Back to the future or in with the new?

by John Curnow on 6 Apr 2017 They’re small by volume sold globally, yet huge by volume contained therein. The boats they build are still sought after today, are very distinctive, and considered by many to be the blue water cruiser par excellence. Once upon a time they had sloops in the range, but of late became synonymous with the ketch rig, when everybody else was gradually bringing the main stick further and further aft.

They are of course Amel, and they build just a handful of boats a year. OK, maybe you will need a couple of toes in there as well, but the point is that this is a very exclusive space, so the news tat they are going to be launching a new 50-footer around September is big. However, unlike the current trend, this new craft is to be smaller than her 55’ and 64’ siblings, and will come in at 750,000 to 900k Euros, with the first two hulls in full production presently.

What strikes you immediately is how this new Berret-Racoupeau design really gives a fresh new take to the traditional Amel approach, stance and poise. The sloop rig, not used by them since the 70’s, only adds to the overall theme, with twin rudders and a prodder completing the equation beautifully. In fact, that is the very adjective you use to describe the external and internal renderings you are seeing here.

At any rate, the new craft will still be very much part of the stable with things like the solid stainless rails and large, sunken cockpit over the self-contained engine room, and the stylish Pilothouse roofline showing the lineage. She will also use the 55’s mainmast as her own, and naturally deploy centralised and motorised controls for all the key functions. Yes, this is a fresh, new take on the Amel core values; stability, sustained performance during passage making, and value for anyone undertaking serious ocean work.

The new craft will have the VIP Stateroom for’ard and voracious Master aft, with the galley along the companionway to maximise the room afforded to the saloon. Like the exterior, these are hallmarks of the Amel buyer, and their requirements for super-comfortable, long haul cruising for a couple with family and friends sometimes joining them.
Micah Lane from Australian Agents, Vicsail Sydney/Flagstaff Marine, indicates there will be a virtual tour available during this year’s Sydney Boat Show, with the real craft taking centre stage at both Cannes and La Rochelle from the middle of September.

Lane was just back from the factory and was genuinely impressed by the project, especially as one craft is apparently being finished in ultra-high gloss Rosewood, which could well mean that the adjective of choice to be applied now has to be, sensational. He also informed me that the first two hulls are not spoken for at present, so if this sounds like the boat you, then perhaps you need to make enquires now in readiness for a 2017 delivery.

The Amel site will have updates as they come to hand.

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