 1 |
| Oyster 45 | 44.33' | $ 285,632 | 4 | 0 |