Amel 64 Buyer's Guide
The Amel 64 sits at the top of what a serious bluewater passage-maker can reasonably aspire to in a production ketch. Built between 2010 and 2018 by the La Rochelle cooperative that has been turning out dependable offshore sailboats since the 1960s, it represents a distinct evolution for the marque — more luxurious than its predecessors, more configurable, yet unmistakably Amel in its commitment to shorthanded safety and systems redundancy. Buying a used example means acquiring a vessel that was expensive new and has been maintained by owners who had the resources to keep it properly. That said, the complexity of the onboard systems demands a thorough pre-purchase survey, and prospective buyers should go in with eyes wide open about what it takes to own a 64-foot, center-cockpit bluewater ketch.
Layouts on the Used Market
The three-cabin, three-head arrangement is the configuration most commonly encountered when browsing used Amel 64s. In this layout the master cabin sits forward of the saloon, a feature that surprised early reviewers but gives the owner a full walk-around island berth and a well-proportioned head with stall shower. The two aft cabins split to port and starboard of the engine room, one carrying a queen berth and the other offering twin singles that can be connected. The broad 18-foot beam makes all three cabins genuinely livable rather than merely adequate.
Both the three-cabin owner configuration and alternative arrangements do surface on the brokerage market, though the standard layout accounts for the majority of what is listed. Buyers looking for a guest-friendly or charter-ready setup will find the twin-to-double aft cabin particularly versatile. The central saloon, with its formal dinette seating eight and a separate lounge area, reflects the catamaran-influenced galley design that Berret Racoupeau brought to the project — open, multi-person-friendly, and stable enough underway.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The Amel 64 was built with a high baseline specification, and used examples typically carry that through. Electric winches are essentially universal on these boats — Reckmann electric furlers handle the staysail and genoa, keeping sail-handling manageable for a couple. Radar, a chartplotter, AIS, and autopilot are commonly fitted, as are watermakers, inverters, and onboard heating. The 24-volt electrical architecture gives the boat capacity for a generous house bank, and most used examples will have been fitted with a substantial battery system and the factory 19.5 kW Onan generator that powers the dishwasher, washing machine, and other domestic conveniences that came standard or as early options.
Watermakers, washing machines, and dishwashers appear with notable regularity in used listings, reflecting the liveaboard and extended-passage character of the typical Amel 64 owner. Hardtops and cockpit showers are widely found, as are swim platforms integrated into the electric transom. Bow and stern thrusters were factory options that many owners specified, making marina docking practical for short-handed crews.
Air conditioning, teak decks, and gennaker or spinnaker packages are often seen on used examples from warmer-climate markets. A bimini, dodger, and life raft round out the safety and comfort kit on the majority of boats. Asymmetric spinnakers and dedicated short-handed sail plans appear occasionally as owner-driven upgrades, reflecting the passage-making ambitions of the original buyers.
What to Inspect
The Amel 64's systems complexity is both its greatest strength and its most demanding maintenance challenge. A full pre-purchase survey should treat the electrical system as a priority. The 24-volt architecture, twin battery banks, generator, inverter, bow and stern thrusters, and the many electric deck systems create a substantial web of wiring and components, any of which may have been serviced inconsistently across a decade of ownership. Verify the condition of the house bank and confirm the generator runs cleanly under load.
The Reckmann furling systems for the staysail and genoa are purpose-built for this application, but they require periodic servicing and their condition should be confirmed before purchase. Check that the furling lines and foils are in good order, that the electric drive units respond correctly, and that neither system shows signs of corrosion or mechanical wear.
The engine room access through the central accommodation space deserves careful attention. The Steyer diesel and associated Racor dual fuel filters, the 5,000-watt inverter, and the plumbing runs for the watermaker and domestic systems are designed for serviceability, but they are also heavily used on a vessel of this type. Inspect raw-water impeller records, heat exchangers, and the shaft seal carefully. Confirm that the four-bladed prop and its coupling are in good condition.
The six watertight bulkheads are a distinguishing safety feature of the design. Inspect all bulkhead doors and seals for operability and integrity. The full-skeg rudder and protected propulsion arrangement are robust by design, but a diver's inspection of the running gear and keel-to-hull joint is always warranted on a boat that has spent years in warm salt water.
Interior woodwork and upholstery condition will vary considerably depending on whether the boat was used as a liveaboard or kept more lightly used. High-gloss walnut interiors can show wear that is purely cosmetic; factor refinishing costs into your offer if the finish shows extensive scratching or UV degradation at ports and hatches.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Used Amel 64s circulate primarily within the Mediterranean basin, with the largest concentration of brokerage listings found in France, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Malta, and Cyprus. North American buyers will generally need to look to European brokerages first, though examples do make their way across the Atlantic. The relatively small production run means the pool of available hulls is limited, and patient buyers may find the right boat takes time to locate.
For a vessel this capable and this complex, the following checklist items should be confirmed before committing:
- Full structural and osmotic survey by a surveyor experienced with large production cruising yachts
- Electrical system audit covering house bank capacity, generator output, all electric deck hardware, and wiring condition
- Reckmann furler inspection and service records for both the staysail and genoa furling systems
- Engine service history, raw-water cooling system, shaft seal, and prop condition
- Bow and stern thruster functionality and drive-unit condition
- All six watertight bulkheads tested for door sealing and structural integrity
- Watermaker output and membrane age confirmed
- Life raft service certification current
- Generator load test under full domestic draw
- Diver's inspection of keel joint, rudder, prop, and running gear
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Amel 64. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 11 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $ 1,424,687 | — |
| Feb 25 | 1 | $ 1,254,728 | -11.9% |
| Mar 25 | 1 | $ 1,539,894 | +22.7% |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $ 787,057 | -48.9% |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $ 1,254,728 | +59.4% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $ 787,057 | -37.3% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $ 1,482,860 | +88.4% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $ 1,368,794 | -7.7% |
| Apr 26 | 5 | $ 1,481,720 | +8.3% |
| May 26 | 1 | $ 1,481,720 | 0.0% |
| Jun 26 | 5 | $ 1,927,719 | +30.1% |
Where they're listed
Amel 64 listings appear across 5 countries. Spain has the most listings with 5 (33.3%), followed by Malta and Italy.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeanneau Yachts 64 | 65.94' | $ 1,026,974 | 57 | 23 |
| Amel 50 | 54.13' | $ 1,162,756 | 42 | 10 |
| Amel 54 | 56.43' | $ 567,699 | 28 | 13 |
| Amel 55 | 56.76' | $ 855,000 | 28 | 11 |
| Amel 64You are here | — | $ 1,480,804 | 15 | 7 |
| Moody 64 | 63.42' | $ 581,378 | 13 | 6 |
| Frers Bluewater 56 | 54.08' | $ 1,690,000 | 9 | 3 |
| Amel 60 | 62.34' | $ 2,051,923 | 9 | 0 |