ETAP 28i Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used ETAP 28i means weighing a Belgian-built, foam-filled-unsinkable 28-footer that sold about 450 examples between 1988 and 1997. She is the Harlé-Mortain “innovation” successor to the Etap 28, later followed by the Bertone-styled 28s. On the brokerage market she competes with the Sadler 29 and Hunter Horizon 273, but her double-skin hull sets her apart on safety grounds alone.
Layouts on the Used Market
Most 28i hulls share the same core layout: two cabins, six berths, a port-side aft double, starboard wet room, and a U-shaped saloon with under-1.80 m headroom. The bow V-berth suits children; the open saloon berth is narrow for two adults. Keel configuration varies — standard 1.15 m fin, 1.60 m deep, 0.90 m tandem, or a lifting keel that raises to 0.90 m via cockpit winch. A buyer should confirm which keel is fitted, as it changes both draft and ground-tackle handling ashore.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used 28i boats often carry an autopilot, chartplotter, and cabin heating as factory or dealer-era fittings. Less commonly, an inverter or a furling main appears as an owner upgrade. For a buyer, the heating and autopilot speak to comfortable short-handed cruising; a furling main is a convenience retrofit rather than standard, so its absence is not a defect. The Seldén rig and TBS deck covering are original-spec items, with the deck mat still available as a prefabricated spare.
What to Inspect
Engines are single-circuit cooled, so verify the cooling path and freshwater-side condition. The tiller has a stop on both sides that is a nuisance during manoeuvres but protects the rudder from hitting the hull; check rudder-blade clearance and tiller travel. On lifting-keel boats, the manual cockpit winch and stainless cable through the keel trunk should be exercised to confirm smooth range between raised and lowered. The aft diesel tank’s inspection hatch is a good access point to read condition; diesel level is read from a hose, so confirm no crazing at the sight tube.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up across the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, France, and the United Kingdom. For a coastal cruiser who wants unsinkable construction and a beamy, sporty hull, the 28i is a sound used buy if the keel type matches your waters and the single-circuit cooling is sound.
- Confirm keel type and lifting-gear function
- Check rudder stop and blade-hull clearance
- Verify single-circuit engine cooling
- Check TBS deck wear; spare mats exist
- Match draft to your cruising ground
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the ETAP 28i. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 10 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 2 | $22,678 | — |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $29,145 | +28.5% |
| Sep 25 | 7 | $25,670 | -11.9% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $26,623 | +3.7% |
| Apr 26 | 6 | $16,944 | -36.4% |
| May 26 | 1 | $16,815 | -0.8% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $6,010 | -64.3% |
| Jul 26 | 3 | $20,177 | +235.7% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $33,881 | +67.9% |
| Oct 26 | 2 | $25,502 | -24.7% |
Where they're listed
ETAP 28i listings appear across 6 countries. Netherlands has the most listings with 8 (53.3%), followed by Germany and Switzerland.
Country view
15 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $24,886 | 8 | 2 | 53.3% |
| Germany | $26,343 | 3 | 2 | 20.0% |
| Switzerland | $6,010 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
| France | $24,661 | 1 | 1 | 6.7% |
| United Kingdom | $17,186 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
| Ireland | $16,702 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETAP 30I | 29.33' | $ 42,068 | 27 | 11 |
| ETAP 28iYou are here | — | $ 24,101 | 17 | 6 |
| One-Off 28 | 28.18' | $ 39,234 | 12 | 1 |
| ETAP 26I | 25.75' | $ 30,827 | 10 | 1 |
| Jeanneau First 28 | 28.21' | $ 26,154 | 10 | 3 |
| Ericson 28-2 | 28' | $ 16,800 | 9 | 1 |