Yachting World – 01.04.2018

tested AMAL 50

model from the Berret-Racoupeau design
team has rung some substantial changes.
Amel’s first sloop in two decades, it is
also the yard’s first model with twin
rudders and the first built using resin
infusion techniques.
For close to 30 years Amel has
favoured ketch rigs in the belief that
splitting the sail area across two masts
should make large cruising yachts more
manageable for couples to sail. Ironically
this way of thinking may have put off
some sailors who actually consider two
masts to be double the work, not half.
With the new 50 being the smallest in
the range, the sail area was considered
small enough to be comfortably handled
as a sloop. Losing the mizzen mast
unlocks additional benefits of reduced
build costs, a larger cockpit and more
below-deck versatility, making the Amel
50 an attractive package.

Absorbed or alienated?
Taking the helm for the first time I was
acutely aware of my position on the boat

• at the front of a central cockpit and
  offset to port. Looking forward, with only
  half the boat ahead and a small wheel in
  my hands I had the impression of sailing
  something much smaller.
  The pillarless windscreen offers a

panoramic view and the cockpit is high

enough to give vision to windward, even

on a starboard tack. The mainsail can be

seen through hatches in the doghouse

roof, while the view of the jib luff is

great on a starboard tack – straight up

the slot – but more difficult on port as

the forestay sags to leeward. There’s a

helmsman’s chair behind the steering

position but I found standing more

comfortable as, when seated, my arms

were at full stretch.

The steering system uses push-pull

cables onto the port rudder quadrant

resulting in a helm that is sensitive to

movement, but has little feeling. The

rudders are a good size and the linkage

direct, so small wheel movements have

immediate impact, but as the cables

do not load up no feedback can be felt

through the wheel.

Once I’d acknowledged this I tuned

into other performance indicators,

using angle of heel particularly to guide

me upwind. Immediately the helming

experience came alive, I was watching for

gusts, reading the waves, taking note of

everything around me. Before I knew it,

I was fully absorbed and unquestionably

engaged with the sailing experience.

Joystick sail handling

The mainsail unfurls from the mast at an

impressive speed using joystick controls

The retractable

bow thruster

can be accessed

through a small

hatch in the

forward sail locker

Jib, staysail and

main halyards are

managed at the

mast using a track

and car system

that locks the

halyards in place

on test: AMeL 50

Christophe Breschi Christophe Breschi