The Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987 vs Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987 at 28,1 ft versus Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 at 29,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 tips the scales at 9 700 lbs — 3 637 lbs less than the Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987 at 6 063 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
The Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 tops out at 18 hp. Engine specs for the Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987 aren't listed — confirm with a dealer before selecting an outboard.Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 carries 13 gallons versus 9 gallons in the Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 could be the deciding factor.
Displacement is where these two sailboats genuinely part ways. The Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 displaces 9 700 lbs — a 3 637-lb difference over the Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987 at 6 063 lbs. That gap separates two entirely different categories of sailing: the heavier boat is built for offshore passage-making and load-carrying, while the lighter hull rewards performance sailing and easier handling in lighter air.
Both boats draw a similar depth — 5,4 ft and 5,1 ft respectively. Marina access and anchorage options should be broadly equivalent between the two.
The Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987 uses Sloop rigging. The Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 has a documented auxiliary engine of 18 hp.
Hull speed is rated at 6,8 knots for the Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 and 6,6 knots for the Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987.
Bottom line: The Etap Yachts Etap 30 - Deep draft Deep draft 1984 is the offshore and bluewater choice — at 9 700 lbs displacement and 30 ft it has the load capacity, range, and seakeeping for extended passages. The Etap Yachts Etap 28i - Fin keel Fin keel 1987 at 6 063 lbs is the more nimble, accessible option — easier to single-hand and better suited to coastal and inland sailing.