Designed by Humphreys Yacht Design, the 495 brings the builder’s larger-yacht thinking to a platform intended for a couple to handle. Oyster brought production in-house, creating a dedicated new building hall at Hythe on the Southampton shore. The stated build rate is around a dozen boats per year.
Design and Construction
The 495 measures just over 52 feet overall, with a 46-foot-10-inch waterline and a lightship displacement of 46,297 pounds. The builder describes the hull as an overspecified laminate resin structure, braced by stringers and frames for extreme durability, while below the waterline it uses a solid laminate with a vinylester outer skin as reported by Cruising World.
The structure shows infused glassfibre construction with carbon-reinforced stringers. Throughout the boat, the acoustic sandwich insulation is glued rather than fastened, a detail credited with making the Yanmar saildrive almost silent in operation.
A deep keel stub doubles as a grey-water collector, centralising weight in otherwise unused volume. The standard L-shaped keel draws 7 feet 5 inches, while a 1.83-metre shoal option is available. Lead ballast totals 14,650 pounds. The hull’s reverse sheer creates saloon headroom without pushing the coachroof forward of the mast.
Rig, Helm, and Handling
The standard rig has an aluminium mast and electric in-mast furling. Owners can instead specify a Seldén carbon rig with hydraulic furling and a full hydraulics package serving the mainsheet, vang, outhaul, backstay, and in-boom ram.
Twin wheels provide secure footing and clear sightlines. From the helm stations, the crew can deploy and furl sails at the press of a button. Lewmar EVO primary winches sit just outboard on raised steps, within reach of the helm.
A robust fixed bowsprit incorporates the anchor roller and keeps the spinnaker tack clear of the headstay. Pre-rigged preventers on both sides of the boom are another thoughtful feature for short-handed sailing.
Under power, the 110-horsepower Yanmar saildrive pushed the boat at better than 9 knots in testing. The 495 will also spin within its own length, while optional dual thrusters make dock approaches more forgiving.
Accommodations
The 495 is a semi-raised-saloon yacht, with opening coachroof windows that draw a tropical breeze through the cabin. Two steps down to port, the U-shaped galley has twin centreline sinks for efficient drainage. The saloon table lowers to bed height to provide additional sleeping space.
The step-down navigation station has a swing-out screen and CZone monitoring. A freezer sits abaft it, while opposite, twin wide-opening doors lead to a thoughtfully laid-out engine bay.
Forward of the saloon, a compact Pullman cabin shares a head with a bright guest double. Aft, the owner’s stateroom provides 6-foot-4 headroom, a sofa, cedar-lined lockers, escape hatches, and Oyster’s signature vertical portlights for views at sea. The cabin house is squared off against the seating, creating a backrest when someone stretches out facing aft.
Machinery, Systems, and Practical Details
The centrally mounted engine is reached through wide-opening doors. An 8kW Panda genset sits aft of it in a sound-insulated compartment and has its own access door.
Centralised tankage and batteries, below-sole tankage, and the keel-stub grey-water collector keep weight concentrated. A full-beam lazarette adds useful storage, while the generous engine access should make servicing more straightforward.
The boat comes with numerous factory-delivered comforts, reducing the need for owners to modify it. These include logoed plates and glassware with fitted stowage, mood lighting, and a disappearing television. An automated cassette bathing platform extends aft to form a boarding step, with a sturdy ladder and a freshwater shower at the transom.
Known Issues
Writing in Yachting World, testers reported that a leak temporarily halted one passage. It was traced to a cracked skin fitting in the lazarette. Oyster responded that all subsequent hulls would receive a bronze or TruDesign skin fitting at that location, which is useful information for a survey.
The same review found that the saloon coachroof windows are too high to see through while standing, while the hull ports are too low when seated.
Ownership
Only two of the first fifteen boats sold went to existing Oyster owners, underscoring how many early buyers were new to the marque.
The Verdict
The Oyster 495 is a rigorously detailed smaller cruiser that brings big-boat infrastructure to a couple-managed 52-footer. Its features include centralised tankage and batteries, push-button hydraulic rigging, quiet propulsion, and a genuine aft owner’s stateroom.
It is slightly heavier and carries less sail area than some rivals, and the saloon sightlines are compromised by the window placement. Even so, as the first yacht conceived under Oyster’s new ownership, it presents a coherent expression of the modern Oyster approach.
Pros
- In-house construction at Hythe, with an infused structure and glued acoustic insulation for quiet running
- A rig and helm arranged for a couple, with hydraulic options and pre-rigged preventers
- Centralised weight through the keel-stub grey-water collector and below-sole tankage
- Full-beam lazarette and wide-opening engine access for straightforward servicing
Cons
- Coachroof windows are too high to see through while standing; hull ports are too low when seated
- A lazarette skin fitting cracked on one voyage; Oyster specified a bronze or TruDesign fitting for subsequent hulls
- Slightly heavier and less powered than some competitors
