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by | Mar 21, 2018 | Verbena

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The ETAP 20 is a Belgian trailerable sailboat that was designed by E. G. van de Stadt as a cruiser and first built in 1975.[1][2][3][4]

Production

The design was built by ETAP Yachting in Lokeren, Belgium between 1975 and 1992, with 1,000 boats completed, but it is now out of production.[1][3][5]

Design

The ETAP 20 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fibreglass, with wood trim. It has a fractional sloop rig, a raked stem, a plumb transom, a kick-up transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a weighted bulb lifting keel. The keel is raised and lowered with a worm gear operated from on deck. It displaces 1,874 lb (850 kg) and carries 441 lb (200 kg) of ballast.[1][3]

The boat has closed cell foam sandwich compartments that render it unsinkable and also will float it level, even when the boat is full of water.[3]

The boat has a draft of 3.74 ft (1.14 m) with the lifting keel extended and 1.57 ft (0.48 m) with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water, or ground transportation on a trailer.[1][3]

The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp (2 to 4 kW) outboard motor for docking and manoeuvring.[1][3]

The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settee quarter berths in the main cabin along with a drop-leaf table. The galley is located on both sides just aft of the bow cabin. The galley is equipped with a single-burner stove and a sink. The head is located under the "V"-berth in the bow cabin. Cabin headroom is 48 in (120 cm).[1][3]

For downwind sailing the design may be equipped with a spinnaker of 22.00 m2 (236.8 sq ft).[4]

The design has a hull speed of 5.5 kn (10.2 km/h).[3]

Operational history

The boat was at one time supported by a class club, the ETAP Owners Association.[6]

In a 2009 review Yachting Monthly described its as, "a stout and safe little 1980s starter boat designed by E G Van de Stadt, the Etap 20 sails nicely and handles rather like a big dinghy. She has a simple, open-plan interior with four berths and reasonable headroom under a raised, semi-flush deck. The lifting keel box takes up remarkably little room, yet she has enough ballast to right herself following a knockdown. There is space for a simple cooker and a chemical toilet stows under the forward bunks. Stowage is somewhat limited. She is easily trailed and can be rigged and launched in half an hour."[7]

In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "this nicely conceived 20-footer was introduced in Europe in 1980 and in the U.S. in 1985, by Belgian builder ETAP (acronym for Electro Technical Apparatus, a diversified manufacturer of lighting, aluminum, and fiberglass products, which entered the boatbuilding business in 1970). Best features: Like the firm's other small sailboats (including the ETAP 29i and ETAP 23), the ETAP 20 is built to a very high standard, and is unsinkable ... Designated stowage space for sails and outboard engine, and a stowable dining-and-chart table, are nice touches ... The lifting keel with bulb at bottom keeps center of gravity low when lowered and gives easy trailering when raised using self-locking worm drive, operated from on deck. Worst features: None to speak of."[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f McArthur, Bruce (2020). "ETAP 20 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  2. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2021). "E. G. Van de Stadt 1910 - 1999". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Henkel, Steve: The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, page 98. International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2010. ISBN 978-0-07-163652-0
  4. ^ a b Etap Yachting (11 January 2009). "ETAP 20" (PDF). etapowners.org.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  5. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Etap Yachting". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  6. ^ McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Etap Owners Association". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Etap 20". Yachting Monthly. 5 August 2009. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
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