Etap 39

2001 February 5
By Robert H. Perry

Bluewater cruiserr

Designed by J&J Design, the Etap 39, built in Malle, Belgium, is promoted as an "unsinkable" yacht. The design itself is quite normal, pedestrian even, and a typical family cruising boat in the European style. The difference is that the Etap is built with what the brochure calls a "ship in ship" method, i.e., an outer hull and an inner hull with what the company
describes as "polyurethane foam with a minimum of 95-percent closed cells" injected between the two hulls. This increases the displacement of the structure to the point where the boat will not sink, even when holed. There are additional flotation cambers in the bow and the stern. I think what the company is telling us is that this is a liner-built boat with foam injected between the hull and the liner. While the term "double skinned" may be factually accurate, it may also be misleading. The "unsinkable" term makes me nervous. It's like tempting fate.

The deck of the Etap features a "coffee can" type hull-to-deck joint. In this case the joint is not actually at the sheer but about six inches down the topsides. The sheer is less than crisply defined, although an unusual tubular toerail seems to accent it well.

The hull form is pretty standard. The ends are short. Freeboard is generous and disguised by the dropped hull-on-deck joint. Beam is moderate. Displacement is moderate, with a D/L of 184. The ballast-to-displacement ratio is 32 percent. You can have either 4 feet, 11 inches or 6 feet, 6 inches of draft. The stern is broad but not as exaggerated as we see on other European boats. It's a fine looking, normal hull. The brochure lists a "prebalanced elliptical section rudder." Maybe there's a translation problem here.

The accommodation plan can be ordered with either two staterooms aft or a single double stateroom to starboard. The single stateroom model has a larger double quarter berth and an excellent lazarette. In this model you also get a shower stall. The double stateroom model has virtually no lazarette.

The saloon features the entire galley on the port side with a U-shaped dinette to starboard. This makes for a nice galley, but with no secure place for the cook to stand while at sea. Then again, this may not be that type of boat. There is a little center-island seat for an additional diner. I don't think six could eat at this table but the sixth guest could eat at the chart table. The photos show a nicely finished interior with lots of wood veneers and very little of the interior liner visible.

The rig is a moderately tall, fractional type with spreaders swept 18 degrees. The unusual thing about this rig is that the mainsheet traveler, while end-boom and where it should be in the middle of the cockpit, is removable. You can just pop a couple of pins and then take the traveler entirely out of the cockpit to make room for the cockpit dining table. The main reefing system is a one-line type led to the cockpit. A Stak Pak-type lazy jack and sail bag system is standard. There is a removable Solent stay inside the headstay that allows you to fly a heavy air headsail without removing the roller furled genoa.

While studying the sailplan, note the windshield on the deck. Etap does a nice job with this detail. The windshield makes a convenient place to start your dodger, although I'm not sure with this mainsheet traveler location you could really use a dodger.

In most ways this is a very "normal" design. It appears well executed. I think it's a smart move to fill the cavity between liner modules and the outer hull with foam. According to the brochure, if you are after "unsinkable sailing pleasure" this may be the boat for you.