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AMEL 60, the pleasure of going further

Comfort, autonomy and ease of handling define the AMEL 60, a large cruiser conceived for enjoying the sea both under sail and at anchor

The AMEL 60 is a 19-metre sailing yacht designed for long-distance cruising, with a protected cockpit, three cabins, carbon mast and centralised controls

The AMEL 60 has a clear purpose: this is not simply a yacht on which to spend a few days, but one designed to make you want to leave and keep going. Its 19 metres of overall length are organised around a philosophy focused on long-distance cruising, crew comfort and the possibility of handling a substantial sailing yacht without turning every manoeuvre into a complex operation.

It is an approach deeply connected to the identity of the French shipyard. Designed by Berret-Racoupeau Yacht Design, the yacht combines generous volumes and modern equipment with solutions that pursue a very practical objective: making life on board easier as the miles begin to add up.

A cockpit where sailing comes together

The central cockpit is one of the features that best explains the philosophy of the AMEL 60. Deeply integrated into the deck, it is protected by a rigid shelter and features an opening roof. The principal controls are concentrated here, allowing the crew to manage the yacht while remaining in a sheltered area.

This is about more than comfort. On a yacht intended for long-distance cruising, reducing the need to move continuously around the deck can help simplify handling, particularly when sailing with a small crew.

The sail plan follows the same philosophy. The carbon fibre mast comes as standard, the mainsail features an electric furling system and the genoa is also electrically furled, while an electric staysail is available as an option.

19 metres designed for more than volume

With an overall length of 19 metres, a hull length of 18.01 metres and a maximum beam of 5.35 metres, the AMEL 60 has substantial dimensions, but its spaces are not simply used to increase the number of rooms on board.

The saloon provides a large communal living area, complemented by a fully equipped galley. Below deck there are three cabins, each with its own bathroom, allowing owners and guests to share longer periods on board while retaining a significant degree of privacy.

It is during cruises lasting several days or even several weeks that this separation between shared and private spaces takes on a very different value from that experienced during a simple day on the water.

From sailing to life at anchor

A sailing yacht created for travelling needs to work just as well once it stops moving. AMEL therefore dedicates considerable attention to the areas used while at anchor.

The protected cockpit opens towards a sunbathing area, while aft a large hydraulic bathing platform with an integrated ladder provides easy access to the water.

In the Mediterranean, the appeal of this arrangement is easy to understand. Once a quiet bay has been reached, the stern becomes the natural connection with the sea and the yacht changes character: from a vessel built for travelling to a place in which to spend the day.

Safety also lies in what cannot immediately be seen

Some of the AMEL 60’s most interesting features are located away from the guest areas. The engine room is spacious, insulated and accessible directly from the cockpit, a particularly useful feature whenever checks or technical intervention are required during a passage.

The yacht also incorporates insulated compartments and watertight bulkheads, substantial storage volumes in the bilge areas and a stainless-steel guardrail surrounding the deck.

A large aft storage compartment provides access to the steering system, while balanced twin rudders are positioned below it. These elements may attract less attention than furnishings and finishes, but they say much more about the yacht’s intended purpose: spending extended periods at sea.

A sailing yacht made to be sailed

The mainsail covers 77 square metres, while the genoa has an area of 88 square metres and the optional staysail provides a further 39 square metres.

The carbon fibre mast contributes to the yacht’s sailing configuration, while centralised and electrically assisted controls are intended to make the sail plan easier to manage.

This does not mean removing the crew from the sailing experience. Rather, the AMEL 60 seeks a balance between the pleasure of handling a large sailing yacht and the possibility of doing so without necessarily requiring a large crew.

Autonomy is also about organisation

The AMEL 60 provides capacity for 900 litres of fuel and 700 litres of fresh water. Its diesel engine develops 175 hp, while light displacement without optional equipment is 28.95 tonnes and average maximum loaded displacement is stated at 32.65 tonnes.

Draft is 2.35 metres and air draft reaches 26 metres. A retractable bow thruster is available, with a stern thruster offered as an option.

Photovoltaic panels integrated into the cockpit roof are also part of the yacht’s design. Rather than representing technology for its own sake, they contribute to the broader pursuit of onboard autonomy that becomes increasingly relevant when spending extended periods away from a marina.

A yacht that invites you to change horizons

The character of the AMEL 60 therefore emerges less from one spectacular feature than from the consistency of the entire project. Its spaces are generous but designed to be used; technology is present primarily to simplify handling; and equipment dedicated to safety shares the yacht with interiors intended for extended periods on board.

It is easy to imagine the AMEL 60 following a Mediterranean itinerary, moving from one anchorage to the next and alternating days under sail with longer stops. Yet limiting it to the Mediterranean would probably capture only part of what the yacht was designed to do.

Above all, the AMEL 60 suggests the possibility of continuing: leaving one coast behind, crossing a sea and finding another destination ahead. For a genuine cruiser, perhaps one of the most appealing forms of luxury is precisely this: not having to turn back too soon.

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AMEL 60 – Chantiers AMEL

03 September 2026
© MED Yachting Editorial Team
AMEL 60, the pleasure of going further
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