ETAP 28 Buyer's Guide
The ETAP 28 on the used market is a Belgian van de Stadt cruiser with 375 built between 1978 and the end of production, and what you are really buying is a small, unsinkable foam-cored coastal cruiser with a tiller and a modest diesel. She is not a powered coastal traveller — the Volvo Penta MD7A exists for docking and manoeuvring — so the right buyer is someone who wants to sail and accept a simple, robust package.
Layouts on the Used Market
You will find the standard production cruiser layout: a fixed fin keel, plumb transom, raked stem, and an internally mounted spade rudder on a tiller controlled by a tiller. The masthead sloop rig carries about 319 square feet of sail, and some boats will have the optional spinnaker gear for offwind sailing. Below, the foam-injected double skin that makes the boat unsinkable also defines the interior volume — at 27 feet 7 inches overall with a 10-foot beam and a 22-foot-7-inch waterline, she is beamy for her length. There is no meaningful layout variation to screen for; the design was built to one specification by ETAP Yachting in Belgium.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used ETAP 28s will commonly show a chartplotter and autopilot as fitted, with AIS often seen as a secondary tier. For a buyer, the chartplotter and autopilot cluster is the navigation foundation you can rely on, while AIS is a useful but not universal safety addition. The spinnaker, where present, is the one sailing upgrade worth checking for condition. Beyond those, keep your attention on the 13-horsepower diesel and the tiller steering — neither is an upgrade item, but both define what the boat can and cannot do under power.
What to Inspect
The material on the ETAP 28 records no structural or systemic defect specific to the model, so the inspection centres on confirming the boat is what she claims. Verify the Volvo Penta MD7A starts and that cooling and exhaust are sound, since the engine's only role is docking and manoeuvring and a weak one leaves you stranded at a pontoon. Check the tiller and internally mounted spade rudder for free play at the stock and any cracking where the rudder meets the hull. Where a spinnaker is fitted, inspect the pole, sheets, and chute for UV damage and missing hardware. Confirm the foam-core hull shows no penetrating damage that would compromise the unsinkable construction.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up across Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Before you commit:
- Confirm the MD7A starts and cools normally
- Check the rudder stock for free play and hull cracks at the rudder
- Inspect any spinnaker gear for UV wear
- Verify the foam-core hull has no penetrating damage
- Test the chartplotter and autopilot if fitted
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the ETAP 28. 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. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25 | 1 | $9,268 | — |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $10,426 | +12.5% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $10,426 | 0.0% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $14,821 | +42.2% |
Where they're listed
ETAP 28 listings appear across 4 countries. Belgium has the most listings with 3 (42.9%), followed by United Kingdom and Germany.
Country view
7 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | $10,426 | 3 | 0 | 42.9% |
| United Kingdom | $14,821 | 2 | 2 | 28.6% |
| Germany | $9,268 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
| France | $17,377 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colvic Countess 28 | 28' | $ 10,426 | 23 | 3 |
| ETAP 28i | 27.99' | $ 24,907 | 22 | 6 |
| One-Off 28 | 28.18' | $ 40,546 | 14 | 2 |
| Nordship 28 | 28.71' | $ 22,637 | 10 | 2 |
| ETAP 28You are here | — | $ 10,426 | 7 | 2 |