Design and Construction
ETAP Yachting built the ETAP 28 in Belgium, predominantly of glassfibre. Closed-cell foam was injected between the inner and outer skins, making the boat unsinkable.
The hull is just over 27 feet long, with a 10-foot beam and a 22-foot-7-inch waterline. Displacement is about 6,600 pounds, including 2,557 pounds of lead ballast, for a ballast ratio near 39 percent. The boat has a fixed fin keel and an internally mounted spade rudder controlled by a tiller.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The masthead sloop rig carries 319 square feet of sail, giving a modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio of around 14.5. A spinnaker may be fitted for offwind sailing. The direct, mechanical connection of tiller steering complements the spade rudder.
With its plumb transom maximizing hull length and a 22-foot-7-inch waterline, the ETAP 28 has a hull speed of just over six knots. The modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air performance, while the boat otherwise trades power for safety and simplicity.
A 13-horsepower Volvo Penta MD7A diesel was fitted strictly for docking and manoeuvring, not as a passage-making engine.
Accommodations and Cruising Profile
The ETAP 28 was conceived as a coastal cruiser and is suited to short-handed use. The available research provides no further detail about its accommodation plan. The ETAP Owners Association once supported the class.
Known Issues and Ownership
No source identifies a recurring structural defect specific to the ETAP 28. The MD7A is a simple small diesel, while the optional spinnaker is the item most likely to show wear when a boat comes up for resale.
Following a 2009 insolvency, the Belgian builder later passed to Dehler and then MIC Industries.
The Verdict
The ETAP 28 is a small, sensible van de Stadt cruiser with a foam-injected hull and tiller steering.
Pros
- Unsinkable double-skin foam construction from new
- Direct tiller steering with an internally mounted spade rudder
- Van de Stadt cruiser proportions and a ballast ratio near 39 percent
- Former class-club support through the ETAP Owners Association
Cons
- The 13-horsepower auxiliary is intended only for docking and manoeuvring
- The modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air performance
