ETAP 22 FOAM

[Inselaffe]

A big Hello to the Homeland!

I'm thinking of looking for an ETAP 22 (forerunner to ETAP 22i) here in Germany as a first cruiser, after (but not instead of) sailing dinghies and windsurfing for many years. I will probably mostly be sailing in the Baltic, maybe from a trailer, but would also be interested in North Sea coastal sailing. I have done my time racing and don't want to get involved again!

I have read nice things about the sailing characteristics, both in English and German yachting mags, but my main worry is that, since my funds limit me to a boat from the late 70's, the foam sandwich construction could be a trap due to saturation/degradation/delamination. Does anyone have any thoughts on the reputation of these boats concerning this? Or on the subject generally?

Any other thoughts concerning the ETAP22 would also be very useful.

If anyone has heard of a Sunbeam S22 then any comments on this one too would be great.

Much obliged!


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[johnsomerhausen]

Why don't you try to get the answer "straight from the horse's mouth" and get the answere directly from Etap ? They must have a website or you might try phoning them. They are located in Oostmalle in Belgium, not far from Antwerp.
john

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[SteveGorst]

I own an Etap 26 from the early 80's, when I bought it the surveyor found no evidence of damp but did suggest that it was more important to bring foam filled boats ashore during the winter to give the hull plenty of opportunity to dry out.

He explained to me that minute quantities of water pass through the fibreglass all the time but evaporate from the inner surface of the hull more rapidly than it is passing through, which means that no build up of water occurs. With a foam filled boat the evaporation process cannot take place so a build up of water is more likely to take place. I have seen no evidence of this taking place in reality, as the surveyor found no damp, but can follow the logic and will follow his advice by taking the boat out of the water during the winter.

The foam itself is closed cell foam, which means that it cannot absorb water. I have been told that under shock loads, as you would get in a powerboat the walls between the cells of foam can break down so you end up with a sponge that will absorb a great deal of water!! In a sailing boat however you don't get the same sort of hammering and this certainly hasn't been a problem in my boat.

I'm sure if you go ahead with the Etap you will end up with a really well designed practical boat that was well ahead of it's time.

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[jackho]

I have been sailing Etaps for 20years and started with the Etap22 (trailer sailer) progressed to a 26 and finally to the Etap30. I have never had a problem with any compression of the foam and over the years no surveyors reports have found anything other then maint. type items. The 22ft was hard work launching and recovering off the trailer but was an outstanding boat to sail , condensation free and good design features.
Also I have never known a Etap to have osmosis problems and have inquired in many marinas around France.
Unfortunately I couldn't afford an Etap 34 and had to make do with the much talked about Bavaria.

Hope this helps.


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