Design and Construction
Jac de Ridder’s easily driven hull was streets ahead of most other 30-foot cruisers when the ETAP 30 was launched. Yachting Monthly judged her still a fairly fast cruiser for her length by today’s standards.
The hull has high freeboard, but a thick gunwale stripe helps disguise it. Combined with the low-profile cabin top, this gives the boat an almost racy appearance rather than the tubby look one might expect from a double-skinned yacht.
Construction is predominantly polyester glassfibre-foam sandwich, with wood trim and a good standard of fit-out using solid teak. The foam sandwich makes the boat unsinkable by construction, though it also accounts for the limited stowage below—a recurring feature of these double-skinned ETAPs.
Rig, Hull, and Handling
The ETAP 30 carries a 7/8 fractional sloop rig on aluminum spars. She has a deck-stepped mast, wire standing rigging, and a single set of swept spreaders. Steering is by tiller through an internally mounted spade rudder.
The standard fin keel draws 1.7 m (5 ft 1 in), and an optional shoal-draft keel was available. Her hull has a raked stem and reverse transom, with an LOA of 9.1 m, a waterline length of 7.7 m, a beam of 3.2 m, and a displacement of 3,600 kg. Together, these dimensions provide a stable, manageable platform for a couple or small family.
Under sail, she handles delightfully on all points of sail. That quality, combined with her easily driven hull, allows her to feel quick and balanced well beyond her launch era.
Accommodation
The ETAP 30 sleeps five at sea or six at anchor, including a quarterberth, but she has no aft cabin. The bow cabin contains a double V-berth, while the main cabin has two straight settees. An aft berth lies to starboard.
The heads compartment is amidships, immediately aft of the bow cabin. To port, just forward of the companionway ladder, the spacious, seamanlike L-shaped galley has a two-burner stove and sink. A very practical chart table completes the working end of the saloon.
ETAP’s short coachroofs restrict headroom in the heads and forecabin, although it is fair elsewhere. That is the trade-off for the low, racy cabin top.
Known Issues
No structural defects appear in the available material. The only recurring concerns are the limited stowage inherent in the foam-sandwich construction and restricted headroom in the forward and heads compartments. Neither affects seaworthiness.
Ownership and Support
The ETAP Owners Association, a class club, supported the boat at one time, reflecting an owner following even after production ended. With 220 built and a design that was far ahead of its time in many respects, the ETAP 30 remains a sensible used-cruiser candidate for sailors who value a light, unsinkable hull over cavernous stowage.
The Verdict
The ETAP 30 distills ETAP’s double-skin philosophy into a genuinely quick, well-mannered 30-footer with a thoughtful cruising interior. She suits sailors willing to accept modest stowage and low forward headroom in exchange for unsinkability and a hull that performs beyond what its launch year might suggest.
Pros
- Easily driven hull that was ahead of its class and remains quick
- Unsinkable foam-sandwich construction and solid-teak fit-out
- Delightful handling on all points of sail under a simple fractional rig
- Practical, seamanlike galley and chart table for coastal cruising
Cons
- Limited stowage due to the double-skin hull
- Restricted headroom in the heads and forecabin
- No aft cabin; the berth arrangement favors sea-berth utility over privacy
