ETAP 23 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used ETAP 23 means looking at a trailerable sailboat built between 1982 and 1989, with a lifting keel and foam-sandwich hull that was marketed as unsinkable. She is a compact coastal cruiser rather than a bluewater voyager, and the smart buyer weighs her novel construction against the realities of a 30-plus-year-old small boat.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 23 was offered with a single interior plan: sleeping for four via a bow V-berth and two main-cabin settee quarter berths around a drop-leaf table. The galley is on the port side aft of the bow cabin with a two-burner stove, icebox, and sink, and the head sits under the V-berth. The transom-hung rudder and tiller steer a plumb-transom hull, while the weighted bulb lifting keel retracts for trailing. Expect the wide beam to make the modest length feel roomier than a typical 24-footer.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Original boats carried an outboard well in the cockpit near the helm, which remains the key auxiliary arrangement to verify. Because no prevalence tier lists commonly fitted or often-seen upgrades, any added gear should be read as a sometimes-seen or owner-initiated change rather than standard. Buyers should focus on the consequence items — a serviced outboard sized to the well, sound canvas for the cockpit, and a functional galley set — rather than treating electronics or comfort add-ons as expected.
What to Inspect
The defining known feature is the double-skin foam construction between fiberglass layers double skinned, with foam between outside and aside layers of fiberglass, which testers credited with hull stiffness and unsinkability even when flooded. Inspect for any breach of that sealed sandwich, since a compromised skin defeats both flotation and dry-cabin behavior. The wide-beam interior finish in mahogany and/or teak with brass hardware should be checked for rot at wood trim and corrosion at fittings. The lifting keel mechanism and the transom-hung rudder bearings are moving parts worth close review, as is the outboard well for cracking or softness.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the ETAP 23 are the Netherlands, Germany, and France. For a buyer, the checklist is short: confirm the foam sandwich is intact and dry, cycle the lifting keel fully, verify the rudder and tiller play, and assess the wood and brass for age. A clean example rewards with a quiet, unsinkable, trailerable cruiser that four can use for weekends.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the ETAP 23. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $10,426 | — |
| Oct 25 | 2 | $8,678 | -16.8% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $11,329 | +30.5% |
| May 26 | 1 | $6,815 | -39.8% |
Where they're listed
ETAP 23 listings appear across 3 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 3 (50.0%), followed by Germany and France.
Country view
6 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $11,532 | 3 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Germany | $9,552 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% |
| France | $5,824 | 1 | 0 | 16.7% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeanneau Tonic 23 | 23.94' | $ 11,532 | 17 | 6 |
| Com-Pac 23 | 22.75' | $ 8,000 | 11 | 5 |
| ETAP 23You are here | — | $ 9,552 | 6 | 0 |