Good point about the weight and windage, cdragon. This can be a nuisance in harbor; my Ovni is more restless there than many other boats, partly due to windage and in part because of the wide, relatively flat transom. Curiously, it is quite opposite while sailing: calm, controlled movements, a real heavy-boat feel.
Weight-wise there is a bit of give-and-take: obviously one doesn't have to hang a
dinghy at the back, but if you do, you are up for supports anyway. It is also a support for a bimini, saving one set of tubular supports. The
radar actually gives a weight/momentum advantage compared to having it in the mast. Above all, it is a much more rigid structure compared with most after-fits. Some items, like a windmill, are going to put this much weight up high no matter how you swing it.
As for looks, I am a Formula 1 fan and kind of like the "wing" back there :-)
On the latest two models it appears that Alubat too wanted more "elegance", but to me their new streamlined and smooth targas are just less practical.
BTW, another company, Allures, appears to have an innovation both in looks and weight. They combine an alu hull with a fibreglass top/-cockpit, otherwise they are remarkably like Ovni in function.
Obviously, weight distribution is important on centerboarders. Perhaps this is why Alubat doesn't do a pilothouse. To me, some form of doghouse or inside steering position would be No.1 desire on blue water, both for safety and comfort. We are not always in the tropics.
