WHAT''S AN ETAP?

KenD · #1 (**permalink**) 01-21-2003

Do any of you own an etap saw a couple on the net. seems to be rather inexpensive for such a new boat. Is it something to stay away from,not sure if it would pass the good ole boat test.A brag mag gave them an award for inovation(vertical tiller,unsinkable(they said that of the titanic)and something else but can''trecall it now)Are they Racers,Cruisers, or something in between?

SailorMitch · #2 (**permalink**) 01-21-2003

Etap''s are made in Belgium and have been around a long time. They make very good boats from what I have seen. The unsinkability comes from injecting foam between two skins of the hull -- thus you lose some interior volume.

Etap was in the US market in the ''80''s and left when the recession hit. They are making a comeback now with some new models. The new 37 looks interesting on the website, and the 39 is a knockout boat.

I know a woman who bought a 1980''s vintage Etap 30 a couple of years ago and loves it. She bought it from a couple who bought a new Etap 34 that was in the Annapolis boat show two years ago. The 30 sails nicely. I can''t vouch for the sailing characterisics of the others.

The vertical tiller is very cool in operation. Looks and acts very much like a joystick in an airplane.

One big problem with them is dealer support. Right now the only dealer I know of is the importer in Maine. But they do work with local marinas to commission boats. It just so happens that many of the boats come in through the port of Baltimore and a marina up the creek from me commissions the ones for the east coast. I know the owner of that marina and he is very high on the boats. He lets me snoop around on them occasionally.

The Etaps have several unique features that may not appeal to everyone, but they are worth a look IMHO.

Denr · #3 (**permalink**) 01-21-2003

ETAP is an electronic beer dispenser

SailorMitch · #4 (**permalink**) 01-21-2003

Denr,

I was all set for an Etaphuntalina from you. You''re slipping!

kokopelli9 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-21-2003

He is slipping isn''t he? Not been the same since he got back from vacation... too much of the good life, I guess.

WHOOSH · #6 (**permalink**) 01-21-2003

Ken, I''ll second Mitch''s description. Etaps are a great example, sailing and engineering qualities aside, of how stillborn innovation is among the household brands of sailboats these days. But you will have to make do with less volume in the boat. Based on my "let''s take that, we''ve got the room" tendencies, that''s not a bad thing.

Jack

JeffC_ · #7 (**permalink**) 01-25-2003

A short write-up of the Etap 32 can be read in the January 2003 issue of <em>Cruising World</em> magazine. It''s featured as one of the mag''s picks for Boat of the Year.

SailorMitch · #8 (**permalink**) 01-25-2003

Actually, the Cruising World article is in the February 2003 issue (page 108). They gave the Etap 32 their award for most innovative boat in their 2003 Boat of the Year contest.

cheapshacht · #9 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by SailorMitch

I know a woman who bought a 1980''s vintage Etap 30 a couple of years ago and loves it. She bought it from a couple who bought a new Etap 34 that was in the Annapolis boat show two years ago. The 30 sails nicely. I can''t vouch for the sailing characterisics of the others.

My wife and I bought this particular boat recently. The previous owner you speak of took exceptional care of the boat. Although we've only had the boat out twice since we bought in early December, it sails very well. The interior is nice and cozy, and isn't significantly smaller than other boats her size. I will say that you lose more interior space from the low deck house and the wide decks than you do from the double hull feature. Most of the foam is concentrated in the ends of the boat, though there is some distributed throughout amidships.

The only real drawback to the boat are the short genny lead tracks. They don't leave much room for adjustment and adding longer tracks is impractical given the deck configuration and construction.

cheap

Etap 30 "Cadence II", USA108

Giulietta · #10 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007

The Etaps were real popular here in Europe in the mid 80's. I had a lot of friends that had all kinds of ETAP... They all had a red stripe on the hull.

Altough its true they do not sink, a real life test was done to one here in the end of the 80's and was deliberatley sunk...

It does not sink but water inside gets to above your knees. The water level inside will raise to the seating part of the sofas.

The theory they had is that its safer to stay on the boat and take a beating than to abandon ship...however....for it to work, the sails must be down otherwise, it can capsize and stay......

They still sell and must admit they look better now than they ever did..

Here they are classics...you have a good boat...all the best with it

http://www.etapyachting.com/index.php?pageID=28

G