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• By Tim Murphy
• Updated: January 29, 2003

The Etap 32s is a boat that asks you to choose–between unsinkability on the one hand, and the space of all that foam on the other.

“Unsinkability has never been real high on my list,” said Boat of the Year judge Skip Moyer. “But, then again, to people who sink, it’s a big deal. A life raft is $4,000, and I’d sure as hell rather spend four hours, three days, or a week in that baby with three feet of water in the bilge than I would sitting in a life raft.”

The Etap 32s, like all the boats from this Belgian yard, is built as a hull within a hull, each one of fiberglass in polyester resin laid up by hand. Closed-cell polyurethane foam is injected into the intervening space, providing, in addition to buoyancy, insulation against condensation. The Etap’s stability when flooded, even under sail, is certified by the French merchant marine; the European Union gives it a Category A rating for all oceans. Of the structure, BOTY judge Ralph Naranjo said, “Under way, she was quiet: no rig noises, twisting or flexing.”

Putting aside the buoyancy question, this boat brings together several great ideas.

Two of them put the space of the cockpit to clever use. The unique helm, called EVS for “Etap Vertical Steering,” is a tiller that moves athwartships in a vertical plane. The vertical post is attached by Delrin rack-and-pinion gears to the rudderstock. If you’re accustomed to steering with a conventional tiller, the motion of this one runs counter to everything you’ve ever learned: Push the bar left, and the boat steers left. But as each of our judges learned, any confusion ends quickly. “I really enjoyed steering that boat,” said BOTY judge Carol Hasse. “It’s quite responsive, and the helm felt balanced.” An advantage of the system is that the tiller’s arc is confined to about 12 inches at the aft end of the cockpit, which feels surprisingly spacious yet still narrow enough that even short legs comfortably reach the leeward cockpit settees when the boat’s heeled.

The mainsheet traveler is mounted across the cockpit just forward of the helm; here, too, the builder offers an innovation. When the boat’s at rest, the end-boom, 5-to-1 mainsheet can be quickly detached from the traveler and fixed at the rail, and the quick-release traveler can be removed from the cockpit settees. This way, the cockpit is completely uncluttered from sailhandling controls.

A third item convinced CW’s BOTY judges to give this boat its innovation award; that was Etap’s use of the tandem keel. Akin to a Collins keel, it’s composed of two vertical foils joined by a bulb at their base. An open slot separates the foils. The result is a shoal draft of 4 feet 3 inches and surprising lift.

Some things about the systems installations drew skeptical comments from the judges. “The electrical panel worries me,” said Skip Moyer. “It had most of the circuits hot-wired; there’s no master switch on the panel. If you’ve got a fire in a wire somewhere, I don’t know whether you’re going to have the presence of mind to figure out that it’s in the refrigeration unit, then go and turn the thermostat down. Also, there are long, unfused sections of wire, and the batteries aren’t fused.”

Under power, the Etap was among the quietest third of the boats in this year’s fleet. With the Volvo sail drive at 2,600 rpm pushing us along at 8 knots, noise in the cabin ranged from 74 to 78 decibels. Ralph summed up his impressions: “I like the way she sailed and the structural integrity. All around, a lot of thought went into this boat.”

CW executive editor Tim Murphy directs the magazine’s Boat of the Year program.

####Etap 32s Specs: LOA 32′ 3″ (9.83 m.) LWL 27′ 6″ (8.38 m.) Beam 11′ 3″ (3.43 m.) Draft 4′ 3″ (1.30 m.) Sail Area (100%) 460 sq. ft. (42 sq. m.) Displacement 8,575 lb. (3,890 kg.) Water 45 gal. (170 l.) Fuel 22 gal. (83 l.) Designer Mortain & Mavrikios Sailaway Price $110,000 Sail La Vie, LLC (207) 865-1855 www.EtapUSA.com

• More: 2001 - 2010 , 31 - 40 ft , Coastal Cruising , etap , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats
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Boat Review: Buoyant Etap 28s Delivers Modern Form and Function

Boat review: etap 28s, a double-skinned monohull constructed with enough closed-cell foam to keep the vessel buoyant after a hull breach, has both coastal cruising and offshore appeal..

Photo by Billy Black

This is the only sailboat at most boat shows that will remain afloat even with a bucket-sized hole in the bottom. The design team, comprising Von Ahlen Yacht Design and EtapYachting, have come up with a ship-in-ship double-hull structure with enough closed-cell polyurethane foam between the skins to provide flotation-even if the hull is breached in multiple places. Etaps unsinkable attributes keep the boat afloat with most of its freeboard still showing! Not only does the foam have enough buoyancy to offset the weight of the ballast keel, diesel engine, and all other components, but the foam has been distributed so that a flooded boat would remain stable and be able to make way under reduced sail. This feature can be a significant safety factor to any sailor, but especially to those sailing in colder waters where flotsam or a labyrinth of off-lying reefs can really cause problems.

The Etap 28s is an example of how modern European builders put International Standards Organization standards to the test, and the result is a better boat for consumers. Stability requirements for the ISO Offshore Category B are met using either the 5-foot-7-inch standard keel or a shoal draft 3-foot-6-inch tandem keel. According to the ISO STIX (stability index) method of calculation, the vanishing point of stability is 118 degrees, and the boats wide beam. carried well aft, and wedge-shaped footprint also add to its initial stability. The combined result is good sail-carrying ability and a boat that likes to be sailed flat rather than on high angles of heel.

In addition to setting specific stability requirements, ISO Offshore Category B standards demand commitment to structural benchmarks and the implementation of measures to prevent down-flooding. The result of this comprehensive focus on vessel integrity is a level of seaworthiness appropriate for the proposed usage of a vessel. As a Category B sailboat meant for coastal and short-hop offshore sailing, the Etap 28s is more than up for the task at hand.

With a displacement of 8,400 pounds, the Etap 28s is a stocky pocket cruiser. In addition to offering the fail-safe of positive buoyancy, she sports a spacious cabin for her size, along with a no-nonsense sail plan that makes it an easy boat to sail. However, theres no free lunch, and the extra beam, weight, and volume needed to add space for flotation results in a 28-footer with nearly 11 feet maximum beam. This adds to the skin drag and makes the addition of light-air sails a welcome option.

Etap gets high marks for design innovation, with “unsinkability” gaining plenty of attention. However, the boats Euro-styled blend of form and function has also hit the mark, and the user-friendly interior ranks high among potential buyers. The straight-forward tiller steering and simple sail plan also register as big pluses.

A couple of innovations miss their mark. The toerail is a good example. In essence, its a slightly elevated, tubular alloy structure that sheds water easily, provides quick attachment for lines and fenders, but also presents a hazard to toes unintentionally wedged under the rail. Similarly, the optional vertical tiller (a sort of hybrid cross between a wheel and a tiller) isn’t as user-friendly underway as it might seem on paper. Etaps big win is in the realm of double-hull construction and the safety linked to the boats inherent unsinkability.

In most cases, the designers handle well the task of blending form and function. For example, the anchoring issues caused by a plumb bow are resolved with a nicely fabricated double bow roller that projects far enough to allow an anchor to clear the hull when launched or hoisted. The roller assembly also does double duty as a good asymmetric spinnaker tack point. Just aft of the stem is an anchor locker with a bottom thats mid height in freeboard rather than dropping all the way to the waterline. Its advantage is two-fold: It will fully drain when water enters regardless of tack, and, if flooded, the amount of lost buoyancy is small as compared to many other boats with cavernous anchor wells.

At the aft end of the fore triangle lies a self-tacking jib track that turns the furling headsail into a single-sheet self-tacking sail.

The deck-stepped spar is supported by a substantial compression post, and the wide beam creates shroud geometry that puts less load on the rig and rigging. On the negative side are the large, slick, sloping cabinhouse windows and smooth gelcoat that make up much of the angled coach roof. Its clear that stepping off the grippy nonskid of the side deck can be a slippery prospect.

Good hand rails along the coachroof and efficient line handlers lead halyards, reefing lines, and the crew back to the cockpit. Clearly marked rope clutches allow a single-hander to set sails, trim, and reef from one location. Coping with all the halyard and sheet tails does take some careful organization, but its easy enough to accomplish.

The Selden backstay-less Bergstrom rig is carefully engineered and well supported. As with all Selden installations, theres a completeness to the package that provides a consumer with more than just a mast, boom, and wire. The vang, electrical conduits, and even the Windex placement have been carefully fitted into the overall equation, and the results include user-friendliness and reliability.

The cockpit has a dual-purpose feel. Underway, its a utilitarian pit for sailors who know that a tiller-steered small boat affords the most fun of all. The open transom and big, wide stern with its pull-out boarding ladder add another dimension to cruising fun.

Accommodations

The Etaps wide beam carried aft gives lots of volume below, even after dedicating considerable space for the foam needed to insure reserve buoyancy. The big surprise, however, is the interior design styling. Not only has the company invested in innovative naval architecture, but it has certainly made good use of the available interior space.

Below is a contemporary interior-design theme thats anything but bound to traditional teak, buff colored bulkheads, and dark blue fabrics. Color, texture, and material are a modern blend of warm tones set off by stainless steel, birch trim, and a faux teak sole thats quite utilitarian. There are comfortable berths for weekend cruising, a minimal but functional galley, and separate enclosed head-all commingled in an open, spacious saloon.

Ventilation is adequate for temperate climates, with opening ports and a large foredeck hatch contributing to the air flow. Those cruising hotter climates will no doubt wish that the large, sloping, forward-facing fixed window in the coach was actually another opening hatch.

The engine is well supported on stringers that are integral with the inner hull. This structural approach is substantial and nullifies any movement between the inner hull skin and the outer hull. Good attention to detail can be seen in the wiring and plumbing runs throughout the boat, and the standards set by the ISO seem to be taken quite seriously. However, some of the systems incorporate fuses rather than circuit breakers, a trend we are seeing in more and more new boats, one that may be a step backward rather than forward.

The tanks are heavy-gauge roto-molded plastic held in place with well-shaped bunks and alloy straps. A high-grade aluminum tank, fitted with inspection/cleaning ports is preferable, but a well-made roto-molded tank wont rust and has no welds to fail. The lack of baffles and a small inspection plate in a plastic tank are acceptable if the tank is small, as it is in this case.

Aboard the Etap, the fills for water and diesel fuel are on opposite sides of the deck, but we did notice that the head discharge and intake through-hull fittings are located right next to each other. This may be an adequate approach when using the holding tank, but it is far from ideal when overboard discharge is allowed.

Performance

The 7/8ths Bergstrom alloy rig sports a classic large main and small jib configuration, and the 2-plus-2 batten, full-roach mainsail hoists and stows easily in its stack-pack sail cover. The upside of the no-backstay Bergstrom rig is that it allows the use of a very full-roach mainsail. This can significantly enhance reaching, but due to the angle of the spreader sweep, it doesn’t allow the main to be effectively sheeted for deep reaching and running. This is one reason why a cruising gennaker or asymmetric spinnaker is a good addition to the sail inventory.

In 12 to 15 knots of breeze, the Etap dances along, putting its 438 square feet of working sail area to maximum use. Under lighter conditions, the boats wide beam and moderate displacement take their toll, and the right remedy is the optional genoa hardware package and perhaps a nylon sail for sailing off the wind.

With the mast stepped fairly far forward, the boat balances nicely under main alone, and with an easy to handle self-tacking jib and slab reefing system thats controllable from the cockpit, a single-hander can quickly adapt to a wide range of wind and sea conditions.

Under power, the three-cylinder 19-horsepower Volvo D1 moves the boat at 6 knots and sips fuel in the process. The saildrive is smooth- running and the addition of a reliable diesel in a small cruiser is a big plus. The semi-balanced spade rudder does have a bit of prop-wash flutter, common among boats with props close to the rudder. This was a noticeable effect, but by no means a show-stopper.

Under sail, the rudder, supported by a self-aligning needle bearing, was a pleasure to handle. Extending the bearing up to the cockpit sole would be safer, but this would rule out a below-decks autopilot.

Bottom Line

When all is said and done, the Etap 28s weighs in as a worthy pocket cruiser ready for a daysail, weekend getaway, or a serious summer cruise. A young family or couple looking for a simple-to-sail, quick to get underway coastal cruiser should look closely at what the boat has to offer, keeping in mind that in the unlikely occurrence of a sailors worst nightmare, unsinkability is certainly worth its weight in closed-cell foam.

• Interior Notes: Etap 28s
• Etap 28s Construction Details

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Would like to chat to someone with knowledge of Etap 28i and mods that could be added.

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ETAP 22 - is it a good boat?

• Thread starter carljbray
• Start date 1 Aug 2012

Hi All, I'm new to the forum, and just looking to get started in yacht sailing, after a reasonable bit of experience in crewing yachts with friends/relatives etc, plus dinghy sailing. I'm on the lookout for my first boat and just had a look at an ETAP 22, £4000, year 1980, and could do with some advice: mainly on whether this is considered a good boat, what I should look out for, is this a good price for one of these. ( I realise that it is difficult for people to say without seeing the boat themselves - but any advice given would be appreciated) It had a lifting keel, outboard well (inc motor), was a bit dirty, but apart from that everything looked visually sound (hull, fittings, interior etc) so just cosmetic complaints really, nothing I could see looked wrong Things I'm specifically concerned about: I viewed the boat out of the water, and the owner didn't really want to put it back in - due to the cost involved, but this means I wont get to see it sailed - is it normal for boats to be exchanged dry? the age of the boat, at over thirty years old I didn't really want to get a project, if too much goes wrong with my first boat, I might get put off. Seemed a pretty sound boat to me, considering the age and price, The other thing is I can't really aford a survey, on a boat of this value - would you consider one of these essential? Many thanks for any help Carl  

• 30 Aug 2012

Carl. My first yacht was and etap 22. 1979 model, great little boat and virtually unsinkable due to the double hull. Things to look out for, 1. As it is a lifting keel unless the previous owner had it in a cradle the upper part of the keel never gets any attention and therefore can be quite badly corroded, what type of lifting mechanism does it have? and you should be able to view the keel through a small inspection glass at the side of the keel housing. 2. Is the mast up or down? If down check the lower shroud fastners as these can be cross threaded very easily and are difficult to obtain I think they are called a ball stem fitting. 3. Lift the floor and check the condition of the timber bearers, mine where rotten and needed to be replaced. 4. If you are going to insure the boat it is highly likely the insurer will want a survey. 5. If it is on a trailer and the owner does not want to put her in the water for you then ask yourself why when it could earn him a sale. Otherwise it is normal for the buyer to cover the costs. 6. What condition are the sails in? I could go on and on and I am surprised you haven't had any other advice PM me if I can help you. Si  

Well-known member

The boat has a good reputation. It is double skinned so important to ensure it has not been damaged and badly repaired. Unless you are very confident and prepared to live with the consequences, the question really is can you afford not to have a survey - once you have bought it you have no comeback on the vendor, no matter how serious any problems you have. As suggested you will probably need a survey if you want to insure it other than third party. Quite usual not to be offered a sail particularly if it is not on the water, although you may be able to make it a condition of the final payment that the boat is seen floating and the engine working. Worth buying the RYA book on buying and selling secondhand boats as that goes through the process in detail.  

It's also quite normal to make an offer "subject to survey and/or sea trial". If a boat is in the water and needs to come out, you as a prospective purchaser would have to pay the cost... AS has been said survey money is "Insurance".. I paid £300 ish for a survey on a £6k boat that needed £3k spending for fundamental issues that weren't "visible"... Money well spent  

Carl, for a start surveyors vary enormously in price, shop around. Also there are various grades of survey, from 'insurance' to satisfy them, to 'full' which covers everything. One little thing you could do; put your eye looking along the groove in the aft edge of the mast; gentle curves are fine as it's not set up, but sharp kinks mean bad, expensive news. The advice about keel plate corrosion is spot on, it applies to all lift keel boats, if left on a trailer or ashore with the keel retracted, the plate is inaccessible for maintenace. It's always possible to have a new keel made, I did this for my boat; now we have the original foundry in contact so can get new keels; it may well be possible to keep the original ballast bulb. I don't know about the Etap, but changing keels on my lift keel Anderson 22 is reasonably straightforward, not something you'd do for fun though. Speaking of which, does the keel retract fully on the Etap 22 ? I have a feeling that like the Etap 26 it doesn't, more of a draft reducing measure than a drying mooring user. If this is the case it's going to be very important where you plan to sail from; on the South Coast a deep water mooring is stupidly expensive for a 22' boat ( same price as a 35' fin keeler ) but half tide moorings on soft mud are a fraction of the price, closer to shore and more sheltered too. Don't even think about putting her on a hard sand drying mooring, it would knock any boat to bits. If the keel should be corroded, allow the costs ( say £1,300 ish very roughly for a new galvanised keel plate ) effort and time fitting a new one, you need to be quite handy at engineering DIY or have a good friend who is. Some 'unsinkable' double hull boats are said to collect water in the internal foam, a moisture reading check by a surveyor would be a good idea. If the survey and keel work out OK and you have a decent mooring which suits , it seems a good price.  

The Etap 22 is a good boat. I had one for a good few years before buying my current, bigger, Etap. No arguments with points made by others, but just to add: have a look at the aluminium rudder blade where it goes into the grp casing and check for any cracking; also check that the blade is vertical. The keel does not fully retract; the iron bulb on the end remains outside the hull. With the boat on its trailer the lead screw can be withdrawn for greasing which should be done annually. Depending on age the lead screw is either wound directly or via a pair of bevel gears. In either case it's a slow job involving around 200 turns. For raising and lowering the mast an A frame helps considerably.  

Sans Bateau

• 31 Aug 2012

Several people in the Trail Sail Association have or have had Etap 22s, two I think traded up to larger Etaps. I am a member, membership at £6 or so per annum is pretty cheap. I have not had one but know they have a keel lifted by mulitple turns of a a drive of some sort. I would imagine if that is causing a problem it could be a big one, but I don't know what access is like. Some people adapted battery electric drills to raise and lower the keel. The boat is of foam cored construction and some have said not as prone to condensation because of the insulation. I have a balsa cored deck and am having some problems with water ingress around fittings rotting the balsa core. Gadriel says this is not a problem with Etaps, nevertheless I would look at the boat closely and see if you can spot any signs of external impact damage. Try pressing on the deck especially near any fittings and see if there is any movement which might indecated the skin coming away from the core. Cored areas are bouond to be a little more involved to repair. It ought to be fairly easy to organise a tank or bucket tied to the leg of the outboard to see if that starts and runs. I have just done that on my Jeanneau Tonic with the bottom of the motor 4ft in the air for flushing. Have a look at all the other fittings and do a thorough inspection of the sails, if they are original they are very old, if the boat has been lightly used, trailed and sailed then they may still be servicable, mine are 22yrs old. I have just had the UV strip on the jib replaced as that was UV damaged. Cost £145+VAT inc some repair to the sail. (JKA Pwllheli, took it in Monday 17.00 and it was ready 15.00 Tues. Good Service.) Have a very, very good look at the trailer, jack the wheels up and check the bearings and brakes before towing it anywhere. I bought my boat, and towed it 20 miles home and it was fine but when I stripped the bearings several were in need of replacement. The 22s where sold with a break back trailer so the boat could be launched without getting the wheels wet, is this one of those? Check your vehicle can tow the weight!!!!. Also do you have the appropriate entitlement on your licence to tow that weight? Ideally the boat and trailer with all the bits that are needed for sailing needs to be weighed on a weigh bridge. Quoted weights are often significantly lower than reality. In my case by 350Kgs which made the difference between towing it with an Espace needing a large 4x4 at significant extra expense these days. The boat is a generaly reckoned to be a relatively easily (for its size) trailerable boat, easy to rig and launch, you need to check the keel mechanism is working properly so it really needs to be launched or lifted in slings. If you are new to boating I would suggest a survey for your own peace of mind, you have then done as much as you can not to buy a pig in a poke. It is surprising how the cost of even minor repairs mount up, if you had to do something on the keel that could be major.  

It's £4k. Just buy it and have some fun.  

Bobc said: It's £4k. Just buy it and have some fun. Click to expand...

galadriel said: With respect, to some people £4K is a lot of money. Click to expand...

Do your own survey - RYA do a relevant book, see also Don Casey's Inspecting the Aging Sailboat. Re insurance, Yachting 24 insure fully comp without survey, are underwritten by Pantaenius who have a very good rep, my 1972 Vega is £157 p.a., or you can arrange 3rd party online for £80/£90...  

djbreeze said: Do your own survey - RYA do a relevant book, see also Don Casey's Inspecting the Aging Sailboat. Re insurance, Yachting 24 insure fully comp without survey, are underwritten by Pantaenius who have a very good rep, my 1972 Vega is £157 p.a., or you can arrange 3rd party online for £80/£90... Click to expand...

davidpbo said: Check your vehicle can tow the weight!!!!. Also do you have the appropriate entitlement on your licence to tow that weight? Ideally the boat and trailer with all the bits that are needed for sailing needs to be weighed on a weigh bridge. Quoted weights are often significantly lower than reality. In my case by 350Kgs which made the difference between towing it with an Espace needing a large 4x4 at significant extra expense these days. Click to expand...

DaveS said: My Etap 22 was bought on the Humber and I towed it to the Forth using a 1.6 litre Talbot Alpine. (It was a company car which, as everyone knows, can carry heavier loads and go over rougher ground than a private car...) Progress was slow and the journey took about 10 hours. This was in 1989 and I suspect the towing rules have since been tightened up. Click to expand...

galadriel said: For the sake of clarity, I repeat below the line from my post which it seems has been misunderstood, I have made bold the the key words. "All Etaps are very tough, the 22 no exception. The keel has a large bulb and as others say, to antifoul it you have to suspend the boat in a cradle and lower the keel . We kept ours on a drying mooring in Emsworth where she leaned balanced against a post. Thats cradle, not crane. Click to expand...

Etap 22 In answer to your question - yes it is a good boat. It was our first sailing boat. Bought new 30 years ago. Had never sailed before so launched and quickly learned the ropes. sailed with family, one in a moses basket and other 2 year old. Managed the western isles on a regular basis. Very safe boat. Like a lot of your replies I moved on to a Etap26 and then a 30 as another 2 crew were born into boating. Now sail Bavs. as Etap got too expensive. Getting a feeling of envy now as I reflect so - Buy - sail - enjoy.  

Me_has_a_Boat

carljbray said: Things I'm specifically concerned about: I viewed the boat out of the water, and the owner didn't really want to put it back in - due to the cost involved, but this means I wont get to see it sailed - is it normal for boats to be exchanged dry? Click to expand...

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Etap 21 Yacht Review

Issue: December 2003

The Etap 21 shown here is Peter’s seventh yacht. He and Lucy loved their Cavalier 37, but in the two months they have owned their Etap 21 they used it more often than they used the Cavalier in the last two years of owning the boat. Peter and Lucy are not ordinary sailors. Based on Sydney’s Pittwater, they figured that if they were being honest with themselves their holiday time would allow only limited cruising, as far afield as Port Stephens in the north and Jervis Bay in the south. 

For such trips they were happy to consider a small boat and were prepared to order from France a Pogo Mini-Transat 6.5m racer. The 15-month waiting time put them off and then they saw the Etap 21 ‘ which has a Mini Transat-style hull ‘ the decision was easy. There are two versions of the Etap, the fixed-keeler shown here and a trailable model. Like the Transat racers she has plenty of beam aft and twin rudders. 

Unlike them she has a modest rig (note the roach-free main and fixed backstays) and a neat and comfortable internal fit-out. Unlike them, too, she shares with the rest of the Etap range that unique virtue of being virtually unsinkable. There are other benefits. Peter reports that the foam-filled construction also makes the hull very quiet when sleeping aboard (the slop/slap of water on the thin hull of a small boat can make sleep difficult) and it also eliminates condensation. Peter is a design architect and he is a big fan of the Etap’s engineering detail. 

Note how the stanchions slot into the feet, which also support the tubular toerail. The shroud support struts in the cabin are exquisitely detailed, as are the rudder connecting linkages. The internal mouldings are superb; even the stowage areas are fully lined. Aluminium pads are moulded into the skins to take the loads of aftermarket deck fittings for, say, the asymmetric. 

The builders give you reference points so you know where to drill. A particularly nice touch is the reefing system. On the port side of the main the red reefing line runs through small blocks attached permanently to the sail, one each in luff and leech areas. This is the second reef. On the starboard side is a blue line (or was it green’) also runs through two small blocks; reefing should be fast and easy and winches are not needed. The auxiliary on Peter’s boat is a 5hp Yamaha with fine-pitch prop: ‘Plenty of power’, he said. The layout below does not need a lot of description, as it is open-plan with a vee-berth up front and quarter berths aft. There is a chemical toilet under the cushions forward. 

The cooker is a two-burner metho stove. The sink is connected to removable 10lt plastic jerrycans. Storage space is enhanced by two large removable fabric bags mounted on the hull sides; you can pack your gear at home, carry them on board and set in place for use. The tabletop can also be set in place in both the cabin and the cockpit, and stows away when not needed. As on the bigger Etaps, the mainsheet traveller bridge can be removed when the party get under way in the cockpit. 

The day before we sailed the Etap I had been out on a Beneteau 57, a very fine yacht with electric winches and a bow thruster and electric furlers and interfaced electronics. It is good to get things back into perspective on a boat like the Etap. The mainsail flicks up in a second, the mooring is dropped and off she sails. It takes the owner perhaps a minute to hank on and hoist the jib. At 1100kg the Etap is not race-boat light and she has a conservative rig, but she kicks up her heels and responds cheerfully to any change in wind strength. 

The twin rudders make the steering a bit heavier than a single setup would be, but the advantages quickly become obvious. We had a sea breeze, which ranged from zero to about 15 knots and back to zero in about 30 minutes. At one point there was no perceptible wind and the Etap started to circle. With the first breath of breeze the onlookers could sense on cheek, earlobes or neck the little boat snifffed the breeze and accelerated. 

As the wind builds she heels initially, then the cast-iron bulb keel stiffens her up. And just when you think you may need to reach for the traveller to ease a bit of pressure you realise that the leeward rudder is biting deep into the water and keeps the boat tracking straight. This is the most memorable aspect of the Etap’s behaviour; because the rudders are inclined to the vertical at rest (i.e. their lower tips are canted outwards) the leeward rudder is more or less vertical as the boat heels and it is also pushed deeper into the water as the leeward bilge submerges (and the windward rudder lifts clear.) As a result directional stability is exceptional, vital on short, light hulls, which can get out of sorts when tiller, mainsheet and the skipper’s brain get out of phase with sharp gusts and lulls. Handling the Etap is simple. 

The helmsman can step easily between tiller and mainsheet traveller in the course of a tack. There is a nice Spinlock sliding tiller extension, but with three sailing the skipper did not need to move too far outboard. It was easy to sit on the windward gunwale at quite high angles of heel. At quiet times the crew can stand in the companionway and reach all the control lines. But this Etap is more than just a small, light boat. It is a truly modern hull, short and beamy with twin rudders, and it has the potential for coastal cruising in the right hands. 

The owners of this boat, experienced cruising sailors, intend to do exactly that. People race boats like this ‘ admittedly more extreme (both the boat and the people) ‘ across the Atlantic. A German couple with a young son sailed an Etap 21 around the World. It took three years ‘ the son was two years old when the voyage started, five when it ended. No one is quite sure where they stowed everything. 

This is a delightful and refreshing boat to sail: ‘It gets you back to sailing again’, says Peter, back to the fundamentals. It is a reminder that the real joy of sailing lies in the undiluted responsiveness of a small, light boat. But it has the potential, whether you use it or not, to take you further than you might have thought practical in such a small craft. And because of the qualities of its foam filled hull, it will presumably also do its best to bring you home again. 

Words by Barry Tranter  

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ETAP- any good?

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been researching and ETAPs seem perfect due to unsinkability, smart features geared towards sailors (not just lounge chair skippers), etc.... Anyone have any experience with ETAPS or heard of anything good or bad?  

h20ski, Email me directly and I''ll put you in contact with a fellow I know who owns a very recent vintage Etap 34. His boat was in the Annapolis show a couple of years ago. Etaps are not for everyone but they are one of the few builders out there trying some new things -- check out there EVS steering system for example. It works like a tiller but steers like a wheel (sort of a joystick in some ways.) I really like the boats and would''ve bought an Etap 39s a couple of years ago if I had hit the lottery. You''re about the 3rd person lately I''ve come into contact who''s interested in Etaps. The east coast dealer needs to give me a finder''s fee.  

ETAP is a Belgium builder, not the place you would expect to find a boat so full of the innovation & technology. However, the larger boats are more viable as cruising boats since a fair amount of hull volume is consumed when installing the foam between the hull and interior liner. In addition to the innovative EVS steering system, they now offer a shallow draft version that is a tandem keel. The Practical Sailor review of the 37s (last year?) was favorable but seemed to lack a full appreciation for the boat. ETAPs are quite a different boat but IMO very worthy of consideration if they meet your needs. (BTW don''t forget that boats which can''t sink can still have a fire or suffer a collision; there are still some reasons to carry a raft if crossing an ocean...) Jack  

Jack, My friend with the Etap 34 has the tandem keel. It''s perfect for the Chesapeake for gunkholers. Etap does put a lot of thought into their boats. The marina I''m at now commissions all the Etaps that come in through the Port of Baltimore and the marina owner is very high on the boats also, and he gets to see parts of them none of us can see at boat shows.  

Blue Water Sailing Magazine chose the Etap 39 as one of the boats to be in his short list of " 2002 Annual Gallery of blue water boats". They have said: "In a 400mi sea test of the 39... BWS encountered conditions that ranged from banal to furious. Our observations of the boat''s behaviour offshore were generally positive". ... "We came away suitably impressed with the Etap 39s. She scores high in the usual categories - performance, livability, style- and stands mastheads and shoulders above any other production boat in the realm of safety". Paulo  

The truth is there is nothing particularly unique about ETAP boats. In fact I am not convinced that in the USA they hold their value either. Other boats notably Saddlers in the UK have "unsinability" - it really is not hard to engineer into a boat. But if it is something that appeals to you then go for it. These days there are not too many "bad" boats around. Ultimately you buy what YOU want.  

Johnno said: I am not convinced that in the USA they hold their value either. Click to expand...

I have a 39S and have been nothing but impressed. She has been across the pond twice and performed beautifully in all types of weather and conditions. ....and unsinkable in case the worst happens.  

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Review of Etap 23

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.

The boat is equipped with 4 berths.

Unknown keel type

The keel is made of iron. Many people prefer lead keel in favour of iron. The main argument is that lead is much heavier than iron and a lead keel can therefore be made smaller which again result in less wet surface, i.e. less drag. In fact iron is quite heavy, just 30% less heavy than lead, so the advantage of a lead keel is often overstated.

The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 0.70 - 0.80 meter (2.30 - 2.60 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

An outboard motor is often used on this boat. In that case Etap 23 will typically require a power of 3 - 4 hp, alternatively 66 - 80 lbs thrust if you prefer an electrical motor. Electric outboards are becoming popular for sailboat owners who want clean instant power with less noise and no exhaust fumes.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Etap 23 is 2.19, indicating that this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Etap 23 is about 114 kg/cm, alternatively 638 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 114 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 638 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is a Ballast Ratio?

SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio) Indicates how fast the boat is in light wind: - Cruising Boats have ratios 10-15 - Cruiser-Racers have ratios 16-20 - Racers have ratios above 20 - High-Performance Racers have ratios above 24 Sail-area/displacement ratio (SA/D ratio): 20.95

Maintenance

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Etap 23 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

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Captain of Lynch’s yacht under investigation, lawyer says

 Italian authorities are investigating the captain of the yacht Bayesian for his role in its sinking last week in Sicily, which led to the death of UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch and six others, according to one of the lawyers involved.

James Cutfield, the New Zealand-citizen captain of the luxury vessel, is being investigated for manslaughter and for negligent shipwreck, one of his lawyers confirmed in a message.

The investigation does not imply any guilt or negligence by the captain, but it is a formal step needed for the prosecutors investigating the events to continue the probe.

The victims of the Bayesian sinking were likely either asleep or tried to escape as Lynch’s yacht went down in minutes during bad weather, prosecutors in Sicily said on Saturday. Deputy prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano told reporters Cutfield had been “very cooperative” in answering questions.

Details on what happened to the victims aren’t fully clear, Cammarano said last week. Prosecutors have said they are limited in what they can communicate to the press lest it prejudice the investigation.

Of the 22 passengers in the boat, 15 were rescued on Aug. 19. Besides Lynch, Morgan Stanley International chair Jonathan Bloomer was among the victims found dead.

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Captain of sunken superyacht placed under investigation

A judicial source said monday that the captain's role was part of the manslaughter investigation..

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Italian prosecutors have placed under investigation the captain of the superyacht that sank off Sicily last week in a storm, killing British tech magnate Mike Lynch and six other people, a judicial source said on Monday.   James Cutfield, a 51-year old New Zealand national, is being investigated for manslaughter and shipwreck, the source said, confirming earlier reports by Italian media.   Being placed under investigation in Italy does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will necessarily follow. Notices to people under investigation need to be sent out before authorities can carry out the autopsies on the bodies of the dead.   The decision was made after Cutfield was interrogated for a second time. Reuters has been unable to contact Cutfield.

• Italy launches manslaughter investigation into mysterious sinking of luxury yacht

Six killed in shipwreck

The British-flagged Bayesian, a 56-metre-long yacht, was carrying 22 people when it capsized and sank on Monday within minutes of being hit by a pre-dawn storm while anchored off northern Sicily.   Fifteen people survived, including Lynch's wife, whose company owned the Bayesian. Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, was among the victims.   While the yacht had been hit by a sudden meteorological event, it was plausible that crimes of multiple manslaughter and causing a shipwreck through negligence had been committed, the head of the public prosecutor's office of Termini Imerese, Ambrogio Cartosio, said on Saturday.

How the Bayesian superyacht sank in minutes | About That

• Body of British businessman Mike Lynch recovered from deadly Italian yacht sinking

Cutfield and his eight surviving crew members have made no public comment yet on the disaster.   "The Bayesian was built to go to sea in any weather," Franco Romani, a nautical architect who was part of its design team, told daily La Stampa in an interview published on Monday.   He said the yacht could have taken on water from a side hatch that was left open.

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• CBC Explains How did the superyacht Bayesian sink? Experts say weather was just one factor
• What we know about the capsized superyacht off the Sicilian coast
• Canadian dead, several others missing after superyacht capsizes off Sicilian coast

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• August 5, 2009

Launched in 1995, the 30i featured several novelties: a removable mainsheet track, several wing keel options and ‘EVS’ steering. The boat is stiff and sea-kindly under sail, well-suited to short-handed or family cruising, but t he standard rig, which features a non-overlapping, self-tacking headsail, leaves her decidedly undercanvassed in light to moderate winds. The bright, cosy saloon – spacious for a 30-footer – has plentiful stowage in lockers along the gunwales, a centrally mounted dining table, a good-sized chart table with plenty of room for instruments, and a workable, L-shaped galley. The heads compartment is surprisingly roomy, with ample hanging space for wet oilskins. The aft cabin has a 6ft by 5ft double berth and the forepeak vee-berth is sealed off from the main cabin with two sliding doors.

LOA 9.35m (30ft 7in) LWL 8m (26ft 3in) Beam 3.16m (10ft 4in) Draught 1m or 1.7m (3ft 3in or 5ft 7in) Displacement 3,600kg (7,937lb) with shoal draught keel or 3,500kg (7,716lb) with deep keel YM test report February 1996