Only 51 were produced, and high construction costs brought the company close to collapse. Even so, the finished boat offers a coherent expression of Amel’s design philosophy in the mid-1970s, before the marque shifted to sloop-rigged yachts with number-based model names.
Design and Construction
Henri Amel conceived the Meltem as the most practical and advanced offshore cruiser he could devise while keeping it manageable for two people. The yard built it in fiberglass, with a fixed keel drawing 2 meters, a beam of 4.25 meters, and a displacement of 15,000 kilograms.
The production run was short at 51 boats. Building such a large, complex yacht with the methods then available put severe financial strain on the firm and nearly bankrupted it.
The model’s name followed an old Amel tradition: every model of that era was named after a wind or island. Meltem is the French name for Greece’s Meltemi winds.
Rig and Sail Plan
Sources disagree on the Meltem’s rig. The manufacturer’s notes describe it as a ketch, while the SailingTheWeb datasheet calls it a sloop and gives a sail area of 150 square meters.
According to the builder, the ketch configuration was chosen for practicality rather than outright performance. It trades raw speed for manageable sail handling and gives the mizzen useful jobs beyond carrying sail. A block at the end of the mizzen boom can hoist an outboard engine or dinghy using the spare halyard, while the boom can also carry antennas or a radar dome. This multifunctional approach is characteristic of Amel: exterior structures serve more than one purpose for a shorthanded offshore couple.
Cockpit, Stowage, and Engine Access
The builder describes the center-cockpit layout as timeless, and the practical thinking behind it is clear. The cockpit sole sits very low and doubles as the engine-room cover, providing excellent access through a massive hatch. A door in the navigator’s cabin provides a second entrance.
The wheel is mounted out of the way to port, and the helm seat is sheltered with a 380-degree view. A large solid bimini protects the cockpit from wind, waves, and sun. Two long settees provide room for a crowd to have drinks or can serve as outdoor berths; the covered cockpit also keeps sleepers out of the dew.
Forward, four traditional above-deck lockers remain dry and hold sail bags, spare anchors, and lines. The cockpit lockers have room for a deflated dinghy, an outboard, holding tanks, and spares.
Equipment and an Owner-Modified Example
One documented owner’s Meltem illustrates how extensively these boats can be personalized. This example carries a large windvane on a starboard pole fitted with a crane and blocks. The blocks lead to an electric winch for lifting heavy loads. Its liferaft sits in a modified crate integrated into the lifelines, allowing it to be launched outward without lifting.
This boat also dispenses with the traditional Amel electric furlers for the main and mizzen. Instead, both sails have lazy jacks. Continuous mainsail reefing leads back to the cockpit through Spinlock blockers to a large electric Harken winch, and the boat has a Garhauer traveller with a solid vang.
A taller Sparcraft mast with two sets of spreaders adds a second baby stay for setting a storm jib. A bowsprit carries either an asymmetric spinnaker or Code 0 on a Selden furler. Only the Profurl genoa furler remains electric, though it can be operated manually with a winch handle if necessary.
The ground tackle is substantial: a Lofrans Tigres 1500W windlass handles a 40kg Rocna anchor and 100 meters of 10mm chain.
The Verdict
The Meltem is a rare and ambitious Amel: a 16-meter ketch—or a sloop, according to the datasheet—built in small numbers at enormous cost to the builder. It nevertheless embodies Henri Amel’s conviction that an offshore cruising yacht should remain practical for a couple. Its cockpit arrangement, generous engine access, and multifunctional rig reflect a design focused on real-world handling rather than specifications alone.
Pros
- Center-cockpit layout with exceptional engine access through the sole hatch and navigator-cabin door
- Mizzen boom doubles as a hoist and antenna mount, reducing deck clutter
- Sheltered helm with a 380-degree view beneath a solid bimini
- Long cockpit settees can serve as outdoor berths
- Dry forward and cockpit lockers sized for serious cruising gear
Cons
- Very low production—51 hulls—and historically high construction costs limit availability and likely raise the stakes for upkeep
- Conflicting rig descriptions across sources—ketch versus sloop—complicate expectations
- Some owner examples omit the traditional Amel furling systems, so their sail-handling arrangements require closer inspection
