ETAP 38i Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The 38i offers a three-cabin arrangement throughout the entire production run — Etap offered no alternative layout. Forward is a dedicated double berth in the forepeak. The saloon provides two sea berths, one a straight settee to starboard and one an L-shaped settee to port, though headroom becomes tighter as you move forward of the main cabin. The aft cabin to port carries a spacious double berth, arguably the most comfortable sleeping station on the boat. The heads compartment is large by the standards of this era and located aft. Above the saloon sits what Yachting Monthly described as a bright wheelhouse, with the galley to one side and the chart table opposite, and a central island unit housing sinks and stowage — a layout that feels modern and functional for cruising couples, if a little polarising in its Scandinavian-influenced interior styling. Buyers who prefer a more traditional yacht interior sometimes find the light-and-dark veneer contrasts too stark, but owners who appreciate the clean, practical approach tend to stay loyal to it. There is nothing to inspect for layout variation across the production run; what you see is what every 38i offered.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Used examples arriving on the brokerage market are commonly fitted to a comfortable coastal or short-offshore cruising standard. Radar, autopilot, and a chartplotter are near-universal across boats that have been actively used for cruising. A dodger is almost always present, and heating — whether diesel or gas — is commonly fitted, which reflects how widely the boat was used in northern European waters. Solar panels and an inverter appear on the majority of actively sailed examples, and a wind generator is a frequent addition on boats whose owners spent time at anchor away from marinas. A cockpit shower is also commonly seen.

Among upgrades that appear regularly but less universally, a watermaker is often found on boats that have done extended coastal passages, as is a bimini for sun protection. Hot water systems and asymmetric spinnaker kits have been added to a meaningful share of the fleet by owners looking to extend capability. Electric winches, dinghy davits, teak deck overlays, AIS transponders, and an EPIRB are less common overall but appear on well-equipped examples — particularly on boats that spent time preparing for offshore passages. AIS and EPIRB are worth confirming regardless, as they represent straightforward additions if absent.

The deck-stepped masthead sloop rig carries a fully battened mainsail and a furling genoa as standard. Owners have frequently upgraded furling systems and standing rigging over the years, so it is worth establishing the age of both on any candidate boat.

What to Inspect

The foam-core double-skin construction that gives the 38i its unsinkability claim also deserves the closest scrutiny during survey. Delamination between the outer skin and foam, or between the foam and inner skin, is the primary structural concern on any boat of this type and age. A competent marine surveyor should tap the hull methodically for voids and use a moisture meter across both topsides and deck. The flush deck, while elegant, creates potential water ingress points wherever deck hardware penetrates the laminate, and on a boat now well into its third or fourth decade, any chainplates, stanchion bases, or cleats that have not been re-bedded in recent years are candidates for water migration into the core.

The wing keel deserves attention. Cast iron wing keels of this era can develop rust weeping at the keel-hull joint, and the joint itself should be free of cracks or movement. The low boom noted in contemporary reviews is a genuine deck hazard rather than a cosmetic concern — check the gooseneck fitting and boom vang attachment for wear. The rigid boom vang is a useful piece of gear but one that takes significant load on a boat sailed actively, and it should be inspected for structural integrity.

The deck-stepped mast means the compression post below — typically bearing against a structural bulkhead — should be checked for any signs of movement or crushing in the surrounding laminate or joinery. Standing rigging life is worth establishing carefully, as replacements on a deck-stepped rig require more planning than a keel-stepped spar.

Interior joinery, while well built for its era, can show water damage behind headliners and around portlights. Portlight frames, particularly the wheelhouse glazing, should be checked for cracks or failing seals. Inspect the engine installation carefully: the original 40-horsepower auxiliary is adequate for the displacement but dated in its generation, and many boats will have had a repower at some point — verify service history accordingly.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The 38i circulates most actively in western Europe, particularly in France, Ireland, and the Netherlands — a reflection of both Etap Yachting's Belgian origins and the boat's long history of use in northern European cruising grounds. A meaningful number of examples have also crossed to North American waters, most commonly in the eastern United States, where the shallow draft of the wing keel suits the shoaler harbours of the Intracoastal and New England coasts. With a limited production run spanning less than a decade, the pool of available boats is modest relative to mass-market contemporaries, which keeps supply relatively tight and condition-specific pricing variable.

For a buyer, the 38i's genuine differentiator — its unsinkability — deserves to be weighed seriously rather than treated as marketing copy. For coastal and offshore cruising with crew, the peace-of-mind argument is real. The flush-deck layout, wide beam, and practical three-cabin interior make it a strong liveaboard or extended-cruising candidate for a couple. The principal counterweight is age: every example is now a mature boat, and the quality of its maintenance history, refit investments, and survey findings will determine value far more than any intrinsic characteristic of the design.

Before committing, confirm:

• Full marine survey with hull tap-test and moisture readings across deck and topsides
• Keel-hull joint integrity and condition of cast iron wing keel
• Age and condition of standing rigging and furling systems
• Deck-stepped mast compression post and surrounding structure
• Portlight and wheelhouse glazing seal condition
• Engine hours, service record, and whether a repower has been carried out
• Re-bedding history of deck hardware and chainplates
• AIS, EPIRB, and safety gear inventory
• Heating system operation (particularly relevant in northern European purchase markets)
• Battery bank age and solar/charging system functionality