Aluminum cruising boats from French builders like Garcia, Boréal and Alubat have been gaining traction in the United States over the past several years. These heavy-duty so-called “adventure cruisers” are versatile and, of necessity, conservatively rigged, with centerboards that both reduce draft and allow owners to beach their vessels with impunity. For many years Alubat has also offered a high-performance alternative to its centerboard Ovni range, the ULDB Cigale line, which features deep fixed keels, much taller rigs and lighter construction. The first Cigale 16 ever shown in the United States appeared at Annapolis last fall, and we were anxious to get aboard.
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
The original Cigale 16, as designed by Jean-Marie Finot back in the 1990s, was loosely based on then-current Open 60 designs, with round bilges, tons of beam carried aft
