Date
1 - 20 of 21
Locked AMEL 55
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Lindy & John Corrie <lindy.corrie@...>
we are considering purchasing an Amel 55 in Europe and would be very interested in feedback from owners. Our plan is to live onboard for extended periods & sail the boat back to Australia.
good & bad info is most welcome thanks in advance Lindy |
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Hi there, so... I have a Super Maramu. So take this with a grain of salt...apologies to those who might have a 55.
I have a few friends with 55s, and have explored them inside and out. I was disappointed. We are a three person family with three cats living aboard full time also. Storage space was for starters extremely important. Because of all the side windows, there is an incredible lack of interior cabinet space on the 55s (and to a lesser extent, even the 54s where the windows are cut). I don't think I could live full time on here lacking even one cabinet on this SM :D There are a million windows on the aft cabintop where the SM has a sundeck. It seems difficult to make a sundeck over all those hatches, and the sundeck is one of the best things about the SM. The 55s I've seen also have been cutter rigged. I personally dislike that because it eliminates the best spot to best secure a dinghy, ie the foredeck. In our case, a 3.3m all aluminum. It would never fit on a 55. The bow locker on the 55 seemed extremely small, at least the opening. We keep a parasailor in one of the SM's two large bow lockers; I doubt it would fit in a 55. Last but not least, the cockpit. Objectively, it is a waste of space. I spend 75% of my time in the cockpit, why make it smaller and harder to stretch out on watch?? The port bench does not extend past the captains chair (ends at it actually, making it about 5 feet long instead of the SM's 7 or 8 feet), and the whole cockpit is narrower by 2 or 3 feet due to the winches being on the outside of the hard enclosure. The cushions are narrower and the table seemed to be permanently installed in the center of things. There are giant glass windows but they are so far in front of the wheel that it effectively becomes a meter long dashboard where putting anything is awkward or dangerous, ie a waste of space. I also don't know if you can pop up out of the hard top of a 55 ( i dont think so) when you need a better look or just because it feels nice... And all of this for a price tag 3-5 times what a SM costs. In short, being a full time livaboard, I would never even trade my SM straight up for a 55 (or a 54 for similar reasons, altho the 54 seems much better value for a liveaboard). If I had the scratch to buy a 55, I would buy the newest SM redline 2000 I could find, and upgrade her new everything and with every little tweak (a king size bed in the back is the best one, followed by a hydraulic table in the saloon that turns it into a king size movie bed ;) And then put the other 400k left over in my cruising kitty. |
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Aldo Roldan
Keen observation on most of the issues noted by Davi. I moved from a SM2000 to a 55 four years ago. While it took me sometime to get used to the change and I missed the SM2000, (who doesn’t experience that after changing boats?), after four years, I am extremely pleased I made the move. Why? Overall a more livable, airy, brighter and a faster boat. Higher freeboard a powerful bowthruster, a true, real davitts, and a many other features. Storage? Gigantic lockers in the cockpit and bow. Regarding the stern lazarette, I am not exaggerating if I say that you could store your Dinghy fully inflated. In a friendly spirit, I say bring it on if you perceive other disadvantages ! I am sure I will have an answer that would please most. On May 26, 2019, at 8:03 AM, Davi Rozgonyi <davi.rozgonyi@...> wrote:
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Hi, I’ve owned a 55 for 3 years now. I disagree with just about everything that Davi says about the 55. I wont put up a post trashing the Sm. Let me say just one thing. The 55 is a terrific further development of the 54 and you get what you pay for, and then some.
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I think the 55 is a great Amel. Of course, I feel the SM and 54 are great Amels. Neither of these 3 Amels are for everyone. And compared side-by-side there are significant differences as there are in all sailing yachts made over a 34 year period of time. Many things change in 30+ years, especially the market and what the market demands. Amel is in the business of manufacturing yachts. A 34 year old design may appeal to some people today, but it is not what the market is looking for. I believe there was a bit of genius with Amel's introduction of the Amel 50. Based on sales, this is exactly what the market wanted from Amel. Everyone of us has a stake in Amel's success. Also, you should notice that our main page (AmelYachtOwnersGroup.com) reads, in part: This Group frowns on commercial postings, however we encourage postings which will genuinely help Amel owners source needed parts and services. We encourage you to support the Amel brand and be respectful to the brand in your postings. Care should be taken to not post anything that will be offensive to any Group Member. Please refrain from political issues, rude, or inappropriate language. On Sun, May 26, 2019 at 3:16 PM Joerg Esdorn via Groups.Io <jhe1313=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote: Hi, I’ve owned a 55 for 3 years now. I disagree with just about everything that Davi says about the 55. I wont put up a post trashing the Sm. Let me say just one thing. The 55 is a terrific further development of the 54 and you get what you pay for, and then some. |
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Danny and Yvonne SIMMS
Hi Davi, always good to,love the boat you have. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl On 26 May 2019 at 18:03 Davi Rozgonyi <davi.rozgonyi@...> wrote: |
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I accidentally deleted John Clanton's posting on this Topic...here it is:
I have owned my 55 for a year and a half, not nearly as long as most people on this forum, and I am not nearly as experienced as most Amel sailors. Nevertheless I have an opinion. I am confident, agree, and support Joerg’s post regarding Davi’s comments.
I believe that the Amel ethos that Henri created is every bit as present in the 55, and for that matter the 50, as it was in the SM line. Commitment to detail, quality of construction, and best user experience is evident in every element of the 55. These later boats were built on the thousands of miles sailed by our friends in the SM series.
It should be no surprise that sailors have opinions, but I would like to think that Amel owners can be the best guardians of the brand. And by that, celebrating their choices without demeaning others choices.
The 55 is different from the SMs, but is built on the success of the SMs and carries on the heritage created by Henri. I would not choose a different boat than the one I have, and I truly hope that all Amel owners feel the same way about whichever model they are sailing at the moment.
John W. Clanton
S/V Devereux
Amel 55, No. 65
currently in Cartagena
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Well guys, I sure didn't mean to come off like I was 'demeaning' the 55 or anyone's choice of it for their needs! Obviously, (and perhaps this was my mistake) I could have talked about the good things on a 55.... I'm sure the build quality is excellent, I'm sure it's a lot faster, brighter, looks darn fine, etc. What I was saying is that the OP was asking re being a full time liveaboard, and for that choice, I thought more along the lines of the drawbacks from other great amels that they might have not considered upgrading to be a perhaps more livable boat, which in terms of bang for buck for me, is the SM or to some extent the 54. I've never sailed one, so I couldnt speak to it's speed or seakindliness (although by observation, it is a bit wider in the stern which some probably wouldn't like in a following sea). I could only have drinks on one and imagine living there full time, which for us, didn't appeal, especially given the purchase price. Regarding the storage in the cockpit and bow, I was talking about dry storage of household goods at easy access to a liveaboard, for which cabinets are essential so you don't spend half the day bent over, cause even at age 40 my back kills me. As for the lazarette being huge, it absolutely is. Still couldn't store the kind of dinghy we use, hard aluminum 3.3m ready to take you to drinks 10 miles away in meter seas if needs be ;) ie the kind of dinghy a liveaboard might appreciate, anchoring farther out on a boat with the kind of draft any amel carries beneath her.
ok so now where's that white flag emoji..... :D |
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Hi to all, I have sailed 3 Amels The Santorin the SM2000 and the 54, Iwe have also test sailed the 55. We would not buy for sure the 55 it missed main Amel features unfortunately. Lack of storage deeper boat higher mast can easily make you sea sick. This is important features in an Amel boat and the new at that time 55 was missing them for sure. For all the people that bought the 55 it was an Amel but the installed base has not upgraded to the new boat. If a company looses the installed base is not a good sign for a new design. The Amel 50 is different and I can not judge as I have not sailed on one. It looks promising but only a test sail can help a more extended sail on one is even more helpful. The needs change so it all depends of the purpose of the boat you buy. All boats is a compromise all have good and bad points all depends if your needs On Mon, May 27, 2019 at 09:36 Davi Rozgonyi <davi.rozgonyi@...> wrote:
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Davi, I appreciate the white flag but given what you have written, I still feel the need to correct some of the misstatements in your posts. For the record, I have spent 4 hours with Joel potter going over a SM and 3 hours on a 54 - Joel Potter style, with a fine tooth comb, so I am very familiar with both boats.
1. I live on my boat 6 or 7 months a year, usually with my wife and/or 1-5 guests. There is so much storage for personal items in the 3 private cabins in my boat that nobody can fill the room. Your “incredible lack of cabinet space” is simply untrue. Overall, Amel advises me that the 55 has 40% more storage space than the SM, and 20% more than the 54.
Allow me a final remark. It is obvious from your posts that you consider the 55 too expensive for your purposes. I fully appreciate the price of the newer Amel because I started looking for SMs, then looked at 54s and then bought what my wife much preferred: a 55. But I still like the SM and the 54 and don’t trash them on the web. I would ask that you refrain from trashing the 55 with obviously unfounded statements. Thank you. |
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Hi Joerg,
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You did not mention that you can walk under your Mizzen and not hit your head.😅😅 Best Regards Barry AMEL 54 #17 On May 27, 2019, at 13:44, Joerg Esdorn via Groups.Io <jhe1313@...> wrote:
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Lindy, i thought I had responded before but don’t see my reply here. So send me an email and I’d be happy to talk with you. Best. Joerg
A55 Kincsem, currently in Cagliari Sardinia |
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Not true. I’m just tall enough to bang into the mizzen sheet - usually with speed. Still looking to buy your ingenious gas valve ....
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Joerg, Are you tall enough to bang the Mizzen Boom? On Mon, May 27, 2019 at 9:40 AM Joerg Esdorn via Groups.Io <jhe1313=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote: Not true. I’m just tall enough to bang into the mizzen sheet - usually with speed. Still looking to buy your ingenious gas valve .... |
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Hi Lindy and John, I have owned my 55 for more than 4 years and 15000NM, I regularly sail Bass Strait, have crossed the Tasman and made the winter run to Far North Queensland, 3 times, I have not been disappointed once in those years. You will not be disappointed in the 55, there are 3 now in Australia, all should be at Hamilton Is regatta in 3 months.
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Don’t listen to rusted on SM owners, all Amels are fantastic boats and have different sea characteristics, I personally like being able to sail to windward which is harder in the earlier boats and higher speeds at all points of the compass. The cabins are lighter and bigger and I have never thought there wasn’t enough storage. Bob Grey Renaissance III On Thursday, May 23, 2019, 10:55, Lindy & John Corrie <lindy.corrie@...> wrote:
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From the few on here who I've met in real life, y'all know I'm not a confrontational person, nor would I slag off another boat, certainly not another Amel! We're all family here... I just stated my observations to someone who seemed to not have had the opportunity to compare the different models for living on board full time. If you spend 6 months on and six months off, maybe that is not the same situation as someone moving their entire home onto the boat. If you plan to have a home cruising ground vs traveling slowly away, that might be a different situation. If more hatches/windows and wider sterns make for a more seaworthy boat, maybe we have a difference of opinion. If you can stretch out on the port side bench, then banging your head on a mizzen is not really a worry anyway, but many times we sit on the same side because of weather, sun, or the view, so I'd sure miss it (also the fixed table would be problematic as my partners turn the cockpit into a dance floor from time to time). If you can indeed stuff a parasailor into the single bow locker while also accessing other items within it, then I stand corrected, but I will stand so between my twin, if smaller bow lockers, able to reach all my other goodies without pulling the darn thing out :)
Oh, for the OP, I forgot to add that I was also surprised that the 55 has only 4 cleats per side, the SM has 7 (5 cleats proper, 2 attachment points thru toerails which are in a great spot for holding the dinghy alongside) plus that 1 monster cleat on the center at the bow on SMs that don't seem to come on a 55 because of the twin windlasses. Also missing are the handy-dandy welded Ds under each stanchion (they're great for attaching blocks for various things like lines from a dinghy davit to a winch), as well as a side mounted boarding ladder which, if you do much diving, you'll know is quite a bit safer getting in and out unless you're sailing in a mill pond. Little features missing that surprised me. Again, not saying the 55s aren't absolutely gorgeous boats worth every penny if that's the boat you're looking for or have, and I'm sure in a race it would spank me until my mom was crying. But I do not believe Amel went in the direction of full time liveaboard circumnavigating type of sailors with their newer models, full stop. Which was what I interpreted the OP as wanting. |
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Bob, "...rusted on SM owners..."??? Best, CW Bill Rouse Yacht School - Supporting Amel Owners www.YachtSchool.us 720 Winnie St Galveston Island, TX 77550 +1(832) 380-4970 On Mon, May 27, 2019, 11:07 PM Bob Grey via Groups.Io <renaissanceiii=yahoo.com.au@groups.io> wrote:
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I take issue with the comment about wide sterns in following seas. Actually a wide stern is what you want on a run or broad. It is called “powerful quarters”. The pinched in stern of IOR vintage might look pretty and offer a nice clean run in light airs but will not help steering or give sail carrying ability off the wind. It might be a bit sticky in light air due to something called the “prismatic coefficient” but that is all a bit technical.
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Nick on Amelia closing in with the south tip of Sardinia, to lick our wounds after a lumpy sail from Menorca. Initially 35kn true on the quarter ending with 12 kn dead astern with a sloppy beam swell left over. Thank goodness for her hind quarters... AML54-019 On 27 May 2019, at 16:40, Joerg Esdorn via Groups.Io <jhe1313@...> wrote:
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Danny and Yvonne SIMMS
Hi Nick, I am weighing in on this from a position of real experience. My background is racing yachts (albeit local, not international, but both coastal and offshore, around and out of New Zealand with all its wild water) The IOR designs with tucked in sterns were not designed like that for sailing characteristics but to beat a rating rule. (ie to get a good handicap) and good hull form was penalised however hard that may be to understand, So the hull form was "artificial" and if they were driven hard off the wind wild broaching was common. HOWEVER the tucked in stern on the SM is on a hull with an overall good design. Ocean Pearl has carried us across the biggest ocean and downwind in big seas and gale force winds. NEVER has there been a control problem, ALWAYS the auto helm was able to keep perfect control. I did not buy her with any preconceived idea of how she would handle these conditions but have quickly come to admire the design. I have never sailed a 54 or a 55 but would be very surprised if they were any different. One caveat to these comments: sensible choice of sail, both amount and configuration is needed on any yacht. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl On 29 May 2019 at 02:53 "ngtnewington Newington via Groups.Io" <ngtnewington@...> wrote:
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No Bill. Fortunately not. And i haven’t hit the sheet for a while. 😎
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