Amel 50 for High Latitude / Antarctic? (Garcia 52 also considered)

[Andrez]

Originally Posted by Muaddib1116

I'm not sure Pete7 is right, but aside from that my understanding is that the biggest reason to have an aluminum or steel hull is if you are going to be in the ice. Going to Svalbard in the summer seems to be no problem for a fiberglass boat. I imagine the same is true of the Falkland islands and the South Georgia/Sandwich islands. I suspect that careful and modest exploration of South Shetland islands is also possible in a glass boat in the right season. I remember that Johan from Ran Sailing went to Antarctica in the mid 2000's in a fiberglass boat with a friend of his. I don't recall him mentioning needing special permissions. As far as insulation, I think unless Amel offers it as a factory upgrade option that it isn't an insulated boat, aside from the hull core. This probably just means that you'll need to run your heater more than in the Garcia.

I am in the Falkland islands . It is not uncommon for fibre glass boats to visit here and I know of many that have went to South georgia and the Antartic

[rapanui 2]

Originally Posted by Eph1987

Hello

Is an Amel 50 Yacht suitable for exploration to The Antarctic or Northern Areas such as Iceland, Norwegian Sea and Svalbard without damaging it? I like what I have read about the Amel 50 in terms of normal latitude world cruising and live aboard. I haven’t heard of them being used for extreme latitude exploration however, due to their fiberglass hull ( instead of aluminum hull more typically used in extreme latitudes)

The Garcia 52 seems like the perfect boat EXCEPT I vastly dislike the idea of the centerboard mechanism wearing down with use and developing play and constant clunking sound at harbor or under sail AND/OR THE possibility of electrolysis slowly decaying the hull of my expensive Garcia 52 Aluminum boat. That seems very wrong 😑

One idea I have is to perhaps get a smaller, less expensive new Garcia 45 and do all of my Antarctic and high latitude exploration while I am younger. Then if my Garcia 45 melts or drives me crazy from the clunking centerboard mechanism, retire to an Amel 50 yacht latter on.

I am a youthful mid 50s , but I won’t be in a position to retire and buy yacht for 6 or 7 years. I plan to travel single handed.

In general, I like the Amel much better as an all round boat but yearn to explore those areas I mentioned above and even perhaps transverse The Northwest Passage one day.

The extreme sailing mentioned would likely only account for 5% to 10% of my sailing however. I like the idea the Amel 50 can more easily be sailed single handed.

Thanks in advance for any experienced feedback.

PS not interested in buying a used boat or one not mentioned above with possible exception of a KM Yachts boat.

amels are porche cayenne and garcia boat toyota hilux, amel il full of electric gadgets that will fail with the cold, amel yachts are for the fortunate and the pompuous in the carribean islands,

[mountaindweller]

Originally Posted by acunningham

This year Thierry Courvoisier has sailed his Amel 50, Gaia, to the north coast of Iceland, and she's there now for the winter. He seems to have had an excellent voyage.

https://sy-gaia.ch/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo9...2OTxBU-Dn4coKQ

I was land based touring around Iceland this summer and ran into him and his wife in NE Iceland. As the Amel 50 is on my short list, felt complied to chat with him. Very nice couple, and, yes, the Amel 50 is more than capable.

[Elleroo]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Eph, am I reading this correctly: you don't know how to sail, plan on taking lessons and then sailing solo to the Antarctic and at this point you are seriously agonizing about the 50 foot yacht that you may buy sometime before 2027?

And then reacting angrily to a suggestion that it seems far fetched? And you think that you are already a metaphorical solo sailor of great skill, suitable for such adventures, even though you are not yet ANY sort of sailor?

To quote your earlier post: "wow, just wow"!

Jim

You need to track down Skip Novak(if he''s still about), I sailed with him , and do one of his expeditions to the Antarctic. He runs(or ran) out of south Argentina and Chile.


Find a steel boat, not ali.


If ali, then you need magnesium anodes, lots of them, and check and change often. I ran ali raceboats for years, and then the problems of carbon fibre came on the scene.


Before you entertain your fantasy one second longer, read the link below.


https://www.sail-world.com/Australia...?source=google

[mountaindweller]

Johann from you tube channel Ran Sailing sailed a 33 ft GRP hull from Malmo Sweden to Antartica and has some footage in a mini series on his channel. He's a tough as nails guy, so begs the question- the boat can handle it, but can the sailor?

[southseasailor2]

I would go for an Amel SM, 54, or 55 in preference to the 50. I have done over 50,000 sea miles in my SM. The 50 is a magnificent boat but I would consider the twin spade rudders to be vulnerable compared to the other models that have skeg hung. If you want to research your dream I commend the book The Totorore Voyage by Gerry Clarke. A new Zealander he voyaged extensively in Southern high latitudes in his 10 meter wooden self built sloop. He went to the Antarctic, the south of south America and the various island groups in those latitudes. It is a classic.

[nmccubbin]

Do not worry about a Garcia , or any well built aluminium boat “rotting out”
We have sailed our Garcia Passoa 47 about 50,000 miles without any corrosion, or centreboard repairs.
So far, all between Panama and 79deg48 North
Photos at Home
Having owned her for nearly 30 years, we would buy the centerboader again
VERY resistant to broaching
We beat most cruising boats our size under sail
The centreboard hull form results in a sea-kindly motion in ocean sailing, including the rough days
If you go to cold water, insulation to keep you warm is secondary to its prevention of condensation
Poorly insulated boats make for mould and rot in the interior woodwork

[Eph1987]

Originally Posted by mountaindweller

Johann from you tube channel Ran Sailing sailed a 33 ft GRP hull from Malmo Sweden to Antartica and has some footage in a mini series on his channel. He's a tough as nails guy, so begs the question- the boat can handle it, but can the sailor?

It’s my destiny.

[Eph1987]

Originally Posted by nmccubbin

Do not worry about a Garcia , or any well built aluminium boat “rotting out”
We have sailed our Garcia Passoa 47 about 50,000 miles without any corrosion, or centreboard repairs.
So far, all between Panama and 79deg48 North
Photos at Home
Having owned her for nearly 30 years, we would buy the centerboader again
VERY resistant to broaching
We beat most cruising boats our size under sail
The centreboard hull form results in a sea-kindly motion in ocean sailing, including the rough days
If you go to cold water, insulation to keep you warm is secondary to its prevention of condensation
Poorly insulated boats make for mould and rot in the interior woodwork

Thanks for your feedback. Btw, that must have been quite a feeling of accomplishment to leave your land home of 43 years for a new life.

[Manateeman]

Well there are some “ no no” things about twin keels and ice but the manatee crew has been keeping the big one advantage as a deep dark secret.
Here’s how it works.
You find a nice thick chunk of ice. Something flat on top. The manatee crew all sit on one edge so you have a ramp...then you ram the hull up on top at full speed so the hull is supported by the twin keels and you are dry docked till spring.
You might need to use the windlass to pull you up all the way.
You can use snow blocks to create an ice fishing shed under the boat.
I guess if you have a catamaran you’d need to bring along a car jack and some plywood but once up on the ice, you’ll be snug as a bug.
Mark

[mako]

That sounds like an interesting idea Mark. Do you have some photos to share?