Ocean Alexander 85E Review (2016 Edition) by NautiStyles

On Deck

Starting right aft, there’s the transom door into crew and lazarette which we’re saving for later, but already you can tell it’s going to be cool. The swim platform has removable staples, four of them, really oversized and solid. There are bullets here on the platform as well. Shore power is set up with a 100 m reel on the port side and another connection on starboard which is 50 amp. Shore water inlets are right here too. And then this - a big mesh shade. Huge must-have if you’re cruising anywhere warm with a lot of sunshine. Keeps the cockpit and even the salon cooler.

Like any proper superyacht, there are two stairwells up from the platform into the cockpit. Once you step under the overhang it’s immediately comfy and shady. There’s U-shaped seating here, enough for dinner with eight people easily. The cushions look upgraded - diamond stitching, really nice feel. Aft there are bullets again and capstans with fairleads. Side boarding doors are fitted both port and starboard, each with its own boarding ladder.

Heading forward, the side decks are wide and safe with a good overhang. Fuel fills are tucked away on both sides so it makes bunkering easier. There’s also a side door into the pilot house.

At the bow all the anchor gear is hidden below deck which means nothing to trip over. The hatches open to reveal the windlasses, safety locks, and chain wash. It’s really clean - you can rinse everything down with freshwater, and it looks almost brand new. The anchor locker itself has moulded steps and plenty of space for fenders and lines. The sunpad is forward with adjustable backs and a pillow covering the forward hatch. Really comfy underway.

Back to the cockpit entertainment space - this is where the owner’s obsession with clean water shows. He’s upgraded the whole water system with multiple filtration and UV light stages. There’s even an extra filter under the cockpit faucet with an LCD screen telling you the water quality. A clear ice maker is right here, and the countertop has been swapped for a lighter modern surface. Looks great. All the TVs on board were changed too, including the drop-down here. Every screen, every system upgraded.

Up the flybridge steps - which have a sliding hatch to close them off - the space opens wide. This is the boat deck with plenty of room for toys or tenders. There are receptacles for removable chocks, a hydraulic davit, and shade poles set in different places so you can cover the area however you like. And yes - there’s a spa tub with jets, easily for four people. Next to it is an upgraded electric grill, storage lockers, and even a ladder up to the hardtop for servicing the radar and lights.

Moving forward, the alfresco dining area is massive. Twelve people for dinner, no problem. The enclosures are brand new strata glass, hard but flexible, so you can open them for breeze or close the whole area and switch on the air con. Four bar stools line the counter which also got new tops and another filtered water faucet. There’s a drink fridge and a ton of storage. Forward again is a big lounging pad that’s basically nap heaven.

The helm up here is upgraded too. Two helm chairs face a panel of brand new Garmin electronics, fresh radar, the new Octoplex yacht management system, even a Garmin remote so you don’t need to reach. Controls for the Caterpillar C32s, bow and stern thrusters, stabilizers, watermaker, Fireboy - it’s all grouped. The whole space is cooled with big vents, so you can run this deck like a climate-controlled salon.

Safety kit is well placed - EPIRB, liferaft, all in reach. Exterior lighting has been swapped out to new fixtures. It feels like a flybridge that’s ready for long days and big parties.

Walking into the salon it instantly brings back memories. It feels familiar if you know Ocean Alexander, but this one is fresh. There’s a really large sofa on one side - you can easily hang out six or seven people there - and then two big armchairs opposite. All the soft goods have been upgraded, and it shows. There’s a Sonos subwoofer tucked in, and the owner has done a huge round of upgrades to the AV system. Every TV on the yacht is new, Apple TVs everywhere, sound system all redone. The big screen pops up on a lift, and yes, even the bell works - quietly works.

To starboard is a proper bar setup. Shelves for bottles, wine fridge, and a neat pull-out for stemware that locks so the glasses don’t go flying underway. There’s a sink with filtered water, and the whole thing looks like it’s been set up with entertaining in mind. Just forward is the formal dining table for eight. The woodwork is classic OA - rich, heavy with stainless steel inlays. The serviceware storage is built in right next to it so plates, platters, and glasses are all close at hand.

As you move forward there’s a hidden day head, finished with upgraded Headhunter toilet, sink, and storage. Tucked alongside is a pantry - way bigger than expected, with shelves for dry goods. Then the galley opens up, and this space really pops because of the upgrades. Countertops have been replaced with a lighter finish and it gives the whole boat a fresh, modern vibe without touching the original wood.

Appliances are Viking all the way - a big oven, four-burner cooktop, microwave, and a proper full-size fridge freezer with ice. There’s a dishwasher, trash compactor, and the sink is fitted with garbage disposal and another filtration station with an LCD screen. The owner has gone deep on clean water and clean ice, so no need for bottled water on board. Storage is everywhere, with overhead cabinets and a surprise top-loading freezer hidden away that could store half a year’s supply of ice cream if you wanted.

What’s nice about this galley is that it’s separate but still open. You can work here and still call out to the salon or cockpit, and there’s even a line of sight all the way aft. There’s an internal staircase leading directly up to the flybridge too, which makes service to the upper deck really easy. This space works for family meals, casual breakfasts, or even as a little office nook when underway. It feels lived in and usable.

The lower helm is just forward of the galley. The windshield is huge, four wipers across, and the mesh shade was left on during the tour just to keep it cool in Florida. Visibility is excellent in all directions, so you’d happily run the boat from here on a long trip. Two helm chairs sit behind the upgraded Garmin suite. The Octoplex yacht management system is integrated right into the screens, Caterpillar engine monitors are easy to see, and controls are all in reach - thrusters, stabilizers, night vision, VHF, autopilot, anchor chain counter. There’s also a plug-in for the wired remote, right next to the weather doors on each side, which basically lets you turn it into a wing station for docking. It’s a practical helm but also a comfortable spot to run the yacht from inside when the weather isn’t playing nice.

Owner Cabin

Heading aft into the owner’s suite, you first come through a little foyer area that really gives it privacy. They tucked in extra storage here too - big lockers right in the hallway. The mix of light interior with walnut accents is timeless.

Step inside and it’s a full-beam cabin that feels huge. The windows are massive and sit really close to the water. You’ve got openable portholes on both sides, so even with the AC off you can have a breeze moving through.

On one side there’s a makeup station with its own light, drawers, and storage built in. The walk-in closet is cedar lined and has mirrors, shelves, hanging space - the works. On the other side you’ve got more deep drawers, AV equipment for the upgraded TV, surround sound, and another cedar closet with a safe. The nightstands each have drawers, and there’s more storage built into the base of the bed.

The ensuite runs full beam too, set up Jack and Jill style. Each side has its own vanity, big mirrors, and storage, and both open into one massive shared shower. It’s easily a four-person shower - heated floor, openable portholes, and tons of natural light. There’s a toilet on each side and extra medicine cabinets. The whole layout feels surprisingly spacious, like they somehow managed to fit a big house bathroom into the middle of the boat.

Guest Accommodation

First up is the forward VIP. Queen-size bed, tons of storage - big drawer under the berth, cedar-lined hanging locker, and even a little makeup desk or work station. It’s perfect if you’ve got an older kid on board who needs space to do schoolwork. Overhead there’s a hatch which we saw covered on deck, so you can get natural light when it’s open. The TV and sound system are brand new, and the ensuite is huge. Big shower for two, upgraded Headhunter toilet, nice lighting, lots of counter space. Before leaving they lifted a floor hatch here and showed a whole systems bay - sewage treatment, freshwater pumps, twin Bluewater watermakers, all laid out super clean, with space to stash a couple of suitcases too.

Next is the port twin cabin. Headroom is amazing - you could put your arms up and still not touch the ceiling. The twin beds are proper size, not the skinny ones. Large drawers under the bed, a hanging locker, and another new TV. The ensuite is nicely finished with a one-person walk-in shower, upgraded countertops and faucet, and good storage.

On starboard is a full-size bed cabin, basically the same footprint as the port side but with a double bed instead of twins. Same big drawers, hanging locker, new TV, and a matching ensuite with a good shower.

All of these cabins feel like real usable guest spaces. Windows are large, natural light floods in, and everything looks upgraded and well cared for.

Crew Accommodation

Access is through the transom staircase and right away you drop into a proper crew mess. First thing you see is another set of Miele washer and dryer units - so that’s two full sets on board, nice redundancy. There’s a Garmin screen down here showing the camera feeds, another Octoplex monitor for the yacht management system, and plenty of open shelving.

The mess itself has seating for four, bright and airy, with room to move around without bumping into each other. There’s a fridge, sink, and microwave for quick meals. Storage is everywhere.

Cabins are set up for two or three crew, maybe four if you stretch it. One cabin has bunks with its own hanging locker and a porthole. The captain’s cabin aft has a proper double bed - big enough for two - plus a desk, hanging locker, and its own upgraded TV.

The head is shared, but it’s a really good size. Sink, storage, toilet, and a walk-in shower that’s easily for two people, maybe three. Plenty of floor space too, which means you can actually get dressed in there without doing the towel shuffle. For crew this is a comfortable setup, bright and usable, not a dark corner of the yacht.

From the crew mess you step through into the lazarette first. This is where you’ve got access to the steering gear, the shore power reels (100m on port, 50m on starboard)and hooks and lockers for cleaning gear, dock lines, even fishing rods. It’s warm outside, but you close the transom door here and it stays nice and cool inside.

Forward through a watertight bulkhead is the engine room. Headroom is surprisingly good, plenty of space to move around. Right now the air con chillers and fans are running, so it’s a bit louder, but it keeps the whole space fresh and not stale.

Power is a pair of Caterpillar C32 mains, clean and accessible. Outboard access is good for service, with sea strainers right there and clear bilges sparkling clean. The transmissions drive straight shafts with dripless seals. Hydraulic pumps are mounted off the transmissions too. Stabilizer fins are inboard with the actuators easy to reach.

Generators are mounted under shelves to either side, one port and one starboard. Air conditioning units are grouped starboard, Victron equipment and the fire suppression system are visible both sides. The main forward bulkhead is actually a huge fuel tank (ver 9,400 liters) with sight glasses to read levels. Having the fuel tank as a buffer means the owner’s suite forward of it stays quiet even underway.

On performance, the OA 85E runs to 24 knots top speed, cruises happily at 19, and with a long-legged 2,050 nautical mile range at 10 knots. Draft is 1.8 m, beam 6.1 m, with a fuel tank at 2,500 US gallons.

This yacht is a 2016 model, which is worth keeping in mind when you’re looking at market value. Used examples of the 85E from this period are trading around 2.1 million euros. The version you’re seeing here is basically the second iteration of the 85E. Ocean Alexander later introduced another update in 2017 that ran until 2020 - those later boats sit closer to €4,000,000 on today’s market.

Running costs are helped by having straight shafts on C32 Cats, good service access, and a systems layout that’s straightforward. The crew setup is flexible - realistically three but up to four - with two full laundry sets and a comfortable mess. For an owner who wants full-time crew the accommodation works.

If you’re weighing up alternatives, two sensible rivals are the Princess Y85 (the first mark) and the Ferretti 850. So the bigger question is whether you want to buy into this earlier 2016 package at around €2.1 million, or stretch to the later 2017-2020 iteration which carries a higher price but younger systems. Either way, the 85E holds its place as a long-legged family yacht with a superyacht feel.

For a 2016 yacht there’s not much to knock on the Ocean Alexander 85E. The crew still share one big head and a couple of storage spots are quirky, but the upgrades make up for it. Every TV and sound system is new, all the soft goods refreshed, countertops replaced, water systems rebuilt with UV filters and LCD monitors so you always have clean water and clean ice. The flybridge feels like another salon with a spa tub and seating for twelve, and the engine room is clean, spacious, and easy to service. With C32 Cats on shafts the boat runs 24 knots flat out, 19 knots at cruise, and stretches to 2,050 miles at 10 knots. It all adds up to a 2016 yacht that feels fresh, practical, and easy to fall for.