You see yourself as Ahab; standing at the helm with your gaze thrown far past the bow to the gentle rise and fall of the horizon. There is determination in that gaze and a burning fire in the soul as sails flutter before you, stretching tight from the howling gust of wind and the oyster 625 picks up speed. You hold dominion over all, from the turquoise and warm Dalmatian coast to the blue-black South Atlantic. There are no borders on these great blue waters and suddenly luxury and freedom are one. You are the master, and this world is as you’ve imagined it – and that includes your boat.
The 625 is a striking 62-foot sailboat designed for Oyster Marine by master designer Rob Humphries, and is an upgrade to the hugely successful 61 and 62 models. This means that the 625 is built on pedigree, one that has made Oyster the market leader in the production sailing yacht world. But pedigree may be a soft reassurance on the water when the Pacific becomes angry, and markets do not matter 100 km off the coast of Fiji. There may be real work to be done and the 625, with its new hull design for increased performance and handling, suitably accepts. Modernity dictates certain amenities though, as brazen as you may be. The 625 was designed for comfort and the interior options see to family living and also allow for a full-time crew.
This is a big 62 footer then. A huge stateroom aft with a queen-size bed for the master and his commander also features plenty of storage and an option of access to the aft deck via a companionway. There are also two forward cabins with own heads and shower, as well as a customizable fourth cabin. Up top, where what really matters are wind and heading, the 625 offers options of a cutter rig, double headsail and in-mast furling. The centre cockpit features the wraparound deck saloon windows that Oyster marine has adapted to their aesthetics on previous models. Together with smooth, flush lines on the foredeck and the spacious and uncluttered aft deck the saloon gives the 625 a superyatch quality. And after winning European Yacht of the Year 2012 and Best Production Sailing Yacht 2012, the 625 is super indeed. It is the perfect boat for you.
Published in Playboy South Africa December 2012