Oyster founder Richard Matthews launched his first cruiser-racer, the UFO 34, designed by Don Pye of Holman & Pye and built by Landamores in Wroxham, Norfolk. It set the bar for a new breed of yacht. The first Oyster-branded yacht, Oyster 35, was launched in 1978, pioneering the deck saloon, a signature design feature on all our yachts. The company continued to expand the market for performance cruisers with a series of yachts, including the iconic Oyster 80. The style, performance and quality of these yachts evolved in leaps and bounds with each new iteration through more than 50 models.

Early Oysters were designed and built primarily as racing cruisers. Their exceptional seaworthiness and durability meant they rapidly evolved into bluewater cruisers, capable of taking owners around the globe in comfort and safety. As Oyster founder, Matthews says: “cruising fast is a lot more fun than cruising slow!” As new models were launched, existing owners were keen to upgrade, so <Oyster Brokerage> was launched in 1984 – who better to advise on the sale or purchase of pre-owned explorer yachts for sale than those who built her? Over the years we have helped hundreds of owners buy and sell their Oysters.

In 1999, Oyster commissioned naval architect Rob Humphrey to design Oyster 53. In 2012, Rob designed the first of the new G6 hulls and decks to deliver a sleeker, more modern appearance, with a wider beam aft to create significantly more space above and below decks while enhancing sailing performance. This ambitious attitude to hull and deck design has proven itself through seven sixth-generation models, which have all continued to evolve including the award-winning Oyster 565, and Oyster 595. This 17-year partnership continues to bear fruit with the launch of the new Oyster 495, designed in collaboration with the Oyster design team.

Over the next eight years, Oyster continued to design and build new explorer yachts, including Oysters 575, 625, 675, 745 and our flagship Oyster 885. Oyster Charter was set up in 2005 to offer people the opportunity to enjoy a unique holiday adventure aboard an Oyster. To celebrate the business’s 40th anniversary, the inaugural Oyster World Rally was launched in 2013, with 28 adventurous owners and their yachts completing the voyage, followed by a second edition in 2017. The third Oyster World Rally set sail from Antigua in January 2022, with two more scheduled for 2024 and 2026.

In 2018, Richard Hadida became the new owner of Oyster. Bringing significant investment to the table, Richard has overseen the design and launch of the new generation of Oyster explorer yachts, creating more consistency throughout the range. Championing new production techniques, combined with time-honoured British craftmanship, iconic design cues cascaded from larger models have rejuvenated the brand with Oyster 565 and 595 breaking all previous order records. With a growing team of over 600, Oyster continues to go from strength to strength. The company has returned to its roots with the new 50-foot Oyster 495, now in production at our new state-of-the-art facility at Hythe, near Southampton.