Design and Construction
The 35i's hull is a polyester glassfibre foam sandwich, built predominantly of glassfibre with wood trim, and that closed-cell foam core between inner and outer skins is what makes the boat unsinkable. The same double-skin construction that guarantees buoyancy also does quiet, practical domestic work: Durham noted the arrangement offers soundproofing, thermal insulation, and eradicates condensation anchor, a real advantage in a 35-foot hull where cabins sit close to the machinery and the weather. She carries 3,836 pounds of ballast inside a fixed fin keel and draws 5.09 feet, with an internally mounted spade rudder controlled by a wheel — a modern underbody for her era. The raked stem and reverse transom with boarding steps complete a pragmatic, contemporary profile.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck, the 35i is a fractional sloop with a Bermuda rig, a sailplan that totals just over 500 square feet of working area: a 271-square-foot mainsail on a 40.85-foot luff and a 232-square-foot jib or genoa on a 39.37-foot foretriangle. A 28-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel handles docking and maneuvering, fed by a 28-gallon tank, while 74 gallons of fresh water support the accommodation. The spade rudder and moderate 11,464-pound displacement give her the kind of predictable, wheel-steered handling a cruising couple or small family expects, and the fractional rig keeps the headsail manageable without a dedicated bowman.
Accommodations
Below, the 35i sleeps six. A double V-berth fills the bow cabin, which also has its own sink, while the main cabin offers two straight settees. The galley sits to port just forward of the companionway ladder as an L-shape with a three-burner stove and double sink; opposite it to starboard is the navigation station, with the head just aft carrying a shower. A small aft cabin with a double berth on the port side is listed in the specification, but both Durham and the boat test are blunt that the aft "cabin" on this boat is no more than a giant locker anchor — useful stowage, not private sleeping space in any real sense. The remaining berths and settees are the honest heart of the living plan.
Known Issues
The foam-sandwich hull's unsinkability is a built-in property rather than a maintained system, and the one recurring caveat is the aft cabin's deceptive designation as sleeping accommodation when in practice it serves as enclosed storage.
Refits and Ownership
Owners looking at a 35i will find a boat supported in its active years by the ETAP Owners Association, a class club that at one time organized the marque. The downwind option of a spinnaker is noted as a possible factory or owner fitment rather than standard, and the Volvo Penta diesel remains a straightforward, well-known drivetrain to service. The double-skin construction means interior refits must respect the foam core, but the thermal and acoustic benefits age well.
The Verdict
The ETAP 35i is a genuinely well-resolved small cruiser: unsinkable by construction, quiet and dry below thanks to her foam sandwich, and praised by period reviewers as fast and seaworthy for her size. The aft "cabin" is the one spec-sheet exaggeration, but the rest of the plan delivers six real berths and a proper sea-going galley. For a couple or family wanting a secure, low-condensation hull without paying for race-derived complexity, she remains a sensible used-market target.
Pros
- Unsinkable polyester foam-sandwich hull with soundproofing and no condensation
- Fast, seaworthy fractional-sloop cruiser in the 35-foot class
- Six genuine berths, L-shaped three-burner galley, dedicated nav station
- 28 hp Volvo Penta diesel, 74-gallon water capacity for extended cruising
Cons
- Advertised aft cabin is effectively a large locker, not usable sleeping space
- Spinnaker downwind capability is optional, not standard equipment
