ETAP 28i Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 28i’s defining feature is her double-shell, solid-fiberglass hull and deck, with closed-cell foam injected between the skins. The structure was laid up by hand, using NPG resins early in production. This sandwich construction makes her unsinkable—a claim period testers treated as central to the boat’s character rather than as mere marketing.

She is 8.6 metres long and a full 3.13 metres wide, giving her a length-to-width ratio of 2.75. That’s beamy for her length, and YACHT’s test noted that it allows her to churn through short coastal chop “quite undisturbed.” A deep forefoot with a slightly sloping stem helps her pitch good-naturedly through those short waves.

The standard fin keel draws 1.15 metres. Alternatives included a 0.90-metre tandem keel, which the tester credited with better windward behavior, and a 1.60-metre keel. A lifting-keel version reduces draft to 0.90 metres with the keel raised.

Rig and Handling

The 28i carries a 7/8 fractional sloop rig on Seldén spars. A sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.1 and a displacement-length ratio of 205 support her “very sporty” reputation among peers.

Her deep forefoot and raked stem give her a predictable motion. During manoeuvres, however, the tiller occupies a lot of cockpit space, and its stops on both sides can be a nuisance. Testers noted that these stops are essential: without them, the rudder blade would strike the hull. That mechanical limit implies sensitivity from the spade rudder under power, though it wasn’t documented as a defect.

On lifting-keel boats, a manual cockpit winch raises and lowers the cast-iron blade. A stainless-steel cable runs from the winch through the keel trunk, and the keel can be set at any depth between fully raised and fully lowered.

Accommodations

The 28i sleeps six in two cabins. Forward, the double V-berth is best suited to smaller children. The main saloon has a U-shaped settee, just under 1.80 metres of headroom, and two straight settee quarter berths. An additional berth, open to the saloon, is quite narrow; two adults sharing it would need to be on good terms.

A genuinely large aft double cabin lies to port, while a surprisingly spacious wet room is to starboard. The galley is small but complete, with cupboard space, a sink, refrigerator, and cooker; the test boat had a spirit stove. Headroom is low throughout, a documented trade-off of the hull’s proportions.

Deck, Machinery, and Equipment

Two construction-era caveats appear in the period test. Motors are single-circuit cooled, a simpler arrangement that owners should account for in their maintenance planning. The TBS anti-slip deck covering also wears, although it is available as a prefabricated spare part.

A line from the forepeak lockers runs into the wet room. When secured in its clam cleat, it prevents the locker lids from being opened from outside.

The diesel level is read from a length of hose. The tank, located in the aft locker, has an inspection hatch that the tester called exemplary. A bathing platform is also fitted.

Production and Ownership Context

ETAP Yachting built the 28i in Belgium until 1997. The company later went bankrupt in 2009 and was taken over by Dehler, after which the ETAP brand was discontinued. Spares now come from residual stock or prefabricated TBS parts rather than an active builder.

The 28s successor, styled by automotive designer Bertone, belongs to a different generation.

The Verdict

The ETAP 28i is a thoughtful small cruiser: unsinkable by construction, beamy and stable for her size, yet sporty enough to amuse. Her accommodations make clever use of the available space and provide six berths, though the saloon berth is tight for adults. The intrusive tiller stops and single-circuit engine cooling are the main practical drawbacks.

For a couple or a family looking for a coastal cruiser and placing a high value on safety and a dry hull, she remains a reasoned choice.

Pros