Oyster 435 DS, GRASEAL

Broker’s Comments

Oyster 435 GRASEAL is a well-proven bluewater cruiser and liveaboard. She has been extremely well looked after during her current ownership, and it is clear to see when you step onboard. Since the owners bought her in 2013, she has been updated both on deck and below, including rewiring, new headsail furlers, a plotter, engine work, and much more.

Owner’s Comments

We have owned GRASEAL since 2013, during which time she has undergone regular maintenance and a replacement program, including complete rewiring, new headsail furlers, replacement ground tackle, prop shaft and bearings, and a plotter/radar. The sails and remaining standing rigging were replaced in the two years prior to our purchase.

The 435 was one of the most popular models Oyster ever manufactured, with a production run of 65 boats, many of which were ketch rigged.

The rig, combined with the extensive sail wardrobe, is flexible, safe, and easily managed by a shorthanded crew. The fully battened sails and slab reefing provide performance while avoiding complexity.

Similarly, the engine (installed in 2002) is an easily accessed, simple-to-maintain Nanni diesel unit.

Ideal for a couple, the generous aft cabin and heads, large well-equipped galley, and spacious navigation area make her very suitable for longer passages. The forward part of the boat provides separate accommodation with its own heads for guests when required.

The boat is set up for extended voyaging, independent of marinas: increased storage space throughout, an additional 200-liter fuel tank installed, and electronics that are standalone, providing backup if one item fails. The oversized ground tackle, solar panels, wind generator, and 150Ah high-output alternator with smart regulator mean that extended periods can be spent free from shore power.

We lived aboard for five months, much of which was spent off-grid, and were extremely comfortable both at sea and at anchor.

Regrettably, we are having to sell because illness means that we are not going to be able to return to the type of sailing we enjoyed and for which GRASEAL is so admirably suited.