AmericAn sAiling Aesthetics
have evolved—some might
say devolved—from the Corinthian era of English yachts,
with their elegant sheer lines;
sumptuous, round bilges;
and balanced overhangs garnished with burled woods
coated in thumb-thick varnish.
Thus, my...
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AmericAn sAiling Aesthetics
have evolved—some might
say devolved—from the Corinthian era of English yachts,
with their elegant sheer lines;
sumptuous, round bilges;
and balanced overhangs garnished with burled woods
coated in thumb-thick varnish.
Thus, my senses were at
first assaulted by the utilitarian harshness of the Ovni 395.
Its undisguised hard chines,
straight sheer, nearly plumb
stem, wide platform stern,
and unpainted aluminum
hull took time to get used to
when I first saw it at the dock.
However, out on Chesapeake
Bay, it became clear from the
first setting of the sails that
Philippe Briand has designed
a true no-nonsense, bluewater-busting cruiser.
But the Ovni 395 isn’t limited to oceans alone; its centerboard can reduce draft to 23
inches.
Equipped with both
a protective propeller skeg
and a flat grounding plate,
the Ovni sets up an owner for
shoal-water exploration, and
even the option of drying out
on a beach.
Chantier Alubat, regarded
since 1973 as Europe’s leade
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