etap 21 sailboat

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Trying to sink an unsinkable boat

• Chris Beeson
• July 2, 2015

It’s every sailor’s nightmare: holed and taking on water. For Chris Beeson, the unsinkable Etap turned this sinking feeling into an unusual spa session

The Etap 21i sailing with her normal freeboard, before we opened the seacocks and attempted to scuttle her Credit: Lester McCarthy/YM

I thought it would feel stranger than it did, wading knee-deep through a flooded boat. While we were being towed out to the Needles, where we’d planned to founder, I was half expecting some mental switch to trip as the water started gushing in, overwhelming me with primal panic. Corporal Jones from Dad’s Navy, I thought. In the event, it was no more alarming than wallowing in a strangely shaped bath with several other men. Scary enough, but some way short of a crisis.

The bunk locker lids were barely awash when the water ingress stopped

The drama was limited first by the fact that we weren’t allowed to whack gaping holes below the waterline. The new owners of this boat, Grahame and Janine Mason, were understandably reticent about that. They did, however, kindly allow us to open the seacocks in an attempt to send their pride and joy to the bottom. And they did, sensibly, specify that we did so before they took delivery. The UK West Country broker of this yacht, Yachts of Dartmouth, set the wheels in motion.

We were towed out to the Needles by the SeaStart RIB. SeaStart was there to act as a photo-boat but aboard the Etap, I felt a good deal more comfortable knowing that there was something powerful, inflatable and fast nearby should anything go wrong. Once in position – and with nobody having said: ‘Actually, this is a daft idea. Let’s go back, eh?’ – we opened the seacocks.

We expected the seacocks to gush, but they merely dribbled

I was expecting something akin to ‘Old Faithful’ to erupt from the valve, bringing chaos with it. I had imagined the engine room scene from Noel Coward and David Lean’s wartime classic In Which We Serve . The reality was, frankly, disappointing, more like someone spilling a glass of water. This was the second drama limitation. When boats are holed and sinking, the hole is much larger, usually hidden behind joinery, and the ingress much faster.

It took a good 15-20 minutes for the flares canister to start bobbing about

Having established that we needed to slow to a stop to get any decent ingress, the flooding began. The boat took a while to fill up, even with both the sink and the larger heads seacocks open. It was a good 15-20 minutes before the flare canister started bobbing around. Within half an hour the lids of the bunk lockers began to open and shut with water pressure as the boat rolled in a gentle swell. After 45 minutes, the seacocks were no longer letting water in. We were as low as we could go.

The boat took a long time to fill up – even with all three seacocks open

We had a quick bash at sailing but the lack of wind prevented us finding out how her performance was affected by the extra load. Gert, the Etap representative onboard, has done this a few times, most notably in a 24ft Etap, crossing the Channel twice in a day with the boat flooded. He estimated that flooding slows the boat down by 1 knot, not bad considering he reefs to reduce strain on the rig.

Even flooded to the waterline, there was still plenty of freeboard thanks to the closed-cell foam that fills many of her cavities

Once we had all the photos we needed and the novelty of sinking had worn off, the seacocks were closed and the bailing began. We used a 14-litre bucket, scooping on average 8-10 litres each time. The last 30 buckets, filled using a bailer, were brim-full. We emptied 260 buckets in 40 minutes then mopped up the remainder with a sponge. A quick, approximate calculation suggests there were over 2,000 litres of water inside.

A rough calculation of the number of buckets we bailed suggested we took on 2,000 litres of water

Other than the fact that Etap does indeed make unsinkable boats, I’m not sure what we learned. I was hoping to vaccinate myself to the shock of a boat flooding so that, should the nightmare ever strike, I’ll be clearer headed. As it turned out, the height of the drama was a slightly damp mobile phone.

Tech Specs -Etap 21 i (Hull no. 549)

LOA: 6.56m (21ft 6in)

LWL: 6.10m (20ft)

Beam: 2.49m (8ft 2in)

Draught: tandem keel: 0.7m (2ft 4in); fin keel: 1.3m (4ft 3in)

Displacement: tandem keel: 1,230kg (2,712lb); fin keel: 1,180kg (2,601lb)

Ballast: tandem keel: 350kg (771lb); fin keel: 300kg (661lb)

Sail area: 23.9m 2 (258sq ft)

RCD Category: B/C

Price: £30,000 (new, in 2007)

Website: www.etapyachting.com

BUILDING THE UNSINKABLE

Spaces between inner and outer skins of hull and deck are packed with closed-cell polyurethane foam

Etap is the only builder of unsinkable yachts and is currently (2007) seeking a Lloyds certificate to that effect. Sadler Yachts used to have a claim to this title before it ceased production but, according to the only standard of unsinkability (that of the French Merchant Marine), unsinkability means that freeboard is reduced by less than 3% of LOA when flooded. Sadlers, though they wouldn’t actually sink, would flood close to deck level.

‘Unsinkable’ means freeboard is reduced by less than 3 per cent of LOA when flooded

The secret lies in the construction. The whole Etap range, from 21-46ft, uses double-skinned hulls and decks. The spaces between the two skins, and several other pockets throughout the hull and deck, are packed with closed-cell polyurethane foam.

This Etap 38i struck a reef and stuck fast while sailing in the Red Sea

Even if the hull is breached, only the foam damaged by the impact will absorb water. The rest of it, even when exposed to water rather than protected by GRP, has a maximum moisture absorption of 2% after 24 hours.

She was hauled off the reef and remained afloat, though flooded, as she was towed to safety

The result is an unsinkable boat, but there are other benefits. The boat is much stiffer as a result. Also, the foam acts as excellent insulation. It’s warmer below in winter and cooler below in summer. You can leave bedding on an Etap all winter and it will be condensation-free when you return in spring.

Of course, the extra design, materials and labour that go into building an Etap make this a fairly expensive 21-footer but, it you want to, you can buy peace of mind.

DISASTER-PROOFING

Watertight bulkheads

All new ocean racing yachts are fitted with watertight bulkheads. These are sealed, internal bulkheads with a lockable, watertight hatch and as few cable ducts as possible placed as high as possible. To be effective, at least two are required, dividing the boat into roughly equal volumes so that, should one area flood, there is sufficient volume left unflooded to maintain buoyancy. It’s rare for cruising owners to request watertight bulkheads but the more expensive boatbuilders can fit them during build.

Flotation bags

This is a well-established, relatively inexpensive and very effective method of creating buoyancy. These durable bags are easy to store when deflated and can be inflated with carbon dioxide from a SCUBA tank and secured either to anchor points inside the hull or to slings beneath the hull using webbing strops attached to the bags. As GRP supports 25% of its own weight in seawater, you need enough bags to support at least 75% of the boat’s displacement.

PUMPING POWER

A good engine-driven bilge pump will shift about 40 gallons per minute under ideal conditions. The average hand-operated one will only pump half that quantity.

Bilge pump ratings in the manufacturers’ claims are usually for 60 pumps per minute against no resistance, and with no need to lift the water (to a particular height above sea level) before discharging it. A head of 7ft will halve the output.

Any length of piping will rapidly reduce the efficiency of the pump, as length of pipe plays an important role in generating the resistance against which the pump is working.

Just to depress you further, you cannot pump faster than the time it takes the pump to fill and empty. Otherwise the pump loses efficiency. The classic ‘frightened man with a two-gallon bucket’ will shift about 20 gallons a minute. That involves lifting and throwing 20lbs of water every six seconds.

GOING DOWN: FACTS AND FIGURES

The flow of water through a hole is directly proportional to the fourth power of the radius of the hole. A two-inch hole will let in four times as much water as a one-inch hole.

If the hole letting in the water is bigger than the smallest part of the bilge pump pipework, you will surely sink unless you can make the hole smaller.

At a depth of three feet, a hole just one inch in diameter is estimated to pass 34 gallons a minute. Over an hour, that amounts to 2,040 gallons.

Review of Etap 21i

Basic specs..

The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.

The boat is equipped with one cabin, 4 berths, 20.0 liter fresh water capacity and toilet facility.

The boat equipped with a fractional rig. A fractional rig has smaller headsails which make tacking easier, which is an advantage for cruisers and racers, of course. The downside is that having the wind from behind often requires a genaker or a spinnaker for optimal speed.

The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 1.30 - 1.40 meter (4.27 - 4.57 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Etap 21i is typically equipped with an engine.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Etap 21i is 2.43, indicating that this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.0 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Etap 21i is about 101 kg/cm, alternatively 569 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 101 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 569 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 17m 2 (182 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Etap 21i it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

Etap 21i - Etap / STW003140

cabin cruiser

overall length

hull length

waterline length

standard draft

minimum draft

displacement

diesel tank

mast height

Accomodation layouts

standard version

If you find some wrong or lacking data of this boat, you can propose an update.

Technical forum: etap 21i.

Etap 21i I am interested in the technical drawings of the hull/keel joint of the tandem keel version , the twin rudder technical drawings and the rod kicker drawings of the Etap21i 07/11/2023 by stw-8128

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Contact info

• Zagorska 23, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
• +385 91 / 3312 717
• nauCAT - Nautical magazine

With the smallest sailing boat of only 6,5 metres, Etap approaches the younger generation of buyers who primarily fascinated with sports sailing. Exceptionally long waterline, displacement of only 1,1 tones incuding the keel, double lifting rudders and large sail plan are practical solutions that satisfy requirements for racing. Etaps 21i´s additional advantage is that she can also serve as quite comfortable family cruiser, which can accommodate up to four (younger) crewmembers on her 6,5 metres. Understandable is that interior does not boast spaciousness, but functionality of layout and all necessary equipment enable each crew member to feel fine. Published: 2003 Photo: Etap

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2001 etap 21i for sale.

OFFERED BY:

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Etap 21i for sale in Torquay United Kingdom

Torquay United Kingdom

Make & Model

MEASUREMENTS

Description.

Lucas Yachting:Aquarius is a recent Etap21i (built 2008) with shallow draft tandem keel, based in Torquay Harbour. Currently with an enthusiastic owner, who has lavished care and affection on this yacht to bring her up to an impressive quality standard and fitted much new equipment. Sails are all in excellent condition, with gennaker and Karver furler; new standing rig with Furlex 100s and all new running rig – fully set up for single-handed sailing, all reefing led aft. Powered by a 2018 Yamaha 8hp, with electric start and remote control; electronics include chart plotter, VHF and autopilot. This is a splendid opportunity to own a well maintained and superbly set up yacht, built by an established brand name in Belgium and set up to a high standard by a knowledgeable and experienced owner. Those who may be interested to call Mike for more detail –. Lucas Yachting are yacht brokers representing boats throughout the UK.

Lucas Yachting offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee nor warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. The buyer should instruct his Surveyor or agent to investigate such details as the buyer requests. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change as advised or withdrawal by the vendor. We confirm that the sale specification detail is based upon information provided by the vendor or authoritative sources, related survey reports and trade receipts in the yacht files.

Engine Tankage

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Hull Material

Super Structure Colour

Super Structure Construction

NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT

Depth Instrument

Navigation Lights

Speed Instrument

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

Battery Charger

GENERAL EQUIPMENT

Fire Extinguisher

Displacement(kgs)

1168000 kgs

Fire Extinguisher Type

ABOUT ETAP 21I

The Etap 21i is 21 feet long and has a 8 feet beam. The Etap 21i is made of grp and can accommodate up to 4 passengers. This vessel comes equipped with anchor, spray hood, battery, battery charger, fire extinguisher as well as being equipped with autopilot, compass, depth instrument, gps, navigation lights, plotter, speed instrument, vhf.

SIMILAR LOCATIONS

• Etap in United Kingdom
• Boats in United Kingdom

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• Practical Boat Owner's Reader to Reader

Etap 21i and Trailer Sailing questions

• Thread starter Jimmy20V
• Start date 22 Apr 2003
• 22 Apr 2003

Hello again gang... Right, huge change of plan now... As the Gibsea 77 "project"i had my eye on was "nicked" from under my nose (almost literally, i could see it on the marina from my window as it was towed away to its new owner by the harbour master) my beloved and I have had a re-think. Firstly, we want a new boat, and as finances required for anything over 23ish feet are out of my league somewhat! Secondly, Despite living on a marina, we dont actually have a berth, and we may want to explore "cruising grounds" other than UK waters, so being able to move a boat freely on the road appeals at the mo. Also it is alot cheaper to keep the boat in a secure pound with access to a slipway.(I have a "mature" Jaguar, and I figure 3.6litres should be enough for towing safely) Thirdly, My beloved wishes to take on allcomers in the racing scene, but only in a friendly way (so she says!!!), and I have some years dinghy racing experience along with my 20 odd years cruising on wooden boats (35-45'). Finally, I would like to be able to safely make passage in a vessel that I can rely on, feel good in, handle competently in anything resembling orrible weather. So, we have looked about, and every manufacturer promises exactly what I have specified above along with alot more. "The Little Etap" (21i) has appealed greatly, not only for the "unsinkable" tag, but the layout seems usable and as roomy as could be expected for a boat of its size, funky twin rudders and some racey options. Just about within budget, and a chance of saving yourself a few quid by going to get it yourself! BUT!! the choice of keels is a troubling one. For racing we would want the full fin, where the boat draws 4'3", however, the alternative "tandem keel" with an overall draft of 2'3" give a little more lift but costs a couple of degrees upwind. 4'3" seems a bit much to easily launch and tow. Advice on this would be very much appreciated. Etap tell me that stability and handling is comparable. Sorry to ramble on, but your collective expertise is much appreciated. Cheers Jimmy PS I have heard that these little things do something in the region of 15-16knts downwind in a 3-4.... anybody know whether this is true? <hr width=100% size=1>  

G'day Jimmy20V, Just ask anyone who has towed a fin keeler any distance and (If honest) they will tell you it's hairy to say the least, even with the widest legal trailer, the centre of gravity is very high and great care is needed when navigating a bend, but this does not take into account the odd dodge required from time to time to avoid an accident. You may also find (To your horror) that insurance on a fin keeler being towed it quite a bit more. I think you have to make what could be a very hard decision, speed or safety. On the brighter side, if racing, the handicapper should look after you, line honours is not everything. I must admit I only ever towed a 23 footer with a fixed keel, and promised myself I would never ever do it again. Avalongthink. Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif... <hr width=100% size=1>  

dave_gibsea

Agree about trailing a fin keeler. What's required for trailing is a lift-keel. My dad had an Etap 20 lift-keel and he towed that with an MGB. He found the big problem was launching and recovery, usually on a deserted slipway in the rain with half a gale blowing! In the end he just used to tow the boat at the beginning and end of each season. My wife and I sailed this boat from the Solent to Falmouth, she was very fast for her size but a bit cramped below and also somewhat tender. I would suggest that you are better off with a non-trailing boat and just pay the yard costs. Because the trailer sailer has to be kept light there is always going to be a compromise on balast, and fittings not to mention beam. All this has an effect on sea worthiness and comfort below. Good luck! Dave <hr width=100% size=1>  

Thanks guys. You have kind of confirmed what I was thinking anyway. Down below on The 21i is suprising to me, mainly because I'm used to old wooden boats, but at 6'2" I can quite easily see myself scuffling about down there on my knees making the odd cup of tea/bacon sarny and "sticking her on the map". The ability to Launch and recover the boat is the most important thing to me, as the boat will (in theory) be left mast up on the adjacent yard. Having spoken to a couple of trailer manufacturers there are plenty of gizmo's to assist on that front. However my mind is not made up on the "dry berthing" thing. Hopefully the tandem keel will do the trick, as I don't want a Lifting keel but I would like some of the flexibility. All I have to do now is convince my local Etap dealer to give me a test drive and pick all them extras!! Ahhhh! just remembered a question! Asymetrical Spinny's... Etap offer a 22.5m and a 34m. Now the boat has 25m sail area overall, so to all you racey lads and lasses, should I have a No1 and a No2 spinny?? If not, which one should I have for starters? Thanks again! Jimmy <hr width=100% size=1>  

• 23 Apr 2003

Please have a look at the First 211 if you want to go the trailer sailor way. The First is similar in length to the Etap albeit a tiny bit more roomy. The big difference is found in the lifting keel arrangement: the whole keel pivots to change the draft from 1.8m to 0.8m. She is able to dry up quite well with the keel retracted. Other differences: the First is faster, points much higher (given a good set of sails) and is quite stiff for her size. She is classified in the CE design category B (whereas the Etap is in C). It is unsinkable, but the arrangement of the buoyancy foam is in my opinion much better in the First. It is very difficult to add any deck hardware on the Etap because of the foam between the deck and the liner, whereas the First allows any fitting to be mounted easily. I own a First 211 since 2001 and have added quite a lot of hardware myself. I am using a Harbeck aluminum, two axle trailer and we have carried the whole thing over many hundreds of kilometers over Europe without any problem whatsoever. The center of gravity is very low due to the keel arrangement. I have owned several smaller and bigger boats in the past, but the First 211 is really a fantastic little cruiser with a lot of capabilities. If you need any more infos, just ask. Cheers <hr width=100% size=1>  

• 24 Apr 2003

Going to see one this weekend... I didn't get a call, I called them, and they don't seem to want my money! Nevermind, lets see if the boat sells itself..... Cheers for the advice Jimmy <hr width=100% size=1>  

• 25 Apr 2003

Would be interested to know why. <hr width=100% size=1>  

Active member

• 23 Feb 2004

Johnboy2004

hi there i too am looking at these two boats,, the finish on the etap 21i is very good, espically on the inside compared to the 211.... but the etap the keel seems a little small...... and personally i think that the 211 has the better keel..... so i chose the 211 over the etap 21i..............does the 211 perform as well with the sinkability tests as the etap? have i made the right choice? can any one give me info on how they find their 211? thanks <hr width=100% size=1>  

• 24 Feb 2004

Well-known member

Re: STOP - before you are stopped! Before you go any further, check out the towing limits for your 'mature jaguar'. Just because it has a big engine, it doesnt necessarily mean it can tow a large boat! Towing regulations define clearly the maximum permissible weights for any vehicle, and the plod just love a bit of fund raising from wealthy yotties who have not checked it out! Nice n'easy for them! Unless yours is a VERY mature car, there will be a plate (somewhere - sorry, never owned a Jag) which will define the various limits on your car. There will be several figures available which you need to know. One is the Gross vehicle weight: that is the all up weight of the car. Next is the maximum permissible trailer weight. This is defined by the manufacturer, and with private cars is usually in the order of 80% of the Gross Vehicle Weight. The third essential figure is the 'Maximum Train Weight'. This is a key figure because its the easiest one checked 'on the road' by the law. It is the actual weight of the entire outfit - car with fuel, luggage, driver and passengers, plus the trailer and everything that is on it. In other words the figure you get if you drive the whole thing onto a weighbridge - which is what the Law will make you do if they think your weight is over the limit. A seriously overloaded or unsafe outfit can have a stop notice put on it there and then, and you would then have to arrange to have the boat and trailer picked up from the roadside and removed. There is loads of info around about towing caravans - most of which applies equally to a towed boat. Considerations include stowing heavy gear like engines, fuel, dinghies etc, which make a big difference to handling on the road. If you have never towed anything large before you may well be able to find a short course which gives you a chance to learn the basics before hitting the M27. Try the various caravan Clubs, many of which organise basic training days. Get any of it wrong, and the whole project becomes a nightmare - driving it, dealing with inquisitive Fund raisers in blue uniforms, and getting it sorted. But get the the figures and the outfit right, and trailer sailing opens up a whole realm of new possibilities, adding a whole new dimension to our sport. <hr width=100% size=1>  

• 29 Nov 2004

Dis you ever get advice re the number 1 spinny or no 2?? <hr width=100% size=1>  

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