ALUBAT Chantier Naval

ALUBAT Chantier Naval operates from Les Sables d’Olonne, France, specializing in the construction of aluminum sailboats dedicated to blue water cruising. The yard established its reputation in 1973 and maintains a focus on durable, long-distance performance. Key lines include the OVNI series, featuring centreboard designs, and the CIGALE range, which consists of fin keel or lifting keel sailboats.

In 1978, the OVNI 28 set the trajectory for the brand as the first aluminum lifting keel boat with hard chines. Over the past five decades, the yard has produced 26 models ranging from 25′ to 58′ in collaboration with architects such as Philippe Briand, Marc Lombard, Alain Mortain, and Yiannis Mavrikios. The CIGALE range, introduced in 1994, brought ultra-light displacement designs to the lineup based on plans from Jean-Marie Finot and Marc Lombard.

Ownership shifted in 2014 when 14 local shareholders purchased the shipyard to preserve its heritage. Today, Luc Jurien leads the team as General Director, bringing practical experience from circumnavigating the globe aboard an OVNI 56. Together with a management team, they oversee operations involving 40 employees.

The current generation of OVNI boats incorporates design work from Mortain & Mavrikios and CBA, with models like the OVNI 370 and OVNI 430 marking recent launches. The OVNI 490 represents the latest expansion, offering a 50′ pilothouse configuration. Additionally, the CIGALE 15 QR is updating the range, while an aluminum blue-water catamaran, the OVNICAT 48, remains in development.

Since the inception of the shipyard, over 1,600 units have left the workshop. The team constructs every hull and deck entirely from aluminum to ensure structural integrity for long-distance cruising. Many of these boats remain active, traversing oceans around the world today.