WINDFLOWER is in immaculate condition. Having been prepared for serious cruising for her first owner during build for an adventure that she didn’t undertake, she has sailed the North Atlantic circuit with this owner.  She has also cruised European shores and has given immense pleasure to her current owners.  The project completed she is now being offer for sale in full cruising trim. Her G5 styling and terrific cherry interior make her a handsome and contemporary member of the Oyster 56 sisterhood.  

Owning the WINDFLOWER has been a fantastic voyage for our family. We purchased her for an Atlantic circuit in 2009-2010 when our three girls were aged 4, 6 and 8 years old. Worried at first that an Oyster 56 would be too large, my wife and I gained confidence as we slowly sailed our way down the European coast to Las Palmas on Gran Canaria in time for the ARC. The hydraulic reefing was easy to furl if the wind picked up suddenly and rolling in the main sail was never a problem. It was during the ARC that the outstanding geometry of the boat really became apparent. For example, if you look at the side gates for boarding when the boat is moored they seem too far back. But, when sailing downwind with the genoa poled out to windward, the side gate cleverly opens at the genoa lead car so the sheet runs cleanly through the guard rails without chafing. We ran this way for days on end during the ARC and very often downwind thereafter since it is so easy to set up, fast, and balanced. This is just one of the many well-designed features Oyster have built into the 56 which only became apparent as you get to know the boat.

It is hard to say what our favourite island was in the Caribbean; we liked them all from Grenada to Puerto Rico. Fishing while sailing became a major family hobby for us as we hauled in Mahi-mahis, (small) Tuna, and Wahoo. The girls often crowded around when cleaning to see what fish our fish had in its stomach and the oldest became proficient in making Mahi-mahi fish sticks battered with beaten egg and crushed corn flakes. It was in the Caribbean that the boat's truly excellent passive ventilation came into its own. The 10 opening hullports let the breeze in at night and the two forward-opening deck saloon windows quickly cooled the boat down at anchor.

Participating in the Oyster Regatta held in the British Virgin Islands was a major highlight of the trip. The girls did scream a bit when heeled over during the first practice since we hadn't sailed to windward in 8 months! As they say, gentlemen (cruising with families) never sail to windward.

We then travelled through the Bahamas and up the American East coast where the WINDFLOWER's air conditioning was no longer a luxury option but an essential piece of kit when moored. We left the boat behind in Annapolis and returned the next summer to sail along the Jersey shore, through New York City, around Manhattan and up Long Island Sound to Newport, visiting Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket along the way. Hurricane Irene which struck that August was spent by us in a very solid hotel with WINDFLOWER safely riding out the storm in the inner harbour of New Bedford, Massachusetts attached to a gigantic naval vessel anchor.

WINDFLOWER was shipped back to Europe the following spring where we have enjoyed a number of great summer vacations such as in the wonderfully sheltered Swedish archipelago between Gothenburg and the Norwegian border and the Spanish Rias in Galicia. As the girls have gotten older they can do more on board and have gotten quite good at throwing mooring lines accurately--very welcome help when there's 20 knots blowing through the harbour! Even these short summer vacations have given us again the sense of timelessness that made our Atlantic circuit so special. Shared adventures and the easy pace of life on board means the girls and we are more together on the boat than in daily life.

Why are we selling her? With the kids active in competitive sports and increasingly hectic summer agendas it makes sense for us to take a break from sailing and put the WINDFLOWER on the market. I'm confident the next owner will experience the same fantastic voyage in style, live aboard comfort and safety. 

RCD Status: The yacht conforms with the essential safety requirements of Directive 94/25EC (Recreational Craft Directive) and is categorised A – “Ocean”

Hull, Deck & Superstructure Construction:

•         GRP hull is laid up single skin with structural stringers and floors to Lloyds approved design specification.

•         Hull colour white with cove line and double boot top lines in standard Oyster Blue.

•         Coppercoat multi-season anti-fouling.

•         The stern design incorporates a bathing platform trimmed with teak slats. Stainless steel steps with teak treads for access to the stern deck.

•         Deck structure moulded in GRP with balsa core.

•         Teak laid decks.

•         Bulwark finished with a teak capping rail with stainless steel fairleads.

•         Oyster Deck Saloon profile with latest ‘g5’ deck styling.

Keel & Rudder:

•         High performance bulb keel.

•         Fully protected skeg-hung rudder.

Engine & Gearboxes:

·         1 x Yanmar 4LHA-HTTP, 160HP diesel engine.

Maintenance & Performance:

•         Engine hours: approx. 2,605 @ September 2015.

Propulsion & Steering:

•         Whitlock steering system with ‘Athena’ model pedestal. Whitlock Maxi wheel (1200mm diameter) with leather cover.

•         Parallel engine and genset Racor fuel filters with emergency cross over valves.

•         Maxprop 3-bladed feathering propeller.

•         Ambassador AM15 rope-cutter mounted on shaft in front of propeller.

•         Sleipner Side-Power 200 bow thruster with joystick at pedestal.

Hydraulics:

•         Lewmar Commander 200-2 powering the genoa and main sail furlers.

Voltage Systems:

•         24V DC ship’s supply.

•         220V AC ring main with 6 double, Schuko sockets located as appropriate within the layout.

•         12V DC cigar lighter.

•         Waterproof 32A socket and plug in lazarette.

•         Double pole breakers for cruising in the USA.

•         Ethernet and NMEA connections.

Battery Banks (2011):

•         Domestic:  8 x 6V heavy duty, deep cycle, AGM type batteries providing 460 Ah at 24V.

•         Engine start: 3 x 12v AGM batteries providing 176 Ah for engine starting.

Battery Chargers:

•         Mastervolt masterlink MICC – Battery monitor.

•         Mastervolt Mass 24/100 charger.

•         Mastervolt BTM1 charger controller.

•         Emergency cross over link.

Alternators:

•         150A / 24V Mastervolt.

Generator:

•         Westerbeke BTD 10.4 kW.

•         Generator hours: approx. 920 @ September 2015.

Shore Power:

•         30A dockside power cable 18m (60’) in length. Hubbell socket in transom. Dockside end of cable fitted with 3-pin, 16 Amp plug. Second 30A shorepower socket.

Other Electrical:

•         Mass Sine Inverter – 24V / 2500W

Fresh Water & Water Heating System:

•         From an insulated 73 litre (16 imp / 19 US gallons) tanks heated by the engine’s heat exchanger, or by thermostatically-controlled 220V, 1.25kW immersion heater elements powered by the generator or dockside power.

Watermaker:

•         Seafresh 206A – 220V AC 95 litres (21 imp / 25 US gallon) with fresh water back flush.

•         Seagull filtered tap for drinking water in the galley basin.

Bilge Pumps:

•         Jabsco engine-powered bilge pump (11,700 litres/hour).

•         Electric Jabsco Maxi 3000 Puppy.

•         Henderson MkV manual bilge pump.

•         Stainless steel manifold system.

•         Seawater intakes are via two seacocks with oversized strainers and manifold system. This reduces number of through-hull fittings and provides emergency cross over feed for engine cooling water.

•         Pressurised hot and cold freshwater system.

•         Tank tender gauges. These reliable air pressure operated gauges provide acurate readings without electricity.

•         Upgraded universal gas changeover system fitted for worldwide usage.

Fuel:

•         950 litres (210 imp / 252 US gallons) in a GRP tank.

Fresh water:

•         950 litres (210 imp/ 252 US gallons) in a GRP tank.

Grey/Blackwater holding tanks:

•         Two Polypropylene holding tanks for forward and aft toilets. Gravity discharge and pump out systems.

•         Raymarine E120 Chart Plotter (primary) fitted at chart table.

•         Raymarine E80 Chart Plotter (secondary) fitted in pod by companionway.
Combination provides fail-over redundancy.

•         Raymarine ST60+ instrument displays X 5: 
- Boat speed, Windspeed/Direction, Close Hauled Wind, and Depth units fitted above the companionway
- Graphic repeater in owner’s stateroom.

•         Raymarine 4kW radar dome mounted on the mast, interfaced to chart plotters.

•         Digital Yacht Class B AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponder model AIT 250 installed and interfaced to chart plotters for maximum visibilty to freight traffic at sea.

•         Raymarine SmartPilot SPX-30 course computer with integrated gyro rate sensor and auto-learn calibration.

•         Raymarine ST6002 autopilot control fitted at pedestal

•         Dual Raymarine Type 2 Linear Autopilot Drives for powerful steering and fail-over redundancy.

•         Raystar 125 GPS antenna.

•         Raymarine 240E VHF at chart table with hailer/foghorn function and second handset and speaker on pedestal.

•         ICOM M71 handheld VHF

•         Thrane &Thrane Sailor Fleet Broadband 250 for voice and data (email and internet) communications at sea using Inmarsat’s satellite service.

•         Icom M801E Marine Transceiver MF/HF SSB radio telephone for long range communications fitted with sintered bronze ground plates, insulated backstay and Yachtfunk antenna cable and backstay connector. Linked to active antenna for DSC (Digital Selective Calling) functionality.

•         Digital Yacht high gain (12dBm) omni-directional long range WiFi antenna type WL500 mounted on the aft stainless steel pole.

•         Furuno NX300 navtex receiver.

•         SIRS Major 150mm diameter compass.

•         Windex at masthead.

Galley:

·         Twin stainless steel sinks.

·         A gimballed Force 10 FT63451 in stainless steel, with 4 burners, grill and oven.

·         Frigomatic W50 twin compressor with twin plate for freezer box.

·         Panasonic NNV-673S microwave / grill.

·         Oyster customised Wedgwood bone china yacht crockery (incomplete).

Heads/Showers:

·         2 x Par Quiet Flush electric heads compartments.

·         2 x shower stalls.

Heating & Ventilation:

•         Hella fans throughout accommodation for quiet but effective cooling.

•         220V Cruisair reverse cycle system, comprising of 2 x 16,000 BTU units installed in saloon and aft cabin.

•         Webasto DW Thermo 90 interior heating system.

Entertainment (Sound System):

•         Pioneer DVH p5000 UB Multi region stereo system with Radio, CD and DVD, with USB and iPod interface, 12V.

•         Stereo speakers in saloon. Bose cockpit speakers.

Entertainment (Television):

•         Neovo 17" display (12V) mounted on a stainless steel bar allowing it to swivel for viewing at the chart table and saloon. Can be linked to PC, TV Receiver or DVD Player. Digital TV reception through a 12V Hirchman TV decoder.

Lighting (Interior):

•         Halogen overhead Lights.

•         Cabin ‘Minor’ reading lights.

•         Flexible white/red chart table light.

•         Engine room lights x 2.

•         Automatic refrigerator light.

Lighting (Exterior):

•         Boom light over cockpit table.

•         Spreader lights.

•         Lopolight LED bow and stern navigation lights.

•         Decklight mounted to communication pole with wireless control – for well-lit entry at night.

•         Steaming/deck floodlight.

•         Lopolight LED Tri-white anchor/navigation light at masthead.

•         Red LED courtesy lights at fitted at sole level, 3 off for each saloon step.

•         Extra red halogen lights fitted over chart table and in galley.

Summary of Accommodation:

·         8 berths in 4 cabins.

·         Interior joinery finished in Cherry with Oyster ‘Millennium’ styling. Designed to be modern and co-ordinated, whilst remaining practical and durable at sea. Essential features include: sculpted fiddles and grabrails, “shadow-gap” joints between panels and Oyster custom knobs for lockers and drawers. Solid framed doors, with an inlaid black border. Cabin soles in chequered teak.

·         Surfaces in galley with upstands, and in heads, in Avonite – colour ‘Sandpiper’.

·         Headlining in off-white vinyl.

·         Upholstery to cabin and saloon in Alcantara – colour ‘Navy blue’.

·         Lee cloths on sea berths.

·         Oceanair ‘Skyscreens’ to all deck hatches.

Hatches:

•         Lewmar alloy-framed deck hatches.

•         Gebo alloy-framed portlights in coaming.

•         Gebo opening hullports. Long Gebo hullports in galley and 4th cabin opening to cockpit.

Description of layout from forwards:

Forward cabin:

V-berth, with removable infill to convert bed to double berth, cupboards to port and starboard. Vanity table with two drawers below. Clothes and hanging locker on either side of berth. Watertight door and sealed bulkhead to forward cabin.

Forward heads:

To starboard with electric PAR Quiet Flush electric toilet. Separate shower compartment. White enamel washbasin and Hansgrohe quality mixer taps. Mirror.

Twin cabin:

With wide upper and lower berths, clothes locker and vanity unit.

Saloon:

Features a squared table and surrounding settee on the port side. Bottle stowage in the saloon table pedestal. Outboard are a pair of lockers; one for glass stowage and the other with a central shelf. To starboard is another settee. Stainless steel bookshelf dividers fitted on the port and starboard shelf apertures in the main saloon. Forward there is a full size Bosch WVF washer dryer with large shelf above and outboard of this a large locker. Two Oyster deck saloon windows open forward.

Navigation area:

At the aft end of the saloon, with forward facing chart table, flush-mounted instruments and chart plotter. The chart table stores Admiralty size half-folded charts. Stowage for navigational books and almanacs.

Galley:

On portside, in between companionway from saloon to owner’s stateroom. Twin stainless steel sinks. Stowage for standard crockery. A gimballed Force 10 FT63451 in stainless steel, with 4 burners, grill and oven. Front opening refrigerator and top-opening insulated freezer. Panasonic NNV-673S microwave / grill. Condiment rail under window. Family-sized rubbish bin in kitchen nook, securely fastened for long voyages.

Twin cabin:

To starboard and aft of the saloon, with upper and lower berths, for professional crew or children. Reference bookshelf for manuals etc. Locker with clear Perspex door on aft bulkhead for Racor filters and watermaker.

Owner’s stateroom with en-suite heads:

Double berth offset from the centreline, a settee to starboard, large hanging locker, with abundant drawer and locker space. Concealed 2-brick safe. Two wide and deep drawers under the berth for chart storage.

Ensuite-heads to starboard with electric PAR Quiet Flush electric toilet and separate shower compartment. White enamel washbasin and Hansgrohe quality mixer taps and mirror.

Rig:

•         Cutter rigged.

•         Hall Spars white painted aluminum mast with hydraulic in-mast furling.

•         Jumper strut.

•         Navtec hydraulic backstay adjuster with manual operating panel.

•         Pair of mast steps fitted at the masthead to facilitate work on the top of the mast.

•         'No Strike' ion dissipator fitted at masthead with mast and cap shrouds bonded to keel for lightning protection.

•         Status Omni directional aerial, mounted at masthead for TV and AM/FM reception.

•         Stainless steel rail for halyard parking.

•         Removeable bowsprit.

•         Genoa car control lines with stoppers fitted to allow adjustment of the genoa cars from the cockpit.

•         Reckmann hydraulic headstay furling.

•         Reckmann manual staysail furling.

•         Package includes: 2 halyards, blocks, topping lift and 2 downhauls and deck fittings.

•         Carbon spinnaker pole stowed vertically on mast. Halyard 12mm Spectra. Special sheets for MPS.

•         Preventer lines on boom.

Winches:

•         By Lewmar, all Chrome and Self-tailing:

•         #68 CEST electric primaries.

•         #48 CEST electric mainsheet winch under sprayhood.

•         #54 CST secondaries for cutter rig.

•         #48 CST main and genoa halyard winches fitted on mast.

•         #16 CST mainsheet traveller control line winches.

Sails:

•         By Dolphin Sails:

•         Genoa – Tri-radial Spectra (140%).

•         Mainsail – Tri-radial Spectra.

•         Headsail Dacron with white acrylic UV Strips.

•         Gennaker Cruising Chute / Asymetrical Spinnaker, 197m2 rocked radial design 1.5oz, compression bag, May 2009 with Snuffer by North Sails, 2009.

•         Storm Jib - Dacron 16m2, March 2009.

•         By Channon Sails: MPS Spinnaker as a spare.

General:

•         Stainless steel pulpit, pushpit, pair of gateway stanchions and side gates for boarding. Gate to pushpit.

•         Large locker within aft deck for stowage of two 6kg gas bottles.

•         Large lazarette locker with twin stainless steel gas struts.

•         Quarter pushpit seats in stainless steel and teak.

•         Stainless steel antenna pole on transom.

•         Solid teak cockpit table with built in coolbox.

•         Stainless grab rail and mug holder fitted at helm.

•         Exite Carbon Fibre Passerelle with halyard and socket in transom rung.

•         Bathing ladder with teak steps and extension.

•         Hot and cold freshwater deck shower in transom locker.

•         Saltwater anchor wash.

•         Freshwater high pressure outlet in the anchor locker for deck washing.

•         Vertical drop down washboard.

•         Heyco tool kit.

•         Assorted spares and manuals.

Anchoring & Mooring Equipment:

•         Stainless steel mooring and cockpit cleats. Pair of additional mooring cleats and stern fairleads.

•         Anchor locker for chain stowage.

•         CQR 34kg (75 lb) plus 60m (197’) of 12mm calibrated galvanised chain.

•         Fortress FX-55 kedge with 100m (328’) octoplait warp.

•         Lewmar electric V4 anchor windlass with vertical capstan on deck.

•         Warps and fenders.

Covers, Canvas & Cushions:

•         Canvaswork – colour ‘Ocean Blue’ or 'Sandstone'.

•         Sprayhood to main companionway with leather covered stainless steel grabrail.

•         Bimini with window.

•         Outboard cover.

•         Cockpit cushions and aft deck cushions.

Tender & Outboard:

•         Cooney-Simpson S225 tall davits.

•         Outboard bracket to pushpit.

•         Novalift II outboard crane.

•         Caribe L10 3.10m light rigid bottom tender.

•         Mercury 15 hp lightweight two-stroke outboard.

Safety Equipment:

•         Viking 8-person liferaft in canister mounted on foredeck (2015).

•         EchoMax passive radar on mast.

•         SeaMe Radar active radar reflector.

•         Webbing jackstays.

•         Raymarine LifeTag wireless Man Overboard system with external alarm and 3 Tags.

•         Emergency tiller.

•         Norseman Gibb Hydraulic wire cutters.

•         Grab bag.

•         Various fire extinguishers, including automatic fire extinguisher in engine bay.

•         Electric gas solenoid valve with led switch at cooker.