| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | E. G. van de Stadt |
| Location | Belgium |
| Year | 1975 |
| No. built | 1,000 |
| Builder(s) | ETAP Yachting |
| Role | Cruiser |
| Name | ETAP 20 |
| Boat | |
| Displacement | 1,874 lb (850 kg) |
| Draft | 3.74 ft (1.14 m) with keel down |
| Hull | |
| Type | monohull |
| Construction | fibreglass |
| LOA | 19.85 ft (6.05 m) |
| LWL | 17.06 ft (5.20 m) |
| Beam | 7.55 ft (2.30 m) |
| Engine type | outboard motor |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | lifting keel |
| Ballast | 441 lb (200 kg) |
| Rudder(s) | transom-mounted rudder |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| Sails | |
| Sailplan | fractional rigged sloop |
| Mainsail area | 10.40 m2 (111.9 sq ft) |
| Jib/genoa area | 7.00 m2 (75.3 sq ft) |
| Spinnaker area | 22.00 m2 (236.8 sq ft) |
| Upwind sail area | 17.40 m2 (187.3 sq ft) |
| Downwind sail area | 32.40 m2 (348.8 sq ft) |
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]
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]
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]
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]