A boat that has caused discussion, because it is the first sloop after a long tradition of ketches. The reason for this choice lies in at least two reasons: the first is a purely marketing reason, to propose a novelty that can also attract a new, younger or more advanced public, even from motor boats. The second reason is purely practical: a single mast is still easier to manage than two and for a boat that aims to bring its guests around the world it is not a trivial matter.

One of the Amel trademarks could not be missing, the central cockpit sheltered by the hard top and equipped with a continuous window under which the wheelhouse is sheltered. In practice, in any wind and sea condition, you can drive the boat totally dry and keeping all maneuvers under control. In fact, everything is sent back to the cockpit, apart from the adjustment of the halyards of the foredeck sails, which is carried out from the mast with dedicated winches.

The day Hyères offered us was particularly disturbed, with a wind that rose from a base of 15 knots to over 25 under a lump , allowing us to test the Amel 50 in the conditions it prefers. We tried upwind with mainsail and genoa, wide-hauled with mainsail, genoa and staysail, and again upwind only with mainsail and staysail when the wind strengthened around and over 20 knots.

An almost excessive precaution, given that the boat has a certain ease in holding the entire canvas even with wind around or above 20 knots, but with the self-tacking staysail you have the added convenience of not having to maneuver anything during tack, and when the wind picks up, in view of a long voyage, it is something to take into account.

Tip 1. Remember the 30/70 rule. The builder makes 30% of the boat and buys the remaining 70% from other suppliers. Almost all of this 70% must be replaced periodically at increasingly higher prices. This explains the devaluation of a boat by about 50% after the first decade.

Tip 2. Maximum attention to the purchase price, to which must be added the cost of the inevitable overhaul and possible refit. An effective rule is to allocate 50/60% of the available budget for the purchase and the remaining 40/50% to be used over time for updates and changes. Don’t forget to calculate the annual maintenance budget. In order not to take the step longer than the leg. Nobody likes a boat stuck on the ground.

Tip 3. Don’t be fooled by the list of equipment and gadgets that almost all used boats have. Most will need to be replaced, either immediately or over time. An extra gadget doesn’t make the boat sail better. If they tell you that the boat has been “refitted” recently, be skeptical and double check. Sails, for example, have you ever seen a used boat with really new sails, which cost a lot of money?

Tip 4. The highest replacement and maintenance costs are likely to be related to the rig and engine. After 10/15 years, the condition of the mast and turnbuckles must be checked, the blocks and the box inspected, the box and the bolts fixing the bulb to the hull are checked. In addition, the rigging must be subjected to a thorough inspection (after 30 / 35,000 miles it should be replaced).