Design and Construction
ETAP Yachting built its reputation on a signature double-skin method in which closed-cell polyurethane foam was injected between inner and outer fiberglass shells, rendering every hull unsinkable; the 38i carries that double-skinned foam-core construction as a defining trait. The hull wears a distinctive flush deck, a form the builder refined over years and which ETAP itself regarded as working best on larger hulls such as this, its largest of that type flush deck designs work better on larger hulls. A fixed wing keel of cast iron carries 4,850 pounds of ballast and was conceived to lower draft while adding stability, drawing just 5.09 feet. The company also developed flush decks, wing keels, and tandem keels as innovative features across its range, and the 38i sits squarely inside that experimental but practical lineage. Writing in Yachting Monthly, testers described her as a striking, sea-kindly Harlé Mortain creation, a rare published character sketch of the hull's behavior at sea.
Rig and Handling
The 38i is offered only with a masthead sloop rig and a single wing-keel configuration, leaving no buyer's-choice complexity in the used fleet. The mast is deck-stepped and carried on a robust masthead rig with a single spreader, stainless steel wire standing rigging, and a rigid boom vang; the standard sailplan pairs a fully battened mainsail with a furling genoa across roughly 600 square feet of canvas. Testers found she performs and handles well on all points of sail, and design ratios suggest she is lively in light to moderate air but wants early reefing once the breeze builds, being reasonably stiff yet not heavy enough for long offshore comfort. The low boom drawn by that rig plan is a noted hazard, the one handling caveat period reviewers pinned to an otherwise well-mannered deck.
Accommodations
Below, the 38i sleeps six across three cabins: a double berth forward, a port-side aft double, and settee berths in the main saloon. The bright wheelhouse organizes the interior unusually, with the galley to one side, the chart table to the other, and a central island unit holding sinks and stowage. A single step drops from that raised house into the saloon, where headroom fades going forward, and a large heads sits aft. The styling divides opinion—critics called the fit too obviously prefabricated, while supporters praised the modern, Ikea-like contrast of light and dark stained veneers.
Known Issues
The low boom can strike crew on a heeled or active deck.
The Verdict
The ETAP 38i is a small-series cruiser for the sailor who values unsinkable construction and a distinctive flush-deck profile over volume-built ubiquity. She is quick in modest air, stable on her wing keel, and visually original below, but her light displacement and low boom argue for coastal and lake cruising rather than bluewater ambition.
Pros
- Unsinkable double-skin foam-core hull as built
- Flush deck with sea-kindly handling on all points
- Wing keel yields 5.09-foot draft with solid stability
- Bright wheelhouse layout with central island galley stowage
Cons
- Low boom is a genuine deck hazard
- Light displacement limits offshore comfort
- Only 95 built, so sparse support network post-bankruptcy
