WHAT''S AN ETAP?

[SailorMitch]

Originally Posted by cgschaefer

Sorry about that! Yup, I'm one and the same. "Duck Sloop" is now "Cadence II" and we sail out of Herrington Harbour South.

I had heard that there was another Etap 30 on the West River but I haven't been able to locate any additional information on it. If you hear of anyone with an Etap 30 on the Bay (or someplace else for that matter), please let me know. There aren't a lot of us in the States!

Carl

Etap 30, USA 108
"Cadence II"

Carl,

Just a couple of weeks ago I talked to the first owner of your boat (Al Horton) at Oak Harbor Marina in Pasadena, MD. Al had his Etap 34 hauled there for bottom painting. he's a good guy. Anyway, I mentioned that his old boat was at Herrington Harbor and he said that is where he kept her when he first bought her. Small world, huh?

Fair winds!

[cheapshacht]

Originally Posted by SailorMitch

Carl,

Just a couple of weeks ago I talked to the first owner of your boat (Al Horton) at Oak Harbor Marina in Pasadena, MD. Al had his Etap 34 hauled there for bottom painting. he's a good guy. Anyway, I mentioned that his old boat was at Herrington Harbor and he said that is where he kept her when he first bought her. Small world, huh?

Fair winds!

It is indeed.

After nearly a full season sailing my Etap 30, I can say that I truly like the boat. She sails quite well and she is surprisingly easy to sail single or shorthanded. Although she isn't a racing boat, we have raced her occasionally on Herring Bay. We haven't done especially well (finishing most often in mid-fleet) but I suspect that it isn't her rating but the fact that she has a 2-blade fixed prop and a very bagged out 140% genoa (which, by the way, is the largest headsail you can fly on this boat, given the original genny track placement and length). I hope to replace the sail with a new one next year and replace the current prop with a Geartec folder.

We have one big project this winter - replace the wood cockpit seats. They are beginning to rot. Otherwise, the boat is in great shape and we're pretty happy with our purchase.

Take care,
Carl

Cadence II, Etap 30, USA108

[cgschaefer]

Well, it seems that a new folding prop on the Saildrive and a new head sail from North Sails is all it took to totally transform this boat from a very nice cruiser to a very competitive and fast boat. We gained speed with the folding prop and "point" with the new headsail. She can keep up with boats with much greater LOA. We're doing very well in local beer can and distance races (she really likes the distance races) and we're heading down to Screwpile in a few weeks.

It's too bad there aren't more of these boats in the States. I would love to start a owners association for owners in the States.

Take care,
Carl

Carl Schaefer
"Cadence II"
Etap 30, USA108