Buy/Sell
Consult
Pre-Purchase/Sale Consulting is now available to both Buyers and Sellers of Amel Yachts. I am an experienced Amel Yacht Specialist and I understand the complexities of selecting the right Amel yacht, as well as, the issues in the sale & purchase process. I am not a broker, nor am I a surveyor. I am a non-conflicted knowledgeable consultant to future Amel owners and current Amel sellers. I estimate that I am the Buyers Consultant on 3/4ths of all Amels sold, worldwide. In the last 12 months, over 40 individual Buyers of resale Amel yachts have hired me for Pre-Purchase Consulting. A total of 26 have taken possession of their Amel, 3 purchased another brand, 1 decided to forget about trying to buy a yacht altogether. The remainder consists of open consultation jobs in various stages, with some completed by me and in the process of transfer of ownership.
Please read my client's blog for more information on the purchase process and my Pre-Purchase Consulting: Buying a 1982, 46 foot Amel Maramu.
With this completed review, a buyer can make an informed decision and proceed with accurate information. This completed review also helps a seller properly present the value of his Amel to a buyer/broker. I have helped a large number of buyers with their purchase of an Amel. I have just started offering this service to sellers.
I am frequently asked, "what is the best Amel to buy...is it the one with

the least engine hours?"
- I see far too many Amels with cheap inexpensive devices replacing the Amel original equipment.
- I see too many Amels with running and standing rigging needing replacement.
- I see far too many Amels with poorly-made Chinese sails.
- I also see too many Amels with engine rooms full of rust.
- I have had too many clients who did not use me for Pre-Purchase Consulting...and when I arrive for the Yacht School Course, I find 10,000 - 50,000 in needed repairs.
- Check out my recommended Amel Yacht Purchase Process
- The photos you take and my review and my recommendations will allow you to remedy potential buyer objections.
- You may have some valuable additions on your Amel that require a 3rd party explanation for the buyer to recognize the value.
- Your prepared answers to my questions will be at least twice the information normally used in a listing for sale. More information usually equates to greater value.
- The sum of the Pre-Purchase/Sale information will allow a complete and transparent assessment of your Amel.

- "List of Owner Questions" which I will email to the owner or broker
- "Amel Survey Checklist" to ensure a complete survey
- "Review and Report" for Buyers on the advertised listing material & photos
- "Written Comments" on each photo up to 400 photos
- Yacht School Preferred Vendor Discounts on Amel OEM and quality OEM substitute systems and parts.
Read this well-written explanation by Karen & Bill SM Harmonie.
And, here is another Comparison of the SM to the A54 by Joel Potter
List of "Condition Categories I use for Amels: Revised 18 April 2021
Better used Amel: This is an Amel that is in the top 20% of
Amels its age. All equipment works and performs as new. Maintenance has
been performed when needed, but not always on schedule and precisely through
all of the boat's owners. Some failed OEM equipment has been replaced with less
expensive products. Some additional wiring is not labeled. Minor rust and
oxidation spots are visible. Not all painted and gel-coated surfaces have been
maintained. A minor amount of the sails, standing rigging, and/or running
rigging are beyond life expectancy and some need repair. The interior
shows the appropriate wear and age. A Better used Amel will usually need a refit that will cost 5,000 - 20,000
Average used Amel: This is an Amel that represents about 40%
of Amels its age. Not all equipment works and performs as new. The
following will apply to some or all of the boat owners. Maintenance has been
neglected until something breaks or fails. Most failed OEM equipment has
been replaced with less expensive products. Substantial additional wiring is
not labeled. Major areas of rust and oxidation are visible. Painted and
gel-coated surfaces have not been maintained. Most of the sails, standing
rigging, and/or running rigging are beyond life expectancy and some need
repair. The interior upholstery needs replacing and some dents and scratches on
finished surfaces. An Average used Amel will usually need a refit that
will cost 20,000 to 50,000.
Poor Condition used Amel: This is an Amel that represents
about 25% of Amels its age. A poor condition Amel requires a major refit that
will cost 50,000 to 200,000.
Do not buy under any circumstances used Amel: This is an Amel
that represents about 5% of Amels its age. This is an Amel that if acquired for
no cost will cost more to bring up to average condition than what an average
condition Amel its age will cost to buy. In many cases, this Amel has been
deemed a total loss by a qualified surveyor.
Recommended Brokers:
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Joel Potter
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Office 954-462-5869
Cell 954-812-2485
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JP BAHUAUD
Caraibe Yachts / Caribbean
Yachts Guadalupe
+ 590 (0) 690 35 01 98
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Riza Cagdas Cakir Göcek Mahallesi Atatürk (Hürriyet) Bulvarı No:37 Fethiye/Muğla, Turkey 90.252.645.2468 - +90 532 495 6539 |
Stephanie DUPLAND
Caraibe Yachts / Caribbean
Yachts Martinique
La Marina du Marin
97 290 Le Marin, Martinique,
FWI
+596 (0) 596 74 16 70
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Michel CHARPENTIER
https://www.michelcharpentier.com 467, Bd Raymond Poincaré Port of Santa Lucia 83700 - SAINT-RAPHAËL FRANCE & Europe +33 (0) 494 95 68 44 michel_charpentier@hotmail.com | Michael Beers, CPYB Sales Manager McMichael Yacht Brokers (914)381-5900 office (718)764-7215 mobile michaelb@mcmyacht.com www.mcmichaelyachtbrokers.com |
Recommended
Surveyor: | Recommended Surveyor:
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Olivier BEAUTE / ATLANTIC
YACHT SURVEY
32 avenue des Corsaires 17000 LA ROCHELLE Tel: +33 546 522 147 Mob: +33 674 028 243 |
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Recommended
Insurance Agent:
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Documentation Agents:
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Gary & Elliott Golden
Manifest Marine
604 Stonewall Lane
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22407
USA
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I will add an EU Documentation Agent |
How much Fraud exists in selling an Amel?
Here is what the above SM looked like in 2017 after Hurricane IRMA: Wrecked and Totaled SM 246
Published photos versus real photos: This does not happen very often, but it happens. The photo on the left was taken many years ago. The photo on the right is the reality. Note the cable ties circled in green on the left. These needed to be removed the first time an impeller was changed. It is important to know what to look for.
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Pre-Purchase Review of Amel 54 - Photo #37 of 275 |
In fact, the gearbox had no grease and the gears were worn so much that they did not last another week. The cost of replacing the gearbox was $800 paid for by the seller.
The line for the outhaul was out of the Line Tender on top of the gearbox. Everyone noticed that. What nobody else noticed was that the line needed replacing. Cost $275.
Would you miss these?
All of these photos indicate serious issues, some costing thousands of dollars to repair.
What do you see in the photo to the left?
Click the photo to enlarge. You probably see some rust.
What I saw was evidence that the engine room had flooded. A flooded engine room can cause tens of thousands of dollars in repairs. Some of the damage isn't immediate and will occur after you close the sale. The seller had hidden the engine room flooding from the buyer. |
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Click on the photo at the left to see the rust inside the red circle. Also, note the arrow. Everyone thought this accumulator tank needed replacing. The truth is not only the tank needed replacing, but the pump to the right of the accumulator tank needed replacing or rebuilding. The 12mm mechanical seal was leaking on the AC saltwater pump.
The spacer/shield on the pump axle was slinging saltwater onto the accumulator tank in an undetectable very light spray.
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Cracked and leaking exhaust hose |
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Probably some genius mechanic started tracing wiring. I zoomed in on a photo of an engine wire harness to see these wires clipped. |
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Seawater
has entered the C-Drive and mixed with the C-Drive oil
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Dangerous knot
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In-boom bungee was incorrectly rigged outside the boom |
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C-Drive seals were sealed with a
spray-on foam. This is very, very wrong!
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This is a closeup of the Hydraulic Propeller Shaft Brake. Can you find the wood clothespin used as a shim on the hydraulic ram to the brake caliper on the shaft brake? Can you also find the baling wire with some green paint on it? |
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This is a Mizzen Sheet Traveler Car with an end made out of JB Weld. The ball bearings were falling out.
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The owner stated that he did not change anything.
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Hull Stringer broke loose probably from
serious grounding
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Click here for more "Oops" Photos |
Serious water intrusion caused by holes and
devices added to the deck. |