ETAP 22I Buyer's Guide
The ETAP 22i is a 22-foot Belgian trailerable cruiser built by ETAP Yachting from 1983 to 1996, with 550 completed. On the used market she appeals to sailors wanting a road-legal, unsinkable pocket cruiser with a lifting keel rather than a fixed-keel daysailer. Knowing her standard layout and the few failure points will sharpen any brokerage search.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 22i shares the same De Ridder-designed hull: a fractional sloop with a weighted bulb lifting keel raised by an on-deck worm gear, a transom-hung rudder on tiller, and solid fiberglass hull and deck with closed-cell foam compartmentation for unsinkability. Below, the bow cabin holds a double V-berth with the head underneath, and the main cabin carries two straight settee quarter berths plus a centerline table that drops leafs. The food prep areas sit to port and starboard just aft of the forward cabin, fitted with a two-burner stove and sink. A stern well houses the standard outboard. With sleeping for four and a towing weight near 3,000 pounds, the layout is consistent across the class — no alternative interior plans were offered.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A spinnaker is commonly fitted, extending light-air range on this already overrigged rig. Often-seen upgrades cluster around power and short-handed control: solar panels, an inverter, autopilot, and a chartplotter are frequent, and many boats carry a short-handed setup that simplifies sail handling for a couple. These additions matter more than creature comforts when evaluating a specific listing, since the base boat already includes good-quality winches and clutches.
What to Inspect
The lifting keel is the one documented trouble spot. The 518-pound cast-iron keel must slide easily on its nylon guides, and any knocking of the keel against its casing heard while raising or lowering it signals potential major repair anchor. Cycle the keel fully at the viewing and listen carefully before proceeding.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up across Germany, Romania, Belgium, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. For a shopper, the checklist is short: confirm the keel operates silently on its guides, verify the foam-sandwich hull shows no casing impact, and check that the standard outboard well and split galley are intact. A clean-keel 22i is a rare blend of trailerable draft, unsinkable construction, and four-berth cruising.
- Listen for lifting-keel knocking; silence on the guides is mandatory
- Confirm foam compartmentation and solid glass hull/deck condition
- Verify stern-well outboard, split galley, and four-berth layout present
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the ETAP 22I. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 1 | $14,924 | — |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $11,338 | -24.0% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $9,968 | -12.1% |
| Mar 26 | 2 | $11,280 | +13.2% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $11,498 | +1.9% |
| May 26 | 3 | $8,787 | -23.6% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $15,618 | +77.7% |
Where they're listed
ETAP 22I listings appear across 6 countries. Germany has the most listings with 5 (45.5%), followed by Romania and Belgium.
Country view
11 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | $14,924 | 5 | 1 | 45.5% |
| Romania | $10,955 | 2 | 0 | 18.2% |
| Belgium | $12,147 | 1 | 1 | 9.1% |
| United Kingdom | $8,787 | 1 | 0 | 9.1% |
| Hungary | $5,785 | 1 | 0 | 9.1% |
| Netherlands | $9,968 | 1 | 0 | 9.1% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETAP 21i | 21.52' | $ 15,897 | 33 | 12 |
| Friendship 22 | 23.95' | $ 9,168 | 14 | 3 |
| ETAP 22IYou are here | — | $ 11,338 | 11 | 2 |
| J-Boats J/22 | 22.5' | $ 10,000 | 11 | 4 |
| Fox Terrier 22 | 22.08' | $ 23,080 | 11 | 0 |