At 62 feet 4 inches overall, with a 55-foot-3-inch waterline and a beam of 17 feet 7 inches, the Amel 60 is a substantial, modern Euro-styled cruiser. She has a plumb bow, reverse sheer, and notably broad aft sections feeding twin rudders.
Design and Construction
The hull uses solid fiberglass laminate below the waterline and a PVC foam sandwich above. Both hull and deck are resin infused, a construction method Amel introduced on the Amel 50. Rather than an overlay of real wood, the deck carries the marque’s maintenance-free teak-effect surfaces. A solid rail, higher than conventional guardwires, runs around the full perimeter.
Watertight bulkheads and insulated compartments form part of the structure. Interior joinery is described as American walnut; a later interior specification gives a choice of light oak or walnut, finished by Isabelle Racoupeau’s hand.
Light displacement is about 57,320 pounds, with 15,873 pounds of iron ballast. The displacement-to-length ratio is near 151, placing the Amel 60 firmly among loaded ocean cruisers rather than racers.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
By mast position, the rig is a cutter. The deck-stepped carbon fiber mast comes standard with electric furling and in-mast furling behind a roachless mainsail. A self-tacking cutter rig is available, along with a free-flying furling Code 0 and a furling gennaker. Electric furling is standard for the genoa, while an electrically furled staysail is optional.
The fixed bowsprit is sized for anchoring and light sails. Using the builder’s 100-percent foretriangle figure, the sail-area-to-displacement ratio works out to about 19.7. A period tester recorded 5.4 knots in 6–7 knots of true wind on flat water, an impressive result for a 26-tonne hull.
Under power, the lack of propwalk makes tight turns awkward without the optional stern thruster. One reviewer also expressed reservations about the long steering-cable runs to the twin rudders, although the thought was cut short in the source.
Accommodations
The interior is arranged for three couples, with six berths in three double cabins. The owner’s cabin is aft, while two mirror-image double cabins sit forward. Each forward cabin has its own head and shower.
A raised cabintrunk gives the aft owner’s cabin additional headroom. The space also includes a small U-shaped dinette to port. Each forward cabin has a hanging locker and a small seat, and the forepeak is larger than typical. A bigger-than-usual fo’c’sle and generous bilge storage add useful volume.
The saloon provides a large living area. To starboard, the galley runs alongside the engine room and extends into the main cabin. Standard equipment includes a microwave, induction hob, washer-drier, and dishwasher.
Deck and Cockpit
The deep, largely enclosed center cockpit sits forward of the aft cabintrunk. It feels more like a pilothouse than an open cockpit, with a sliding solid sunroof and an offset helm from which the boat is managed.
Centralized controls are molded into the sheltered cockpit. A single wheel and the mainsheet winch, positioned to starboard of the companionway, are within the helmsman’s reach. The cockpit opens onto a sundeck, and photovoltaic panels sit on the rigid shelter.
For close-quarters work, the Amel 60 has a retractable bow thruster as standard and an optional retractable stern thruster. A large hydraulic bathing platform with a ladder provides access aft. Large rectangular topside deadlights help break up the visual mass of the high freeboard.
Engine, Tankage, and Systems Access
A 180-horsepower diesel—listed as 175 horsepower in one specification—drives through a direct connection. Fuel capacity is 900 liters, and water capacity is 700 liters.
The spacious, insulated engine room is accessed from the cockpit. One tester called it the best engine access imaginable on a bluewater cruiser. The compartment cools quickly and receives abundant light and air through its large opening.
Storage beneath the cockpit also provides access to the helm system and houses the balanced twin rudders.
Verdict
The Amel 60 is a thoroughly modern flagship that carries the builder’s watertight-bulkhead approach into a light-filled, forward-cockpit world cruiser. It combines genuinely exceptional service access with a three-couple layout in which the two forward cabins have their own heads and showers.
Her sailing character is reassuring rather than racy. The optional stern thruster addresses a genuine weakness in low-speed handling, though the enclosed forward cockpit remains an unconventional arrangement that won’t appeal to every cruiser.
Pros
- Resin-infused solid-and-foam construction, watertight bulkheads, and low-maintenance teak-effect decks
- Standard carbon mast with electric and in-mast furling; optional self-tacking cutter rig and Code 0
- Best-in-class, cockpit-accessible engine room with ample light, air, and working space
- Two mirror-image forward cabins, each with a private head and shower
- Large, well-equipped galley as standard
Cons
- Lack of propwalk makes tight turns under power difficult without the optional stern thruster
- Long steering-cable runs to the twin rudders prompted one reviewer’s reservations about feel
- The enclosed forward cockpit is an unusual arrangement that not all cruisers will prefer
