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

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 22.0

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 42.4

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 211

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 23.3

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.1

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

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.