Considering an Amel

[billknny]

Originally Posted by daletournier

I sailed in company with a 54 this year. Subjective of course, but IMO it looks much better than the 53 which is getting dated, is that important? well to me it is, I like being able to look back and smile when I see my boat.

We crossed the southern Atlantic together, on day sails prior to the crossing my boat was faster BUT on a long ocean crossing, once the Amel gets those poles setup and gets all that sail forward, I cant keep up....great ocean crossing boat.

I admit I was envious.

That's very much the usual. There are a lot of boats that can beat me across the bay on any given day. But very few, short of light weight performance cats, who can get to the end of a 1000 mile passage before I do on my Amel 53.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by billknny

That's very much the usual. There are a lot of boats that can beat me across the bay on any given day. But very few, short of light weight performance cats, who can get to the end of a 1000 mile passage before I do on my Amel 53.

In this case it's the amount of controllable sail he can get out front, once the Genoa is poled out one side and the blooper ( is that what its called) poled out on the other side he scoots along. It's the control ability of the ddw system that makes it. When the weather was settled I float the code zero out to leeward and I'd make significant ground on him (we had Hf scheds so we knew positions) BUT I'm conservative with the light wind sails thus dont fly at night etc, where he would leave it all up as it's only a push of a button away from being furled.

Imo the 53 pole out system is the best out there, the Amels should of kept it and other ocean going boats should adopt it. The 54 has huge poles that are a handful to setup, not as good imo.

Once again imo it's the sail system in this scenario more than the boat that makes it good ddw, the 53 isnt a particularly fastl hull, not a long waterline for its size and only a medium displacement at best, it's not particularly heavy for its size, I dont think it's much more sea kindly than alot of other boats out there of the same size, in fact I think it rolls more than many.

What makes an Amel for me is it's well thought out functionality such as the ddw sail setup, its smart.

The 54 owner I know had a 53 for 10 years prior to the 54, his believe is the 54 tracks better in a seaway.

I'm not knocking the 53, these are just my observations.