Design and Construction
The 35i has a polyester glassfibre foam-sandwich hull, built predominantly of glassfibre with wood trim. Closed-cell foam between the inner and outer skins gives the boat her unsinkability.
That double-skin construction also provides practical benefits below. Durham noted that it offers soundproofing and thermal insulation while eliminating condensation. Those are real advantages in a 35-foot hull, where cabins sit close to both the machinery and the weather.
The boat displaces 11,464 pounds and carries 3,836 pounds of ballast inside a fixed fin keel. She draws 5.09 feet and has an internally mounted spade rudder controlled by a wheel—a modern underbody for her era. A raked stem and reverse transom with boarding steps complete her pragmatic, contemporary profile.
Rig, Engine, and Handling
The 35i is a fractional sloop with a Bermuda rig. Her working sail area totals just over 500 square feet: a 271-square-foot mainsail with a 40.85-foot luff, plus a 232-square-foot jib or genoa on a 39.37-foot foretriangle. A spinnaker was a possible factory or owner fitment for downwind sailing rather than standard equipment.
A 28-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel handles docking and maneuvering, supplied by a 28-gallon fuel tank. The drivetrain is straightforward and well known to service. Fresh-water capacity is 74 gallons.
The spade rudder and moderate displacement give the 35i the predictable, wheel-steered handling expected by a cruising couple or small family. Her fractional rig also keeps the headsail manageable without a dedicated bowman.
Accommodation
The 35i sleeps six. A double V-berth fills the forward cabin, which also has its own sink. In the main cabin, two straight settees provide the remaining berths and form the honest heart of the living plan.
Just forward of the companionway ladder, the L-shaped galley sits to port. It includes a three-burner stove and double sink. Opposite, to starboard, is the navigation station, with the head and shower just aft.
The specification also lists a small port-side aft cabin with a double berth. Durham and the boat test, however, were blunt: the aft “cabin” is no more than a giant locker. It provides useful enclosed stowage, but not private sleeping space in any real sense.
Known Issues and Refit Considerations
The foam-sandwich hull’s unsinkability is an inherent part of its construction rather than a system that must be maintained. The recurring caveat is the misleading designation of the aft space as sleeping accommodation when, in practice, it serves as enclosed storage.
Interior refits must respect the foam core within the double-skin construction. Its thermal and acoustic benefits, however, age well.
During the boat’s active years, owners had support from the ETAP Owners Association, a class club that at one time organized the marque.
Verdict
The ETAP 35i is a genuinely well-resolved small cruiser. She is unsinkable by construction, while the foam-sandwich hull helps keep the interior quiet, insulated, and free of condensation. Period reviewers praised her as fast and seaworthy for her size.
The aft “cabin” is the specification sheet’s one exaggeration: it is effectively a large locker rather than useful sleeping accommodation. Otherwise, the plan provides six real berths and a proper seagoing galley. For buyers seeking a secure, low-condensation hull without race-derived complexity, the 35i remains a sensible used-market target.
Pros
- Unsinkable polyester foam-sandwich hull
- Soundproofing, thermal insulation, and no condensation
- Fast, seaworthy fractional-sloop cruiser in the 35-foot class
- Six genuine berths
- L-shaped galley with a three-burner stove and double sink
- Dedicated navigation station
- 28-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel
- 74-gallon water capacity for extended cruising
Cons
- Advertised aft cabin is effectively a large locker, not usable sleeping space
- Spinnaker capability for downwind sailing was optional rather than standard
