Design and Construction
The 22i is built mainly of fiberglass with wood trim. Both hull and deck are solid glass rather than cored laminates. Its defining structural feature is closed-cell foam sandwich compartmentation, which makes the boat unsinkable. In a 2010 review, Steve Henkel described it as a double-hull sandwich with closed-cell polyurethane in the middle, a construction that also adds stiffness. He observed that the double skin helps keep the interior cool in direct sun and warm on cold nights. Henkel noted that this construction also adds stiffness.
The lifting keel has a 518-pound cast-iron weighted bulb. A worm gear operated from the deck raises and lowers it, allowing the boat to be transported over land on a trailer or taken into shallow water.
With an 8.1-foot beam and a displacement of 2,149 pounds, the 22i has a 24-percent ballast ratio and a capsize screening value of 2.51. Those figures place it among light-displacement racer-cruisers rather than offshore passagemakers.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The 22i has a Bermuda fractional sloop rig, a raked stem, and a plumb transom. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 17.6 with the ISO reference sail, rising to 20.2 with a 135-percent genoa. A review on yachtdatabase.com found that the boat carries more rig than 96 percent of comparable sailboats, making it significantly overrigged for its length. Its theoretical hull speed is 5.7 knots.
The transom-mounted rudder and tiller keep the steering simple, while the deck-operated keel makes trailering and shallow-water sailing straightforward. The lifting-keel geometry is the boat’s defining handling compromise, however, rather than a defect.
Accommodations
The 22i sleeps four. A double V-berth fills the bow cabin, with the head tucked beneath it. In the main cabin, two straight settee quarter berths flank a folding center table.
Cooking areas are arranged on both sides just behind the bow cabin and include a two-burner stove and a sink. Henkel rated the boat’s headroom and maximum speed at the top of its peer group. He also noted that its trailer towing weight is within striking distance of 3,000 pounds—light enough for a family SUV and a standard trailer.
Equipment and Support
As delivered, the 22i normally carries an outboard in a stern well. Good-quality clutches and winches were standard hardware. Henkel also highlighted the optional “legs” for drying out on the hard as a thoughtful extra.
He praised the builder’s fit and finish as very good. The boat was also supported at one time by a class club, the ETAP Owners Association.
Known Issues
Henkel identified the lifting keel as the one configuration that could be a weak point. He wrote that all is well as long as the 518-pound cast-iron keel slides easily on its nylon guides and no knocking against the casing is detected. If knocking is heard, the boat may require major fixing.
A prospective buyer or current owner should therefore cycle the keel through its full range and listen for contact with the casing.
The Verdict
The ETAP 22i is a clever small cruiser that trades offshore ambition for trailerable flexibility and genuine unsinkability. Its overrigged fractional sloop, lifting bulb keel, and foam-sandwich hull set it apart among light racers of this size. At the same time, the four-berth interior and split galley provide useful cruising accommodation.
The lifting keel calls for careful inspection, but the boat’s build quality and road-going weight remain appealing.
Pros
- Unsinkable closed-cell foam sandwich construction that also adds stiffness
- Trailerable, with a deck-operated worm-gear lifting keel for shallow water
- Overrigged fractional sloop with top-of-class speed potential
- Four-berth layout with a head and split galley in 22 feet
Cons
- The lifting keel can knock in its casing and may require major repair
- Light displacement and a 2.51 capsize screening value limit its offshore scope
