Sealgair is unusual.

As far as we know she is the only wooden Oyster in existence. Designed by Holman & Pye (No 185) she had a long gestation before before beginning her sailing life in 1990.

As “Hull Zero” of the famous Oyster 46 range she was the plug from which the moulds for Oyster 46 and later 49 range were made. The hull is therefore exceptionally fair for a wooden boat.

The hull is a combination of strip planked and quadruple diagonal mahogany with decks of teak over ply.

The hull was built by Geoff Hunt. After the moulds were taken Geoff continued to work on her before selling her to the boatbuilder Barrie Meller, who continued the build process up to and beyond her launch in 1987.

I purchased her in 1990 and completed the final fit out in 1991 after which I operated her as a skippered and catered charter yacht mainly around the West Coast of Scotland. We also chartered round Ireland, across to Norway and up to the Faroes.

I gave up chartering in 2012 to look after my father. I am now undertaking Sealgair’s second refit. She returned to the water in late 2023 and we’re now getting the engine and other systems running ready for some gentle trips in 2024.

This picture was taken in the Sound of Luing during her shakedown trip in May 1991.