Cruising World later named the 655 Best Premium Cruiser over 50 feet. That judgment reflected the offshore-minded work of a design and build team that understood the demands of long passages.
Design and Construction
Humphreys’ brief combined luxurious amenities with first-class performance. The latter came not only from the hull geometry, but also from the extensive use of carbon fiber and Kevlar throughout the yacht.
The fine forward sections and clean run aft work with the low-CG keel and high-aspect rudder to give the boat both directional control and a powerful sail plan. From the stern, virtually flat deck access into the cockpit makes it easier to move between the working deck and shelter—useful when crew are transferring gear or coming aboard in a seaway.
Writing in Cruising World, judge Roger Hellyar-Brook summed up the yacht’s complicated systems in one word: “Bombproof.” It was a field assessment of the engineering rather than a marketing claim.
Rig, Performance, and Deck Handling
The 655 carries a powerful cutter-rigged sail plan. Its twin helm stations do more than divide steering duties: Cruising World’s testers found that they serve as control centres from which the crew can raise, lower, and trim all sails at the push of a button. On a 67-foot yacht, that provides significant short-handed capability.
In 10 knots of breeze and flat water, the test boat made 5 to 8 knots—credible performance for a heavily built cruiser. Wide side decks and 30-inch lifeline stanchions, described as super-sturdy, complete a deck layout intended for safe movement offshore.
The twin-helm arrangement also keeps the spacious forward cockpit safe and uncluttered by placing the helmsman precisely where needed.
Accommodations
Below, the 655 makes full use of its 18-foot 5-inch beam. The saloon is an open-plan living environment with a U-shaped galley to port and ample counter space and stowage. The builder described the saloon as spacious and contemporary.
Aft, the large master suite is more than just a cabin and has its own private deck access. Three guest cabins provide separation between owners and visitors. High-quality joinery and a well-designed galley strengthen the impression of a yacht suited both to dockside living and offshore conditions.
Safety and Equipment
As tested by Cruising World, the 655 carried everything needed to sail around the world, down to lee cloths. Twin life rafts were mounted on deck, while heavy padeyes for jacklines ran fore and aft and through the cockpit. A dedicated flare locker kept emergency gear in one place, and the manual bilge pumps were easy to reach—a detail often overlooked until it becomes critical.
These weren’t owner upgrades, but as-built provisions on the yacht evaluated.
The Verdict
The Oyster 655 is a limited-production Humphreys design that combines a performance-oriented hull with a thoroughly equipped offshore interior. Carbon fiber and Kevlar construction, push-button sail handling from twin helms, and a complete world-cruising inventory mark it as a serious bluewater yacht with the space and finish of a luxury cruiser.
Pros
- Fine-entry, clean-run hull with a low-CG keel and high-aspect rudder, intended to deliver fast, pleasant sailing
- Extensive carbon fiber and Kevlar construction, with systems judged “Bombproof”
- Push-button control of all sails from the twin helm stations, aiding short-handed operation
- Full-beam saloon, aft owner’s suite with private deck access, and three guest cabins
- As-built round-the-world safety inventory, including twin life rafts, jackline padeyes, a flare locker, and manual bilge pumps
Cons
- Only 17 were built, limiting fleet support and resale comparables
- Sources give conflicting displacement figures—82,673 lb versus 85,980 lb—so the exact weight remains unconfirmed
