Design and Construction
The hull is described by the builder as an overspecified laminate resin structure braced by a combination of stringers and frames for extreme durability, while below the waterline a solid laminate with a vinylester outer skin is used anchor. Infused glassfibre construction with carbon-reinforced stringers is visible in the structure, and the acoustic sandwich insulation throughout is glued rather than fastened, a detail credited with keeping the Yanmar saildrive almost silent in operation. A deep keel stub doubles as grey-water collection, centralising weight in otherwise wasted volume, and the standard L-shaped keel draws 7 feet 5 inches, with a 1.83-metre shoal option available. Lead ballast of 14,650 pounds sits low in a hull whose reverse sheer generates saloon headroom without pushing the coachroof forward of the mast.
Rig and Handling
A standard aluminium mast with electric in-mast furling is fitted, though owners can specify a Seldén carbon rig with hydraulic furling and a full hydraulics package serving mainsheet, vang, outhaul, backstay, and in-boom ram anchor. Twin wheels give secure footing and clear sightlines, with command posts that deploy and furl sails at a button press; Lewmar EVO primaries sit just outboard on raised steps within reach of the helm. A robust fixed bowsprit integrates the anchor roller and keeps the spinnaker tack clear of the headstay, while pre-rigged preventers on each side of the boom speak to considered short-handed sailing. Under power the 110-horsepower Yanmar saildrive pushed the boat at better than 9 knots in testing and will spin in its own length, with optional dual thrusters making dock approaches forgiving.
Accommodations
The 495 is a semi-raised saloon yacht whose opening coachroof windows draw a tropical breeze through the cabin. The U-shaped galley lies two steps down to port with twin centreline sinks for efficient drainage, and the saloon table lowers to bed height for extra sleepers. A step-down nav station carries a swing-out screen and CZone monitoring, with a freezer abaft it and twin wide-opening doors opposite to a thoughtfully laid-out engine bay. Forward of the saloon a compact Pullman cabin shares a head with a bright guest double, while the aft owner’s stateroom offers 6-foot-4 headroom, a sofa, cedar-lined lockers, escape hatches, and Oyster’s signature vertical portlights for sea views. The cabin house is squared to the seating to form a backrest when stretched out looking aft.
Known Issues
Writing in Yachting World, testers noted that during one voyage a leak traced to a cracked skin fitting in the lazarette temporarily paused the passage anchor. The builder’s response was that all subsequent hulls would receive a bronze or TruDesign skin fitting at that location, a useful datum for any survey. The same review noted the saloon coachroof windows sit too high to see through when standing, and the hull ports too low when seated.
Refits and Ownership
Factory-delivered creature comforts reduce the need for owner modification: provided logoed plates and glassware with fitted stowage, mood lighting, a disappearing TV, and an automated cassette bathing platform that extends aft as a boarding step with a sturdy ladder and transom freshwater shower. The Panda generator sits in a sound-insulated compartment, and an 8kW genset is accessible via its own door aft of the centrally mounted engine. Of the early sales, only two of fifteen went to existing Oyster owners, underscoring how many buyers are new to the marque.
The Verdict
The Oyster 495 is a rigorously detailed small-cruiser that carries big-boat infrastructure—centralised tankage and batteries, push-button hydraulic rigging, silent propulsion, and a genuine aft stateroom—into a couple-managed 52-footer. It is slightly heavier with less sail area than some rivals, and the saloon sightlines are compromised by window placement, but as a first conception under new ownership it makes a coherent case for the modern Oyster ethos.
Pros
- In-house Hythe build with infused structure and glued acoustic insulation for quiet running
- Couple-handled rig and helm with hydraulic options and pre-rigged preventers
- Centralised weight via keel stub grey water and below-sole tankage
- Full-beam lazarette and wide-opening engine access for straightforward servicing
Cons
- Coachroof windows too high to see out when standing; hull ports too low when seated
- Early hulls susceptible to cracked lazarette skin fitting (later corrected)
- Slightly heavier and less powered than some competitors
