Oyster Yachts will compete in the International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2014 with their project, Twilight, shortlisted for the Sailing Yacht Award.
The first Oyster 125 Flybridge, Twilight is a powerful performance cruising yacht with a stunning open plan, split level living area. The upper saloon offers an uninterrupted panoramic view. This exceptional Oyster superyacht offers accommodation usually associated with 50m+ designs.
With a view to series production, Oyster Yachts brought together one of the best teams of internationally recognised designers, engineers and consultants to research every aspect of the overall design concept, structural specification, engineering and interior design. For over two years this team, including Dubois Naval Architects, optimised the Oyster 125. This huge input of expertise, goes way beyond that invested by any individual purchaser due to both time and cost. This significant investment has created a truly class leading superyacht. To further enhance this unique package, the hull and decks composite construction produced from female moulds. As there is no need for a painted finish this will significantly reduce maintenance costs (no spraying or respray costs).
Twilight was commissioned to represent the very latest in global performance cruising. Capable of ocean passages with good performance, but nevertheless having large volume, this yacht is a very good cruising boat. The Oyster Marine Interior Design Team comments: “From the outset our aim was to style a classic teak interior, which would be comfortable and easy to live with for long distance cruising or simply partying at the dock, and which would reflect the owners long standing history with Oyster as its founder and his early preferences with a whole range of classic smaller Oyster yachts owned by him during the last 20 years. Given the history of the Owner with Oyster, a focus on practicality and seamanship and a ‘yacht designed by sailors for sailors’ was essential. Joinery detailing had to include practical handholds and soft radiused corners, function as always would be paramount as it is on all Oyster yachts. It was a pleasure to work with Dick Young, employed by the Owner to complement the Oyster team’s work, and who added contrasting oak, soft fabric panels and enhancements to the interior layout. Crew accommodation would follow the general colour theme of the guest areas, however floor and worktop colour and material choices would be lead by the need for ease of maintenance and practicality. The interior design process ran concurrently with the structural and engineering aspects of the design, at all times the need for ease of access to all systems throughout the yacht was paramount.”
Dubois Naval Architects’ Ed Dubois comments: “Our office has now designed many yachts of this size and it is from this base that Oyster approached us for the design of the Oyster 125. The challenge was to allow the flybridge to offer both the benefits but not detract from the overall appearance of the yacht. We hope we have achieved this. A flybridge yacht at 125 feet (38m) is new to the design world. The result, however, has been praised and in our office we are pleased with the result. The flybridge offers excellent visibility when sailing the yacht and a private area when not sailing, i.e. when at anchor. The saloon area is very large and one could be forgiven for thinking one was stepping on board a much larger yacht. The composite construction has been very well executed and all in all we are delighted with the result.”