The ETAP 34s is a Belgian

sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...

that was designed by

Mortain & Mavrikios Mortain () is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Mortain-Bocage. Geography Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the ...

as a

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

and first built in 1997. The design is a development of the

ETAP 35i The ETAP 35i is a Belgian sailboat that was designed as a cruiser and first built in 1992. Production The design was built by ETAP Yachting in Belgium starting in 1992, but it is now out of production. Design The ETAP 35i is a recreational ...

Production

The design was built by

ETAP Yachting ETAP Yachting is a Belgium, Belgian boat builder based in Lokeren. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of fibreglass sailboats. History The company was founded by Norbert Joris in 1970 and was originally a manufacturer of lig ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

between 1997 and 2006, with 85 boats completed, but it is now out of production.

Design

The ETAP 34s is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain the ester functional group in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include natural ...

glassfibre Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

, with wood trim. The design uses a glassfibre foam-cored structure that provides buoyancy and renders it unsinkable. It has a fractional

sloop A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular sa ...

rig, a

raked stem The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. Description The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to ...

; a raised counter,

reverse transom A transom is the vertical reinforcement which strengthens the stern of a boat. This flat termination of the stern is typically above the waterline. The term was used as far back as Middle English in the 1300s, having come from Latin ''transvers ...

with steps and a swimming platform; an internally mounted spade-type

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...

controlled by a

wheel A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle Bearing (mechanical), bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the Simple machine, six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction wi ...

and a fixed fin

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

. It displaces and carries of iron ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard keel. The boat is fitted with a Swedish

Volvo The Volvo Group ( sv, Volvokoncernen; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distributio ...

diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...

for docking and manoeuvring. The fuel tank holds and the fresh water tank has a capacity of . The design has sleeping accommodation for six people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin, two straight settees in the main cabin around a

drop-leaf table A drop-leaf table is a table that has a fixed section in the center and a hinged section (leaf) on either side that can be folded down (dropped). If the leaf is supported by a bracket when folded up, the table is simply a drop-leaf table; if the ...

and an aft cabin with a double berth on the port side. The

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...

is located on the port side just forward of the

companionway In the architecture of a ship, a companion or companionway is a raised and windowed hatchway in the ship's deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins. A companionway may be secured by doors or, commonly in ...

ladder. The galley is L-shaped and is equipped with a two-burner stove, am ice box and two round sinks. A navigation station is opposite the galley, on the starboard side. The

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...

is located just aft of the navigation station on the starboard side and includes a shower.

Operational history

The boat was at one time supported by a class club, the ''ETAP Owners Association''. A 2005 review in ''Yachting Monthly'' described the design, "in 1997 Etap decided that its individualistic designs, while applauded in some quarters, were not working in the marketplace so the company decided on a makeover. This was the first result. She is based on the 1991 Harlé Mortain Etap 35 with a new, full length coachroof and a revised interior layout by Mortain & Mavrikios. She has a taller rig than her predecessor, is a sharp performer and handles well. Below decks, décor switched from light beech wood trims in the early 34s to striking, rich mahoganies later on. Headroom throughout is good but the fit-out is of the no-frills variety. She has six berths in three cabins, the galley is good and the heads is roomy."

References

External links

* {{ETAP Yachting Keelboats 1990s sailboat type designs Sailing yachts Sailboat type designs by Mortain & Mavrikios Sailboat types built by ETAP Yachting

Production

Design

Operational history

See also

References

External links