Jean-Marie Finot drew the original design in the 1990s, loosely patterning it on the Open 60 racers of the day. It had round bilges, beam carried well aft, and an optional water-ballast system. When Alubat modernized the boat a few years back, Marc Lombard stretched and reworked the hull, added twin rudders, streamlined the deck, moved the mast aft, and replaced the water ballast with hard chines.
The result is a thoroughly contemporary aluminum cruiser with a stated displacement of 25,353 pounds. Of that, 7,275 pounds is carried in a lead bulb at the foot of a welded aluminum fin.
Design and Construction
The Cigale 16 is built entirely from 5083 H111 marine aluminum, a high-grade alloy used throughout the structure. To save weight, the scantlings are significantly reduced well above the waterline. Even so, the hull above the waterline is insulated with cork, and the interior bilge spaces are carefully painted.
Lombard’s redesign introduced hard chines and reworked the forward sections to improve form stability. Nearly a third of the boat’s 12 tons of displacement is concentrated in the lead ballast bulb at the end of the keel. The standard keel draws 7 feet 10 inches, while a lifting-keel version is also available.
Like Alubat’s other metal boats, the Cigale 16 requires regular preventive maintenance to remain sound.
Rig and Sailing Performance
A deck-stepped aluminum mast carries a huge square-topped mainsail. Rather than fixed backstays, the rig relies on a pair of runners—an unusual arrangement for a dedicated cruising yacht.
The cutter rig can also fly a code zero from a retractable sprit. With that sail set, the boat effectively has three headsails available, with single-line furling on the code zero. A short fixed bowsprit carries Code 0-type sails, while a longer retractable sprit handles A-sails.
Running rigging passes aft beneath deck plates, keeping the lines clear of the walking surfaces. All mast lines lead to Harken Performa 46 winches beside the companionway, while the jib and staysail sheets run on deck tracks to Performa 50 and 60 winches farther forward. The mainsail is controlled by a double-ended German-style mainsheet.
SAIL Magazine’s tester found the Cigale 16 fast and closewinded in 9 to 14 knots of true wind. She made 7.2 knots to windward at a 35-degree apparent-wind angle and more than 9 knots after bearing away to 45 degrees. The helm remained light without a tendency to load up. Weather helm appeared only when sailing to windward in gusts over 20 knots.
Twin wheels and twin rudders are standard. Cable steering and a single helm are optional.
Cockpit and Deck Layout
The cockpit follows current practice, with twin helms set behind a fixed centerline table, although buyers can order a single wheel. A transom scoop is the main feature aft, reached by fixed stairs at each corner. Above it, a large fixed arch is suitable for solar panels, and a folding gantry can carry a tender.
At the bow, a bifurcated rode locker holds two complete rodes. A large sail locker can be reached either from the deck or from below.
Accommodations
The interior is finished in light oak joinery. Its defining space is the enormous saloon aft of the companionway, built around a massive dining table. A U-shaped settee surrounds the table, with pilot berths outboard. Those berths, together with the settee’s longitudinal sections, provide excellent sea berths. Owners have praised the aft saloon as a favorite feature.
The Volvo auxiliary and saildrive are installed beneath the saloon table. Forward of the saloon, a full galley to port and a large navigation station to starboard flank the living area.
The test boat had three staterooms forward, with a fourth available as an option. The master cabin included an offset Pullman berth and an en suite head. Two guest cabins shared a second head. Neither head had a dedicated shower.
Engine and Performance Under Power
The standard auxiliary is a 75 hp turbocharged Volvo diesel driving a four-blade feathering Maxprop through a saildrive. Opening ports in the saloon table provide excellent service access to the engine, and the in-saloon installation has good sound insulation.
At full throttle and 3,000 rpm, the boat made 8.5 knots. At a cruising speed of 2,300 rpm, she achieved 7.3 knots, while 1,800 rpm produced a steady 6 knots.
Under power, the Cigale 16 proved agile, turning in less than a boatlength and backing with good control. The test boat was also fitted with a bow thruster.
The Verdict
The Cigale 16 is a purposeful aluminum cruiser that combines racing-derived hull ideas with substantial liveaboard space. Lombard’s redesign produced a light, stiff, and quick platform, while the customizable accommodations offer a genuinely seaworthy layout.
It suits sailors who want Ovni-style metal construction without the compromises of a centerboard.
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
- Engine beneath the saloon table offers excellent service access
- Versatile cutter rig with provision for a code zero and A-sails
Cons
- Neither head has a dedicated shower
- The deep fixed keel draws 7 feet 10 inches and limits access to some cruising grounds; a lifting-keel version is optional
- Aluminum construction requires disciplined preventive maintenance
