The Etap 32i Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Etap 32i, and aft-cockpit fractional sloop, was designed by Mortain & Mavrikios and built in Belgium by Etap Yachting.

An Etap 32i at anchor in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, in the French West IndiesAn Etap 32i

Published Specification for the Etap 32i

Underwater Profile: Fin keel with spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)*

Length Overall: 30'8" (9.4m)

Waterline Length: 26'3" (8.0m)

Beam: 11'3" (3.4m)

Draft: 4'7" (1.4m)

Rig Type: Fractional sloop

Displacement: 9,763lb (4,428kg)

Designer: Mortain & Mavrikios

Builder: Etap Yachting (Belgium)

Year First Built: 1992

Year Last Built: 2000

Number Built: 150

* The double-skinned foam-cored hull provides good insulation and renders the boat unsinkable.


Published Design Ratios for the Etap 32i

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 20.7

  • Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
  • 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
  • Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 29.4

  • Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
  • Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 241

  • Under 100: Ultralight
  • 100 to 200: Light
  • 200 to 275: Moderate
  • 275 to 350: Heavy
  • Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 21.9

  • Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
  • 20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
  • 30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
  • 40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
  • Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.1

  • Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
  • Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Read more about these Key Performance Indicators...


Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Etap 32i

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 20.7 suggests that, in the right hands, the Etap 32i will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern. 

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 29.4 means that a sailboat like the Etap 32i (which doesn't have a stiffness-enhancing bulb keel), is likely to benefit from being reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 241, tells us the Etap 32i is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 21.9 suggests that crew comfort of a Etap 32i in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula of 2.1 tells us that a Etap 32i would not be as good a choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas when compared to a sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.

Other sailboats in the Etap range include:


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