Chantiers Amel is a French shipyard founded by Henri Amel in 1965. Based in La Rochelle, Amel is known for its production of ocean-going sailboats.
History
Yacht designer Henri Amel founded Chantiers Amel in 1965.[1] During World War II, Amel noticed that the floating caissons used by invading Allied naval forces in France relied on polyester resin construction,[2] which he would ultimately adopt in the production of his boats.[3][4]
Amel's first boat, the Super Mistral Sport, was built in Marseille after he took over a failing shipyard. The boat itself was a success, but the business failed.[3] In 1963, Amel began building boats in the shipyard of another builder at La Rochelle.