The Ovni 43 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Ovni 43, an aluminium lifting-keel cutter, was designed by Philippe Briand and built in France by Alubat.

'Barbarossa', a Ovni 43 sailboat anchored in the Jolly Harbour anchorage in Antigua, West Indies

The cockpit of this Ovni 43 is well protected from the tropical sun

Published Specification for the Ovni 43

Underwater Profile: Centreboard & Spade Rudder

Hull Material: Aluminium

Length Overall: 42'4" (12.9m)

Waterline Length: 34'2" (10.4m)

Beam: 14'2" (4.3m)

Draft: 8'3" (2.5m) board down, and 2'7" (0.80m) board up.

Rig Type: Cutter

Displacement: 18,739lb (8,500kg)

Designer: Philippe Briand

Builder: Alubat (France)

Year First Built: 1991

Year Last Built: 2000

Owners Association: Ovni Yacht Owners

Published Design Ratios for the Ovni 43

Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 22.0

Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 42.4

Displacement/Length Ratio: 211

Comfort Ratio: 23.3

Capsize Screening Formula: 2.1

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Ovni 43

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 22.0 suggests that, in the right hands, the Ovni 43 will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 42.4 means that the Ovni 43 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 211, tells us the Ovni 43 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 23.3 suggests that crew comfort of a Ovni 43 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula of 2.1 tells us that a xxxx would not be a good choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas when compared to a sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.

The Ovni 43 Sailboat: A Versatile and Comfortable Cruiser

The Ovni 43 sailboat, an aluminum-hulled boat is designed by Philippe Briand and built by Alubat, a French shipyard that specializes in metal boats. The Ovni 43 is one of the most popular models in the Ovni range, with 68 units built between 1991 and 2000.

Overview
The Ovni 43 is a masthead sloop with a centerboard keel that can be lifted or lowered by a hydraulic system. This allows the boat to adjust its draft from 0.8 m to 2.5 m, depending on the water depth and sailing conditions. The boat also has a spade rudder that can be lifted by a winch, making it easier to beach or dry out. The Ovni 43 has a moderate displacement of 8.5 tons and a sail area of 968 ft², giving it a good performance and stability. The boat is steered by a single wheel in the aft cockpit, which offers good visibility and protection from the elements.

Accommodation
The Ovni 43 has a spacious and bright interior, with three separate cabins and two heads. The forward cabin has a double berth, a hanging locker, and an ensuite head with shower. The two aft cabins have double berths and share a head with shower in the saloon. The saloon has a U-shaped settee and a large table on the port side, and a long settee on the starboard side. The navigation station is located aft of the starboard settee, with a large chart table and instrument panel. The galley is located aft of the port settee, with a double sink, a three-burner stove with oven, a top-loading fridge, and plenty of storage space.

Hull and Deck
The hull of the Ovni 43 is made of aluminum, which is strong, light, and resistant to corrosion and osmosis. The hull shape is round-bilged, with a fine entry and a wide stern. The deck is also made of aluminum, with an anti-slip coating. The deck layout is simple and functional, with wide side decks, a large foredeck, and an uncluttered aft deck. The cockpit is spacious and comfortable, with two large lockers, a folding table, and an integrated bathing platform. The deck hardware is well placed and easy to operate, with two self-tailing winches for the genoa sheets, two self-tailing winches for the halyards and reefing lines, and two self-tailing winches for the centerboard and rudder controls.

Mast and Rigging
The mast of the Ovni 43 is deck-stepped, with two sets of spreaders and a single backstay. The rigging is stainless steel wire, with adjustable turnbuckles. The sail plan consists of a fully battened mainsail with three reefs, a furling genoa with UV protection, and an optional staysail or gennaker. The sails are made of Dacron or Spectra, depending on the owner's preference. The mainsail has lazy jacks and a stack pack for easy handling. The genoa has a Furlex furling system that can be operated from the cockpit.

Keel and Rudder
The keel of the Ovni 43 is a centerboard that can be lifted or lowered by a hydraulic system. The centerboard has a lead bulb at the bottom to provide ballast and stability. The centerboard weighs about 100 kg, which is too light to prevent the boat from righting itself in case of capsize. The centerboard can be locked in any position between 0.8 m and 2.5 m of draft. The rudder of the Ovni 43 is a spade rudder that can be lifted by a winch. The rudder has an aluminum blade and stock, with stainless steel fittings. The rudder can be locked in any position between 0.8 m and 1.6 m of draft.

Conclusion
The Ovni 43 sailboat is a versatile and comfortable cruiser that can handle any sailing challenge. Whether you want to explore shallow bays or cross oceans, the Ovni 43 can adapt to your needs and preferences. The boat has a spacious and bright interior, with three separate cabins and two heads. The boat has a simple and functional deck layout, with a spacious and protected cockpit. The boat has a masthead sloop rig, with a fully battened mainsail and a furling genoa. The boat has a centerboard keel and a spade rudder that can be lifted or lowered by hydraulic systems, allowing the boat to adjust its draft and performance.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.