It also retains the marque’s central idea: a boat that can be beached or dried out and sailed two-up in bad weather without requiring the crew to leave the warm interior. At 15.95 metres overall and 14.90 metres on the hull, with a 4.80-metre beam and a 21.80-metre air draft, the 490 is a substantial offshore platform rather than a coastal weekender.
Design and Construction
Alubat has built exclusively in aluminium since 1973, and the 490 follows that practice. Its hull, deck, coachroof, and cockpit are 100 percent welded aluminium, using seawater-resistant 5083 plate: 10 mm on the floor, 8 mm above the waterline, and 6 mm on the deck. The hull is built in a multi-buckling frame.
The yacht can dry out while standing securely on its base plate and twin rudder blades, without a cradle or poppets. Above the waterline, the standard insulation consists of sprayed cork covered by 50 mm of foam.
The centreboard remains at the heart of the Ovni concept. It’s an integral aluminium canting keel, milled from solid block to a standardised NACA profile, as are the twin rudder blades. The keel is raised using a cockpit winch, without hydraulics.
Ballast is carried low and internally, with just under six tonnes of lead blocks cast in aluminium boxes in the hull. The 480 kg daggerboard provides a retractable draught ranging from 1.00 m with the board raised to 3.10 m with it lowered. Displacement ranges from 17 to 21 tonnes.
Rig, Sailing, and Manoeuvring
The 490 carries a fixed, two-reef aluminium Z-Spars rig as standard; a furling mast isn’t offered. Halyards, sheets, and trim lines run aft through two channels to six Antal 62 winches on the coamings and beside the companionway.
A 64 m² furling genoa and 65 m² mainsail provide 129 m² of upwind sail area. The yard supplies a Dacron sail set from Incidence as basic equipment, while a square-top mainsail is optional.
The twin rudders sit well aft and produce low steering loads. With the keel raised, the boat draws barely 39 inches. Test sailors found her balanced and able to work through waves well. With a large genoa and the optional square-top main, she made around 6.5 knots at a 90-degree tacking angle upwind.
Two 57 hp Yanmar diesels are spaced about three metres apart in the hull. This arrangement allows the 490 to be manoeuvred as precisely as a catamaran, removing the need for a bow thruster. Bellmarine 20 kW electric motors can replace the Yanmars.
Cockpit and Interior
The raised deck-saloon places the main living area high in the boat. Large windows provide an almost unrestricted view, while the dinette gives its occupants a panoramic seascape. The full-length saloon table lowers to form a vast sunbathing surface.
An in-line galley runs along the starboard side, with long counters and ample stowage. Forward, the owner’s cabin has a side-built double berth and a large forepeak that can serve as sail storage or a workshop. Two aft quarter cabins each contain a large double berth, and the plans allow for three or four cabins in total.
The pilothouse is central to the boat’s passage-making role. A watertight door seals it from the cockpit, and two people can stand watch inside with a 360-degree view. The chart table carries all electronics, making it an interior control station with remote autopilot and engine switching.
Outside, the cockpit has a fixed doghouse forward that encloses, along with a double helm station aft.
Equipment and Ownership
For buyers considering a new or near-new 490, the builder’s standard equipment is already expedition-grade. It includes twin shaft-drive diesels, six winches, Dacron sails, deep internal ballast, and standard insulation. The main options concern propulsion, including the Bellmarine electric motors, and rig refinements such as the square-top mainsail.
The aluminium hull and retracting keel also suit dry-land winter storage. The boat can stand on its own feet, and antifouling the centreboard is easier than working around a fixed fin.
Verdict
The Ovni 490 is a serious aluminium expedition sloop, combining a beaching-capable canting keel with a sealed pilothouse for two-person bluewater passagemaking. Twin engines and twin rudders provide unusual close-quarters control for a 50-footer, while the raised saloon and lowering table create both a viewing lounge and a sun deck.
The trade-offs are the complexity of the retracting keel and twin drivetrains, and a displacement of 17 to 21 tonnes that places the 490 firmly among loaded cruising boats rather than light-displacement racers.
Pros
- All-welded aluminium construction, with 10/8/6 mm plate and cork-plus-foam insulation
- Integral canting keel retracts to 1 m, while twin rudders allow the boat to dry out on its own feet
- Sealed pilothouse with a 360-degree view and interior engine and autopilot controls
- Twin 57 hp Yanmars provide catamaran-like manoeuvring without a bow thruster
Cons
- Twin drivetrains and the hydraulic-free canting keel add systems to maintain
- No furling-mast option; the standard rig is fixed, two-reef aluminium
- Displacement of 17 to 21 t limits light-air acceleration despite brisk sister-ship pace
