BoatsOyster 46

Oyster 46

Staysail Ketch · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1982–1990

A Holman & Pye designed staysail ketch built for offshore stability with a high ballast ratio and skeg-mounted rudder

Designed by Holman, Pye & Kim Holman.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Oyster 46, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Triteia

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 35 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 35
CoastalBluewater

1.77 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.77
LightHeavy

230 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 230
EasygoingPowered-up

15.6 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.6
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Heavier than ~87% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~79% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2238 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Oyster 46, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Oyster 46 is a 14.0-meter staysail ketch designed by Holman, Pye, and Kim Holman, built by Oyster Marine Ltd. and Landamores Yacht Builders between 1982 and 1990. It features a fin keel with a rudder on skeg, a 4.3-meter beam, a 2.0-meter draft, and displaces 14505 kg. Aboard *Sailing Triteia*, owners Ian and Laura transitioned their Oyster 46, *Rala*, from Ionian Sea coastal cruising to bluewater passages.2:38 They manage the boat as a systems manager, reefing early for solo night watches to keep the ketch's smaller sails manageable.9:22 They observed strong camaraderie among cruisers in remote regions like the Marquesas and Tuamotus, where parts and resources are shared.32:57 Provisioning in remote island chains presented logistical challenges due to local supply ship schedules.35:32 They sailed without a water maker until leaving the Caribbean, managing water consumption carefully and rinsing with seawater.36:45

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
40.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Staysail Ketch
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.6
Displacement / length
230.3
Comfort ratio
35.4
Capsize screening
1.77
Hull speed
8.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1980
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1982–1990
Units built
25
Designer
Holman, Pye, Kim Holman
Builder
Oyster Marine Ltd, Landamores Yacht Builders

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Moody 4614.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bill Dixon-designed cutter with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for comfortable, stable blue-water cruising
O’Day 40 - A Budget Cruiser for the Bahamas9:00from Practical Sailor
Morgan Yachts 461/46214.17 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Scheel-designed center-cockpit ketch built for The Moorings, offering a stable, high-comfort platform for blue water
5 Things you NEED TO KNOW about Boat Life - Spoondrifter1:31from Practical Sailor
Kelly-Peterson 4614.10 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Doug Peterson-designed cutter built for long-range comfort with a skeg-mounted rudder and a high displacement-to-length ratio
We Took Her Out - And Got HUGE News | S.1 - Ep.710:18from Plan-Sea
Malo Yachts 45/4614.20 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 14-metre blue-water cruiser that evolved from the M45 to the M46, featuring a 39% ballast ratio for offshore stability
Nigel Calder: The Truth About Philosophy, Gunboats, and Marine Engineering29:04from Be The Captain
Liberty 45813.96 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn extended iteration of the Peterson 44 hull featuring a unique deck and coach roof configuration on a cutter rig
Our Sailboat takes FLIGHT… What Could Go WRONG?22:31from Living For Sail
Cal Boats 2-4613.87 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterFeaturing a midships engine room and expanded living quarters, this 46-foot cruiser prioritizes interior volume
ANTIGUA Travel Vlog Part 1- HUGE Craft Brewery and Volcanoes in GUATEMALA- S1 EP11from GenXPats - The Sailing Advisor

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Oyster 56A Rob Humphreys-designed bluewater cutter built for comfort and stability on long-distance passagesOyster Marine 45A Holman & Pye designed masthead sloop built for blue water comfort with a heavy displacement and high stabilityOyster Marine 46 (Humphreys)A Rob Humphreys-designed bluewater cruiser featuring a powerful masthead rig and a stiff, high-displacement hull

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