The aluminium specialists at Alubat in Les Sables d'Olonne on the French west coast have been quiet for a long time. Now the shipyard with its well-known blue water brand Ovni seems to be getting back on its feet under new ownership and new management.
The Ovni 400 was announced as the first completely new development in many years. The prototype is now under construction and is due to enter the water for the first time in spring/summer 2019. Alubat has commissioned the architects from Mortain & Mavrikios for the design. They have designed a ship that stands out significantly from the look of the previous Ovni series. The unusually voluminous and full bow section, almost in the style of a scow, is particularly striking. Another new feature is the design of the massive cabin superstructure, which is glazed all round.
The new boat will also be equipped with two helm stations, which was previously not available in Alubat's Ovni programme. In addition, the 400 will be equipped with a fixed targa bracket above the companionway as a base for a semi-fixed sprayhood and to guide the traveller for the mainsheet, which will be completely removed from the cockpit. The short overlapping genoa (106%) with centreboard rails on the cabin superstructure also complies with the shipyard standard. Like all boats in the Ovni range, the new model is also built with an integral canting keel with no alternatives. The ballast fin can therefore be completely retracted into the hull. Together with the two short rudder blades, the ship can thus fall dry without restriction, even regularly in tidal waters.
The French offer a surprising number of variations for the interior below deck. Layouts with two, three or even four cabins are possible, plus one or two wet cells in combination. The different layout variants can be seen in the following picture gallery. The kitchen is integrated as a long row into the bright and, thanks to the many windows, very light-transparent saloon. And the customer can choose whether they want the interior to be finished in oak or darker teak.
Alubat will be exhibiting for the first time at the boot trade fair in Düsseldorf in January 2019, where it will also be showcasing the new Ovni 450. This boat came onto the market this year as a heavily revised version based on the somewhat older Ovni 445 and demonstrates Alubat's new shipyard standards, particularly in the interior design. The French company will of course be presenting detailed plans for the new Ovni 400 at the trade fair in Düsseldorf.
