# ETap 30



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Looking for opinions on the etap30 as far as construction,sailing ability,possible repair problems in which the foam core will make a trained cockroach unable to get to,Do they hold their value.Am I better off looking at Hunters?


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## jack_patricia (May 20, 2001)

Ken, an Etap is far more heavily engineered than a Hunter in that virtually all the technology that allows Etap to build a non-sinkable boat these days, affordably, had to be invented by them. They own the game. Moreover, the in-water tests they must pass are very thorough (altho'' not dynamic) and relate not just to keeping the boat afloat but also being able to sail it, flooded. And as if this isn''t enough of a challenge, they already meet some of the strictest emissions standards that have yet to go into effect in Europe re: how they handle the chemicals.

Etaps are also good sailers. Their weakness is interior volume, as the foam has to live somewhere. The bigger the Etap, the less this becomes an absolute problem altho'' even the bigger boats lack comparable storage to their (sinkable) competitors.

How do you plan to use the boat? There''s an interesting conflict, in a sense, between Etaps being the ''best'' of offshore boats because they can''t sink and the smaller ones lacking the amount of space a long passage can require. But these are clever, clever boats. I''d encourage you to try and see one of the newer ones if you can. And their newest technology is going to make the flotation cheaper to add and take even less space. These folks aren''t coasting...

Jack


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Jack
I was planning on coastal cruising in and around the chesapeake bay is this boat overkill my wife is a bit afraid of the idea of being away from land and sinking or worst. we both enjoy sailing but the safety of this boat is reassuring,I suppose the interior volume wouldnot be missed as long as we can have room for us and a couple of grandchildren occasionaly thanks for imput kd


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## jerry_macalpine (Jan 14, 2004)

Hi KenD,

We''ve got an ETAP 21i, and you would be very, *very* surprised at what they''ve fit into the cabin, even at that size. It''s snug, but you''ve got the added benefit of all that insulation in terms of staying cool (or warm) and no condensation. We''re just getting into the sailing game, and this boat absolutely fits the bill in terms of ease of mind from a safety standpoint. Regarding resale, all I can say is you see very few ETAP boats on the market, so I''m guessing people hold on to them. Good luck on your search!


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

Ken,

I''ve been a fan of Etaps for years, going back to the ''80''s when they were first in the US market. The bad economy of the late ''80s and early ''90s scared off a lot of European manufacturers, as well as driving lots of good US manufacturers into bankruptcy. Anyway, it''s good to see Etap back in the US market.

Whoosh gave you a good sypopsis of the company and how then build boats. Etap also is one of the few inventive boat builders out there today, over and above the unsinkability of their boats.

If the 30 suits your needs, go for it. Your wife will enjoy the unsinkable aspect (I looked at Etaps in the 80''s for the same reason) and the boats also are very well made and sail well. They have lots of features I like -- the deck non-skid and the aluminum toe rail being two on deck. I would not say the boat is overkill for the Chesapeake (my home waters) either.


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