Design and Construction
Alubat builds the Ovni 370 entirely from aluminium alloy AW 5083 H111, hull and deck alike, continuing the yard's welded-aluminium practice rather than adopting composite deck structures. For this model the builder introduced a new method: the hull is welded over an auxiliary frame with frames and stringers added later, and the hull itself is formed from just five preformed plates of 8–10 mm thickness, each carrying two pronounced chines per side, folded and welded on a slipway. A swivelling integral centreboard of light aluminium — milled to a NACA profile and weighing 260 kg, with a safety release for grounding — retracts fully into the hull for beaching, while over three tonnes of encapsulated lead ballast low in the bilge supplies righting moment for the CE Category A rating. A protective bottom plate lets the boat dry out upright. Interior furniture comes from Alubat's own joinery, and for the first time the yard sprayed cork as insulation and visible hull panelling above the waterline, left exposed or headlined at owner choice.
Rig and Handling
The Ovni 370 carries a conventional, comparatively short anodised aluminium double-spreader rig from Z-Spars, with standard Dacron main and 106% furling genoa from Incidence and a modest 33 m² Solent; the only sail-power option beyond that is a laminate square-top main with running backstays. All control lines run aft from the mast to the coachroof, centralising manoeuvres for short-handed crews, though the mainsheet and genoa sheets are worked at the companionway winches rather than at the helm. Yachting World found the dual-rudder helm light, well balanced and feedback-rich, and the deep cockpit behind high coamings and linked sprayhood-bimini gives strong protection. In testing, the hull's angular form and ample wetted surface meant no special talent for pointing: in single-figure winds the boat averaged 4 to 4.5 knots beating at wide angles, while under Code 0 she topped 5.5 knots reaching at 60° to apparent wind, and in the YACHT test the 370 managed an average of 5.7 knots on a 95-degree tack in 15 knots before she ran more dynamically off the wind.
Accommodations
The two-cabin layout uses the beam and chines well. A true deck saloon with panoramic roof and stepped living levels places the raised chart table for visibility on watch and a proper navstation to starboard; the saloon table drops to form a large daybed or pilot berth with a carbon pole that doubles as a leeboard. Port side holds a forward and an aft double, the aft one capacious with tall headroom and a large porthole, while starboard aft is given to a work-utility cabin — reachable through the split heads and shower — that primarily stores cruising gear but can take a bunk. The forward berth on early boats measured a remarkable 2.20 m wide at the shoulders but only 1.85 m long; the yard has since pushed the bulkhead aft to lengthen it, and headroom at the forward cabin threshold is 5 ft 10 in. Wet hanging stowage sits by the companionway, and a vast forward shower room on the test boat allowed space for a washing machine.
Known Issues
Early Ovni 370s showed a forward berth too short for comfortable sleeping, a shortfall the builder addressed by moving the forward bulkhead aft in later hulls. Separately, in the YACHT test the sprayed-cork lining had come apart in multiple spots, a finish-technology teething problem rather than a structural fault in the aluminium shell.
Refits and Ownership
Alubat offers no permanently installed generator and no furling-mast option on the 370, and no engine performance upgrade beyond the standard Nanni N4-38 (38 hp) or alternatively a Volvo D2-50 (50 hp) shaft drive with three-blade fixed propeller; a self-tacking jib is not available. A fixed aluminium dodger is optional, as is the large sprayhood. The technical room gives easy access to equipment, and plentiful inside and outside stowage — including a prime central liferaft position and a block-and-tackle dinghy hoist at the transom arch — mark the boat as a genuine long-range cruiser.
The Verdict
The Ovni 370 distils Alubat's aluminium lift-keel philosophy into a manageable 39-footer with real bluewater credentials: a fully retracting keel for shoal and drying harbours, low-centre lead ballast for Category A stability, and a deck-saloon interior that makes excellent use of beam and chine. The short rig and angular hull trade upwind finesse for offwind ease and secure, short-handed cockpit control, while the all-aluminium build and sprayed-cork interior signal a modern, maintainable cruiser. Early-sample cork failures and a too-short forward berth have been answered by the builder without compromising the hull.
Pros
- Fully retracting aluminium centreboard and protective plate for beaching and drying out
- Entirely welded aluminium hull and deck with low lead ballast for CE A stability
- Deck saloon with raised navstation, panoramic roof, and smart pilot-berth conversion
- All sail controls led aft for straightforward short-handed handling
Cons
- Angular hull and short rig limit upwind pointing and speed
- Sprayed-cork insulation showed early failures on at least one test hull
- Forward berth short on early boats before bulkhead was moved aft
- No generator, furling mast, self-tacking jib, or engine upgrade offered