Oyster 885 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for an Oyster 885 means looking at a Rob Humphreys-designed sub-90-foot sloop built between 2012 and 2019, with a hull pushed to the MCA 24-meter Load Line limit for maximum volume under commercial coding. These are serious ocean yachts conceived for owners who may charter them, and the used fleet reflects that dual-purpose heritage.
Layouts on the Used Market
Charter four-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available; ex-charter examples are common. The 885 was offered as a deck saloon or raised saloon with three interior layouts, and a typical accommodated plan holds a master stateroom, four guest cabins, and two crew cabins with a crew galley and mess. One of the three guest cabins could be arranged as a study or lower saloon, and the owner’s stateroom can have direct transom access for a terrace-on-the-sea effect.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A swim platform is often seen on brokerage boats, extending the open deck spaces. Beyond that, buyer-consequential upgrades tend to cluster in a few areas. Power and energy is the most relevant theme: watermakers and air conditioning appear as owner upgrades, and an inverter supports extended off-grid living. Sail handling and canvas is another: a furling main, electric winches, code zero, and asymmetric spinnaker show up as upgrades, while a bimini and dodger add cockpit shelter. Navigation and safety refits sometimes include radar, AIS, autopilot, chartplotter, EPIRB, and life raft. Comfort additions such as a freezer, washing machine, teak decks, and cockpit shower are less common but present on some boats.
What to Inspect
The hull is a Humphreys design with a fine entry and broad stern for form stability, and the standard high-performance-bulb keel draws 11'6" with an optional centerboard at just over 7 feet. Verify the twin-rudder configuration and the operation of both bow and stern thrusters, which are standard. Confirm the hydraulic bathing platform and split-cockpit structure, and check the three layout variants for integrity of the study-or-lower-saloon conversion and the owner’s transom access seals.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Oyster 885 include Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Antigua and Barbuda, and Australia. For a buyer, the practical checklist is: confirm whether the example is ex-charter and how the guest cabins are configured; verify the keel type and draft for your cruising grounds; test thrusters and rudder bearings; and review any owner-added systems such as watermaker, inverter, and furling main. These yachts reward careful inspection with a genuinely large, well-separated liveaboard platform.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Oyster 885. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 1 | $5,820,864 | — |
| Sep 25 | 2 | $4,997,210 | -14.2% |
| Dec 25 | 2 | $1,194,472 | -76.1% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $3,526,158 | +195.2% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $12,577,094 | +256.7% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $1,165,338 | -90.7% |
| Apr 26 | 6 | $3,522,235 | +202.3% |
Where they're listed
Oyster 885 listings appear across 6 countries. Italy has the most listings with 3 (23.1%), followed by Slovenia and Antigua and Barbuda.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oyster Yachts 885You are here | — | $ 3,059,013 | 14 | 0 |
| Fountaine Pajot Thira 80 | 78.67' | $ 1,210,440 | 9 | 1 |
| Swan 80 | 81.69' | $ 2,330,676 | 7 | 2 |
| Hoek Classic 73 | 73.2' | $ 1,573,207 | 7 | 0 |
| Oyster 72 | 74.7' | $ 1,279,929 | 7 | 2 |