Design and Construction
The entire Cigale 16 is welded from 5083 H111 marine aluminum, a high-grade alloy chosen for the whole structure. To save weight, scantlings well above the waterline are significantly reduced, yet the hull above the waterline is insulated in cork and the interior bilge spaces are carefully painted. Lombard’s update introduced hard chines and reworked forward sections for better form stability, while nearly a third of the boat’s 12 tons of displacement sits in the lead ballast bulb at the end of the keel. The standard keel draws 7 feet 10 inches; a lifting-keel version is also offered. Like her metallic sisterships, the Cigale 16 demands regular preventive maintenance to stay sound.
Rig and Handling
The deck-stepped aluminum spar carries a huge square-topped main and is supported by a pair of running backstays rather than fixed ones — an unusual choice on a dedicated cruiser. The cutter rig also provides for a code zero on a retractable sprit, and when that sail is up the boat effectively has three headsails available, with single-line furling on the code zero. Running rigging is led below deck plates so lines stay clear underfoot, and a double-ended German-style mainsheet handles the main. SAIL Magazine’s tester found the boat fast and closewinded in 9 to 14 knots of true wind, making 7.2 knots to windward at a 35-degree apparent angle and over 9 knots when bearing off to 45 degrees. The helm stayed light with no load-up tendency, and only in gusts over 20 knots to windward did any weather helm appear. Twin wheels and rudders come standard, with cable steering and a single helm available as an option.
Accommodations
Below, the dominant space is an enormous stern saloon aft of the companionway, built around a massive dining table under which the Volvo auxiliary with saildrive is mounted. A U-shaped settee wraps the table, with pilot berths outboard that — together with the settee’s longitudinal sections — make excellent sea berths. Forward of the saloon, a full galley to port and a large nav station to starboard flank the living area. The test boat held three staterooms forward (a fourth is optional): a master with offset Pullman berth and en suite head, plus two guest cabins and a shared head. Neither head has a dedicated shower. Light oak joinery finishes the interior, and owners have praised the aft saloon as a favorite feature.
Equipment and Deck Layout
On deck, the cockpit follows modern trends with twin helms behind a fixed centerline table, though a single wheel can be ordered. All mast lines run aft under the deck to Harken Performa 46 winches by the companionway, while jib and staysail sheets use deck tracks with Performa 50 and 60 winches forward. A short fixed bowsprit flies Code 0-type sails and a longer retractable one handles A-sails. The transom scoop is the standout aft feature, reached by fixed corner stairs, with a large fixed arch above suited to solar panels and a folding gantry for a tender. Forward, a bifurcated rode locker carries two full rodes and a large sail locker is accessible from deck or below.
Performance Under Power
The standard 75 hp Volvo turbo diesel turns a four-blade feathering Maxprop on a saildrive, accessed through opening ports in the saloon table — excellent for service, with good sound insulation around the in-saloon engine. Flat out at 3,000 rpm the boat made 8.5 knots; cruising at 2,300 rpm yielded 7.3 knots and 1,800 rpm held a steady 6 knots. Maneuvering was agile, turning in less than a boatlength with good backing control, and the test boat also carried a bow-thruster.
The Verdict
The Cigale 16 is a purposeful aluminum cruiser that marries racing-derived hull thinking with serious liveaboard volume. Lombard’s redesign delivered a light, stiff, and quick platform whose accommodations are both customizable and genuinely seaworthy in layout. It is a boat for the sailor who wants Ovni-style metal construction without the centerboard compromise.
Pros
- Welded 5083 aluminum hull with cork insulation above the waterline
- Twin-rudder, hard-chine hull with strong upwind and reaching performance
- Enormous aft saloon with practical sea berths and accessible engine below the table
- Versatile cutter rig with code zero and A-sail provision
Cons
- Heads lack dedicated shower spaces
- Deep fixed keel (over 7 ft 10 in) limits some cruising grounds; lifting version optional
- Aluminum requires disciplined preventive maintenance
