The Oyster 39 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Oyster 39, a centre-cockpit ketch, was designed by Donald Pye and built in the UK by Oyster Marine Ltd.

An Oyster 39 cruising ketchAn Oyster 39

Published Specification for the Oyster 39

Underwater Profile: Fin keel with skeg-hung rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 40'8" (12.4m)

Waterline Length: 33'4" (10.2m)

Beam: 12'11" (3.9m)

Draft: 5'8" (1.7m)

Rig Type: Ketch

Displacement: 19,498 lb (8,844 kg)

Designer: Donald Pye

Builder: Oyster Marine Ltd (UK)

Year First Built: 1978

Year Last Built: 1984

Number Built: 43


Published Design Ratios for the Oyster 39

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: Not available

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 40.

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 235

4. Comfort Ratio: 28.2

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.9

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Oyster 39

1. The Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of the Oyster 39 is not published; hence we are unable to comment on this aspect of the yacht's performance.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 40.1 means that the Oyster 39 should stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 235, tells us the Oyster 39 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 28.2 suggests that crew comfort of a Oyster 39 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.9 tells us that a Oyster 39 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0. 



Any Questions?

What is the history of Oyster Yachts?

The history of Oyster Yachts is a story of passion, innovation and success. Here are some highlights:

  • In 1973, 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;
  • In 1980, Oyster moved its headquarters to Ipswich and started building larger yachts, such as the Oyster 46 and the Oyster 53;
  • In 1997, Oyster partnered with Rob Humphreys as its exclusive yacht designer, creating a series of award-winning models such as the Oyster 56, the Oyster 82 and the Oyster 100;
  • In 2008, Oyster was sold to private equity firm Balmoral Capital for around £70m;
  • In 2012, Oyster was sold again to Dutch private equity firm HTP Investments BV for around £15m;
  • In 2015, Oyster faced a crisis when one of its new Oyster 825 yachts sank due to a structural failure;
  • In 2018, Oyster went into administration after losing the support of its Dutch shareholders;
  • In 2018, Oyster was acquired by British entrepreneur Richard Hadida, who relaunched the company with a new vision and strategy;
  • In 2019, Oyster celebrated its 1000th yacht launch with the Oyster 595;
  • In 2020, Oyster announced its new flagship model, the Oyster 1225, a 125ft superyacht that will be the largest sailing yacht ever built in the UK;
  • In 2021, Oyster celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of events and initiatives to mark its achievements and legacy.

What other versions of the Oyster 39 were built?

The Oyster 39 was built in two versions: the standard ketch and the pilot house ketch. The pilot house version had a raised deck saloon with a large window and a second steering station inside.

What is the accommodation like in the Oyster 39?

The Oyster 39 has a spacious and comfortable accommodation for a yacht of this size. It has a centre cockpit layout with a large owner's stateroom aft, which has a double berth, a settee, a vanity unit and an ensuite head. The saloon has a U-shaped dinette to port and a long settee to starboard, which can be converted into two single berths. The galley is located to port, opposite the navigation station. The forward cabin has a V-berth and a head. The Oyster 39 can sleep up to nine people.

What is the Oyster 39 like to sail?

The Oyster 39 is a stable and seaworthy yacht that can handle various weather conditions. It is not very fast or agile, but it is easy to sail and control. It has a good balance of sail area and displacement, which makes it suitable for cruising. It can sail well on all points of sail, but it performs best on a reach or a run.

What is the average cost of a secondhand Oyster 39?

The average cost of a secondhand Oyster 39 depends on the condition, age, equipment and location of the yacht. Based on some recent listings, the price range can be from £37,195 to £40,655.

Is this boatbuilder still in business?

Yes, this boatbuilder is still in business. Oyster Yachts is one of the leading luxury yacht builders in the world, based in Southampton, UK. It was founded in 1973 by Richard Matthews and has since launched over 900 yachts ranging from 37ft to 125ft.

What other sailboats have been created by this designer?

This designer is Donald Pye, who was one of the partners of Holman and Pye, a renowned naval architecture firm based in Burnham-on-Crouch, UK. He designed many successful cruising and racing yachts, such as the Bowman 46, the Westerly Oceanlord, the Moody Halberdier, the Nicholson 55 and the Swan 65.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge, we believe them to be accurate.


Other sailboats in the Oyster range include:


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