Design and Construction
The Meltem was conceived by Henri Amel as the most practical and most advanced offshore cruiser he could devise while remaining manageable for two people. The yard built it in fiberglass with a fixed keel drawing two meters, a beam of 4.25 meters, and a displacement of 15,000 kilograms. At 51 units, the production run was short, and the financial strain of building such a large, complex yacht with then-current methods nearly bankrupted the firm. The name itself follows the old Amel tradition of honoring winds — Meltem is the French word for the Meltemi winds in Greece — and every model of that era carried a wind or island name.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Meltem's rig invites discussion because the sources differ: the manufacturer's notes call it a ketch, while the SailingTheWeb datasheet lists it as a sloop with 150 square meters of sail area. What is clear is that the ketch configuration, as described by the builder, was chosen for practicality rather than outright performance — a rig that trades raw speed for manageable sail handling and useful auxiliary functions. The mizzen boom earns its place by serving as a hoisting point: a block at its end can lift an outboard engine or a dinghy using the spare halyard, and the boom also carries antennas or a radar dome. That multifunction approach is pure Amel — every exterior structure pulling double duty for the shorthanded offshore couple.
Accommodations and Cockpit
The center-cockpit layout is described by the builder as timeless, and the reasoning is visible in the details. The cockpit sole sits very low and forms the cover of the engine room, with superb access through a massive hatch; a second entrance comes from a door in the navigator's cabin. The wheel is mounted to port, kept out of the way, and the driver's seat is sheltered with a 380-degree view. A massive solid bimini shields the cockpit from wind, waves, and sun, and the space includes two long settees that can host a crowd for drinks or serve as berths for sleeping outside — with the covered cockpit sparing occupants the dew of open-air sleeping. Forward, four traditional above-deck lockers stay dry and house sail bags, spare anchors, and lines, while the cockpit lockers swallow a deflated dinghy, outboard, holding tanks, and spares.
Equipment and Owner-Modified Examples
One documented owner's Meltem shows how far these boats can be personalized. That hull carries a big windvane on a starboard pole outfitted with a crane and blocks running to an electric winch for lifting heavy loads, and its liferaft sits in a modified crate integrated into the lifelines so it can be launched outward without lifting. Notably, this boat dispenses with the traditional Amel main and mizzen electric furlers, using instead lazy jacks on both sails, continuous main reefing led to the cockpit with Spinlock blockers and a large electric Harken winch, and a Garhauer traveller with a solid vang. A taller Sparcraft mast with two spreader sets brought a second baby stay for storm jib work, while a bowsprit carries an asymmetric spinnaker or Code 0 on a Selden furler, and only the Profurl genoa furler remains electric — manually operable with a winch handle if needed. The ground tackle is serious: a Lofrans Tigres 1500W windlass hoists a 40kg Rocna anchor with 100 meters of 10mm chain.
The Verdict
The Meltem is a rare, ambitious Amel — a sixteen-meter ketch (or sloop per datasheet) built in tiny numbers at enormous cost to the builder, yet embodying Henri Amel's conviction that offshore cruising should be practical for a couple. Its cockpit architecture, engine access, and multifunction rig show a design mind focused on real-world handling rather than spec-sheet glory.
Pros
- Center-cockpit layout with exceptional engine access via sole hatch and navigator-cabin door
- Mizzen boom doubles as hoist and antenna mount, reducing deck clutter
- Sheltered, 380-degree-view helm under a solid bimini with outdoor sleeping space
- Dry forward and cockpit lockers sized for serious cruising gear
Cons
- Very low production (51 hulls) and historically high build cost limit availability and likely raise upkeep stakes
- Conflicting rig descriptions across sources (ketch vs. sloop) complicate expectations
- Some owner examples delete standard Amel furling, demanding closer inspection of sail-handling setup
