Amel 50 vs. Garcia 52 vs. Discovery 48

[real_goat]

Don’t forget the sugar scoop and the arch.

https://imgur.com/a/olJ62aU

[Mag3]

I purchased the Amel 50. The only other boat i seriously considered was the Garcia.. both drawn by the same naval architect btw.

any arguments about better build between this level of boat is really someone's personal opinion. Everything you've listed is a top shelf boat whose basics around build quality etc. will be top notch...

for me 2 things immediately shortened My list to these two manufacturers (my original list was like yours but also included Discovery, Passport, HR, Najad, Swan, Moody, and Grand Soleil. ):

1. hard dodgers built in :: Observe any boat that has actually gone long distance cruising... they all have some sort of coverage for crew. I wanted mine built in and thought out as part of the boat from the start as opposed to a tacked on after-thought... and this also offered better options for solar which IMHO is essential.
2. Ease of maintenance :: From no teak decks, to the way systems and mechanical systems seemed thought about from the start for ease of access and maintenance. These are big complex boats.. you will need to work on them. As I crawled over these boats (and i did for every brand i considered, I did so with an eye towards this) these two stood out.

In deciding between the Garcia and the Amel came down to personal reasons:

• Center cockpit :: I really wanted a center cockpit for the increased comfort and safety for me and crew when under way
• Interior layout :: My plans are for my wife and I and another couple to do this trip... we all ultimately felt that the Amel's 2 staterooms offered a more comfortable option for both couples.
• Dodger & Helm :: I preferred the overall hard dodger and helm position of the Amel.. some find it too removed.. but IMHO, most long passages are done on auto helm anyway, and most time is spent at anchor. When at anchor i wanted the helm not in the middle of our exterior living space... YMMV
• Maintenance :: The mechanicals room on the Amel is genius.. honestly surprised more boats don't adopt this concept. To be clear, Garcia is also at a pretty high water mark here, but for me i preferred the Amel.
• Wife :: My wife preferred the aesthetics and a slightly brighter feel below on the Amel... the boss must be listened to.

Personally the only trade-off in the end that was actually hard for me (and wasn't actually core to my list when i first started looking) was the lifting keel... As you know, no boat is perfect, but if the Amel had a lifting keel it would have bee *perfect* for me.

I also plan to eventually sail high latitudes, but I'm not concerned about the structural integrity of the Amel... again.. you may and that could weigh more heavily on your choice.


Either way.. the options you have listed are extremely good boats. In any way you can, get to them and try them. crawl all over them. Open every corner. Take pictures and ask all the questions. These are very serious investments and shouldn't be rushed. One will clearly stand out for you personally.


best of luck!

-Justin

[TeddieBear]

Amazed you ended up with these 2 boats on your final short list.
Certainly both are well built and enjoy excellent reputations, but are quite different beasts. One is GRP with a standard keel, the other one is aluminum with a lifting centerboard. I would have thought you would end up with Amel vs. Hallberg Rassy or similar ?



Believe the Amel is perfect for a couple going along the tropics, while the Garcia might be more suited for those interested in "pushing the latitudes". I also quite like the vast and easy access Amel engine/technical room, but find the steering position and the "push buttons" dashboard... say "odd" on a true sailing yacht.

[Mag3]

I currently own an immaculately restored 1980 passport 42 and spent summers at wooden boat school.. that is to say that i'm a traditionalist by nature. But when i really looked at living aboard and travelling.. not weekend and day cruising.. and was honest about how this changes what matters... it made the move to these two boats easy. The Garcia is a brilliant boat... my decision criteria that led me to end up with the Amel were purely my own opinionated reasons and really had nothing to do with the quality/thoughtfulness of the Garcia boat.

yeah.. different materials choice, but really I see the lifting keel as the real difference (which as noted is something i wish the Amel offered). I'll be pushing latitudes a bit, but the majority of my time will be spent in the broad middle where the aluminum hull doesn't buy me much.

regarding the helm position... when i looked at the reality vs. the picture in my head, i realized that the vast majority of time is spent on the hook. When i'm on the hook, i don't want my outside living space taken up by a steering position.

And when i'm sailing i DEEPLY value a protected helm position. Add to this that most longer passages involve the autopilot, and this all adds up to the realization that - FOR ME - the Amel helm position is kind of genius.

[TeddieBear]

Sounds like a well thought decision.

This Amel 50 is certainly a great boat to travel and live aboard
Enjoy !

[Flod]

Good for you! I was close to buying an Amel 54 last winter but ended up buying a house on Gran Canaria (that I this far never visited due to the damn virus). I had more or less the same reasons you list. I will buy an Amel sooner or later!

[kmacdonald]

Here is a video of someone that decided between the Amel 50 and the Garcia 52.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6T8gMg2g6c&t

[dannc]

If swing/lifting keels are thrown into the mix, besides Garcia, Boreal, and Besteavers, there are,

• Good Hope 56 (One was just built at K&M) and there is a larger 65 foot design too. Both are AL - https://www.edjoydesign.com/good-hope-56
• Puffins, either steel or AL, in a variety of sizes with and without a swing keel - https://www.puffin.nl/
• Van de Stadt - Van de Stadt Design - Yacht Designers and Naval Architects

Later,
Dan

[Charles S]

Boreal
Trintella
Best wishes
Charles
s/v Dawnpiper

[Wolfy]

Amel, there can be only one.....

[VChild]

I would like to know which of these top brands actually sails better, eg. to windward in big seas etc.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by VChild

I would like to know which of these top brands actually sails better, eg. to windward in big seas etc.

The one with the biggest engine will no doubt be best windward in big seas.



The Amel may have some edge as it does not have a lifting keel. But it is a guess as the only way to know would be to sail them all side by side in the same conditions.


I think the Garcia may be disadvantaged, as it has plenty of beam pushed far forward. Again, it is just a guess, and boats that look like beep may in fact perform very well (think of MiniTransat boats with round bows).


b.

[DeValency]

I would exclude an aft cockpit version for a serious offshore cruising, especially for a couple, but center cockpit has so many other advantages here (a separate discussion and I may open a can of worms here )

Amel is definitely the better choice out of the three, although personally I prefer the overall Bill Dixon design of the Discovery.

A fixed (but not the deepest option) keel is IMHO a better choice, although somewhat limiting access at some areas, but as others commented, a 50’ boat dinghy can be large and strong enough to bring you anywhere. For that - it is definitely important to consider the best possible way offered for an easy launching and safe secured lifting while cruising.

Talking about a blue water CC cruisers, as others commented and very much depending on the budget (new? Used?), there are quite few other choices like Hallberg-Rassy, Oyster, Contest - just three good options here.

[CaptainRivet]

Clear desicion Amel 50...they are just the perfect live aboard go anywhere boat.
All solutions are refined over the years and thought through,support is best class...it’s just right.

I would just recommend to buy an “older” well maintained Amel ketch. There is a reason that majority of serious world cruisers have ketches...everything is smaller, the 2nd mast is so handy for lot of things (gear like radars, hoist up anything you like...), balancing the boat...
A newer boat has more problems then a well look after and maintained used one and the money you saved can be easily used to make changes so it’s like you ordered a new one to your liking.

[Davidwwilkinson]

This is a familiar process, went through this about 3 years ago, ended up ordering a Kraken 50, built by bluewater sailors, the MD of the company has sailed over 200,000 miles, was actively involved in the build and aftersales service. From my own research, all the current new yachts have blade rudders and bolt-on keels, the Kraken's have encapsulated keels and skeg rudders. I appreciate, there is a lot of debate on the subject, for me its a simple conclusion, offshore I want to stack the odds in my favour as much as possible, why would I not?

We've had the boat for a year now, absolutely loving it.

Check out

https://www.yachtingworld.com/review...ewater-cruiser

https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/revi...iews/kraken-50

https://www.krakenyachts.com/k50

Enjoy!!