Alubat
Alubat Chantier Naval is a French shipbuilder, founded 1973 in Les Sables-d'Olonne, that designs and manufactures 100% aluminum sailing yachts under the OVNI and CIGALE brands for bluewater cruisers and offshore racers, selling directly via its shipyard, boat shows, and refit/second-hand channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersLes Sables-d'olonne, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Alubat does
Alubat Chantier Naval SAS is a French shipbuilder founded in 1973 in Les Sables-d'Olonne that designs, manufactures, and sells 100% aluminum sailing yachts dedicated to bluewater cruising and offshore sailing. The company's core technology is full-aluminum monohull construction — hull, deck, roof, and cockpit in aluminum, fully welded inside and out — with integral lifting-keel (dériveur intégral) and lifting-bulb configurations that allow access to shallow anchorages without sacrificing deep-water capability. The catalog centers on two product lines: the OVNI range of integral-keel cruising yachts (models from ~28 to 49 feet including the OVNI 36, 370, 435, 450, and the new flagship OVNI 490), and the CIGALE range of higher-performance aluminum offshore cruisers (~15-16 m, including the Cigale 16 and the upcoming Cigale 15 QR co-developed with Finot-Conq for spring 2027). Alubat also offers an OVNICAT aluminum catamaran line and bespoke one-off construction. The company has built 1,600+ vessels across its ~49-year history and has been recognized with the European Yacht of the Year award.
The business model is direct-to-consumer custom manufacturing. Each boat is built to order at the single Les Sables-d'Olonne shipyard, with the buyer fitting out specifications during construction; pricing is quote-based, with new-boat ASPs in the high six- to seven-figure EUR range implied by second-hand resale prices of €180K-€700K for vessels built between 1994 and 2018. Alubat generates additional revenue from a certified second-hand boat channel (refurbished in-house) and from a refit/SAV service operation that handles restoration, repainting, and maintenance for aluminum yachts. Customers are individual owners (HNW sailors, circumnavigators, offshore racers) reached through shipyard visits, three major French boat shows (Grand Pavois La Rochelle, Nautic de Paris, Nautique St Malo), the Virtual Marina online experience, and curated owner travel blogs that feed an independent community (OVNICLUB, founded 2007).
The operating structure is small: a privately held SAS with €680,000 registered capital and 11-50 employees spanning chaudronniers, peintres, menuisiers-ébénistes, and accastilleurs. Recent strategic activity includes the December 2021 appointment of Luc JURIEN as shipyard director, the introduction of hybrid/electric propulsion in partnership with BellMarine on the OVNI 490, and a new product launch cadence anchored by the Cigale 15 QR debut slated for spring 2027.
Alubat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alubat
- Legal name
- SAS Alubat Chantier Naval
- Website
- https://alubat.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Alubat Chantier Naval is a French shipbuilder, founded 1973 in Les Sables-d'Olonne, that designs and manufactures 100% aluminum sailing yachts under the OVNI and CIGALE brands for bluewater cruisers and offshore racers, selling directly via its shipyard, boat shows, and refit/second-hand channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Alubat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Les Sables-d'olonne
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Alubat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- New Boat Sales: Direct sales of custom-built 100% aluminum sailing yachts (OVNI and CIGALE lines) manufactured at the Les Sables d'Olonne shipyard. Boats are built to order with custom fitting options.
- Refit and After-Sales Services: Comprehensive refit services for existing boats including restoration, repainting, control, and reconditioning by the Alubat workshop. Full after-sales service and maintenance.
- Second-Hand Boat Sales: Sale of pre-owned Alubat vessels that have been inspected, reconditioned and certified by the shipyard's refit workshop. Prices range from €180,000 to €700,000.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom new boat construction - prices vary by model and specifications |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Alubat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alubat Chantier Naval designs, manufactures, and sells 100% aluminum sailing yachts for bluewater cruising and offshore sailing. The portfolio centers on two product families — the OVNI line of integral-draft/lifting keel yachts (28–49 ft) and the CIGALE line of high-performance offshore cruisers (15–16 m) — built to order with full aluminum hull, deck, roof, and cockpit welded construction. The shipyard also delivers refit and after-sales services, certified second-hand boat sales, and custom one-off constructions from its Les Sables d'Olonne, France facility.
Product overview
Alubat Chantier Naval designs, constructs and commercializes 100% aluminum sailing yachts for bluewater cruising since 1973. The product portfolio centers on two main sailing yacht lines: the OVNI line (integral-draft aluminum yachts dedicated to ocean exploration, available in sizes from 28 to 49 feet with over 1,600 units built) and the CIGALE line (high-performance aluminum offshore cruisers developed with Finot-Conq architects, including the new Cigale 15 QR launching in 2027). Alubat also offers OVNICAT aluminum catamarans and custom one-off constructions. Services include a Virtual Marina for 360-degree virtual boat visits, plus Refit/SAV workshop services for renovation of used boats. The company is headquartered in Les Sables d'Olonne, France, with over 49 years of experience in aluminum welding and boat building.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,600+ aluminum sailing yachts built and sailing worldwide in 49 years
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Alubat
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Alubat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Alubat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- OVNICLUBminorIndependent community portal created by passionate long-distance cruisers and voyage boat enthusiasts in 2007. Enables knowledge exchange and experience sharing among aluminum sailing boat owners.
- Philippe BriandcoreRenowned naval architect who designed the OVNI 435 and other OVNI models. His architectural expertise contributes to the performance and safety characteristics of OVNI sailing yachts.
- Finot-ConqcorePrestigious naval architecture firm, original creators of the first Cigale models, collaborating on the new Cigale 15 QR development. Brings extensive experience in offshore sailing yacht design.
- Marc LombardcoreNaval architect who designed the Cigale 16, contributing to the high-performance characteristics of this offshore racing sailing yacht.
- Arnaud BoissièresminorProfessional sailor and OVNI owner who produces the MasterClass video series with Alubat, educating prospective buyers on blue water cruising preparation and OVNI capabilities.
- Agence WATTminorWeb agency based in Château d'Olonne responsible for the design and development of Alubat's French and English websites.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Alubat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Catana Group: French builder of performance cruising catamarans (Catana and Bali brands). Overlaps with Alubat's premium bluewater customer base, though focused on multihulls rather than aluminum monohulls.
- Outremer Yachting: French performance cruising catamaran builder. Targets a similar high-end bluewater segment as Alubat but with composite catamarans; competes for the same discretionary buyer.
Direct peers
- Allures Yachting: French builder of aluminum sailing yachts for bluewater cruising, with semi-custom and custom series. Most directly comparable to Alubat's OVNI line in terms of materials, customer profile, and geography.
- Garcia Yachts: French aluminum sailing yacht builder specializing in bluewater cruising and exploration vessels. Comparable to Alubat in target customer, build philosophy, and home port region.
- Boreal Yachts: Norwegian builder of aluminum lifting-keel sailing yachts for long-distance cruising. Closely comparable product offering and customer segment to Alubat's OVNI range.
- RM Yachts (Fora Marine): French builder offering aluminum sailing yachts alongside composite models, focused on bluewater cruising. Directly competes with Alubat in the French aluminum cruising niche.
- Meta Yachts: Dutch aluminum sailing yacht builder for ocean cruising. Comparable to Alubat in material choice, customer profile, and one-off/semi-custom build approach.
Others
- Sunreef Yachts: Polish luxury catamaran builder serving the superyacht end of the bluewater cruising market. Targets adjacent high-net-worth buyers with similar discretionary-spending profile to Alubat customers.
Broad incumbents
- Beneteau Group: Global mass-market sailboat and motorboat manufacturer (Beneteau, Jeanneau, Lagoon brands). Broader incumbent with overlapping dealer networks; competes indirectly in the cruising sailboat category.
- X-Yachts: Danish performance cruising yacht builder. Competes for premium European bluewater buyers with composite construction; a broader incumbent in the same price band as Alubat.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alubat social profiles
Digital presenceAlubat compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Alubat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alubat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Alubat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alubat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alubat
What does Alubat do?
Alubat Chantier Naval designs, manufactures, and sells 100% aluminum sailing yachts for bluewater cruising and offshore sailing. The portfolio centers on two product families — the OVNI line of integral-draft/lifting keel yachts (28–49 ft) and the CIGALE line of high-performance offshore cruisers (15–16 m) — built to order with full aluminum hull, deck, roof, and cockpit welded construction. The shipyard also delivers refit and after-sales services, certified second-hand boat sales, and custom one-off constructions from its Les Sables d'Olonne, France facility.
Is Alubat a public or private company?
Alubat is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Alubat founded?
Alubat was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Alubat based?
Alubat is headquartered in Les Sables-d'olonne, France, in the Europe region.
How does Alubat make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. New Boat Sales are the primary driver. The others are refit and After-Sales Services and second-Hand Boat Sales.
Who are Alubat's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Catana Group and Outremer Yachting. Direct peers are Allures Yachting, Garcia Yachts, Boreal Yachts, RM Yachts (Fora Marine) and Meta Yachts. Sunreef Yachts is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Beneteau Group and X-Yachts.
Does Alubat have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alubat.