That makes the 38i relatively rare for a 38-foot cruiser. Its engineering and interior styling are still worth a close look, however, especially for sailors drawn to ETAP’s longstanding philosophy of unsinkable, foam-filled construction.
Design and Construction
ETAP Yachting built its reputation on a signature double-skin method. Closed-cell polyurethane foam was injected between inner and outer fiberglass shells, rendering every hull unsinkable. The 38i’s double-skinned foam-core construction is one of its defining features.
The boat also has a distinctive flush deck, a form ETAP refined over many years. The builder considered the concept best suited to larger hulls such as the 38i.
A fixed cast-iron wing keel carries 4,850 pounds of ballast. It was designed to reduce draft while adding stability, giving the boat a draft of just 5.09 feet. ETAP developed flush decks, wing keels, and tandem keels as innovative features across its range, and the 38i belongs squarely to that experimental but practical lineage.
Writing in Yachting Monthly, testers described the boat as a striking, sea-kindly Harlé Mortain creation—a rare published character sketch of the hull’s behavior at sea.
Rig, Sailplan, and Handling
The 38i was offered only as a masthead sloop with a wing keel, so there are no configuration choices to complicate the used fleet. Its deck-stepped mast has a single spreader, stainless steel wire standing rigging, and a rigid boom vang. The standard sailplan combines a fully battened mainsail with a furling genoa, providing roughly 600 square feet of sail.
Testers found that the 38i performs and handles well on all points of sail. Its design ratios suggest lively performance in light to moderate air, but also point to early reefing as the breeze builds. The boat is reasonably stiff, though not heavy enough to offer long-distance offshore comfort.
The sailplan places the boom low. Period reviewers identified it as the one notable handling hazard on an otherwise well-mannered deck, as it can strike crew when the boat is heeled or the deck is active.
Accommodations
The 38i sleeps six across three cabins: a forward double berth, a port-side aft double, and settee berths in the main saloon.
The bright wheelhouse gives the interior an unusual arrangement. The galley sits to one side and the chart table to the other, while a central island unit contains the sinks and stowage. A single step leads down from the raised house into the saloon. Headroom diminishes toward the bow, and a large heads compartment is positioned aft.
The interior styling divides opinion. Critics considered the fit too obviously prefabricated, while supporters liked its modern, Ikea-like contrast between light and dark stained veneers.
The Verdict
The ETAP 38i is a small-series cruiser for sailors who value unsinkable construction and a distinctive flush-deck profile more than volume-built ubiquity. It is quick in modest air, stable on its wing keel, and visually original below. Its light displacement and low boom, however, make it better suited to coastal and lake cruising than to bluewater ambitions.
Pros
- Unsinkable double-skin foam-core hull as built
- Flush deck and sea-kindly handling on all points of sail
- Wing keel combines solid stability with a 5.09-foot draft
- Bright wheelhouse layout with central-island galley stowage
Cons
- Low boom presents a genuine hazard on deck
- Light displacement limits offshore comfort
- Only 95 were built, leaving a sparse support network after the builder’s bankruptcy
