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Etap 26
Designer: E. G. Van De Stadt  ·  Builder: Etap Yachting (Bel)  ·  First built: 1982
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About the Etap 26

Designed by the renowned E.G. van de Stadt and built by Belgium's Etap Yachting from 1982 to 1989, this compact cruiser represents excellent European craftsmanship with 500 hulls produced during its seven-year production run. The boat's most distinctive feature is its lifting keel system, which reduces draft from 5.25 feet to allow exploration of shallow waters and easier trailering, making it particularly appealing for coastal cruising and gunkholing. With a fractional sloop rig and moderate sail area of 286 square feet, the Etap 26 delivers balanced performance suitable for both novice and experienced sailors. The fiberglass construction ensures durability, while the boat's modest beam of 9.02 feet keeps it within trailerable dimensions. Van de Stadt's design philosophy emphasizes seaworthiness and practicality, evident in the boat's comfortable motion and stable sailing characteristics. The relatively low comfort ratio of 18.34 suggests a performance-oriented design that prioritizes sailing ability over pure comfort, while the capsize screening formula of 2.1 indicates reasonable stability for coastal applications. This makes the Etap 26 an ideal choice for weekend cruising, sailing instruction, and coastal exploration, particularly in European waters where shallow harbors and variable conditions demand versatility.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 25.75 ft / 7.85 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 21.65 ft / 6.60 m
Beam 9.02 ft / 2.75 m
Max Draft 5.25 ft / 1.60 m
Min Draft 3.11 ft / 0.95 m
Displacement 5,084.00 lb / 2,306 kg
Ballast 1,568.00 lb / 711 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 286.00 ft² / 26.57 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Lifting Keel
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer E. G. van de Stadt
Builder Etap Yachting (BEL)
First Built 1982
Last Built 1989
Number Built 500
Related Sailboats ["Etap 26I" · "Sadler 26" · "Laguna 26" · "Albin 78" · "Pegasus 800"]
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 15.52
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 30.84
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 223.66
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 18.34
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.1
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.23 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 2.28
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 697.77 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 15.51
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 29.36 ft / 8.95 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 9.68 ft / 2.95 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 29.20 ft / 8.90 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
SA Fore 142.10 ft² / 13.20 m²
SA Main 143.66 ft² / 13.35 m²
SA Total (100%) 285.76 ft² / 26.55 m²
Est. Forestay Length 30.91 ft / 9.42 m
Engine & Accommodations
Fuel Capacity 7 gals / 26 L
How It Compares

vs. Albin 78, Laguna 26, Sadler 26

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Etap 26 ★
25.8 ft
Albin 78
25.6 ft
Laguna 26
25.8 ft
Sadler 26
25.8 ft
LWL
Etap 26 ★
21.7 ft
Albin 78
21.8 ft
Laguna 26
21.5 ft
Sadler 26
20.5 ft
Beam
Etap 26 ★
9.0 ft
Albin 78
9.1 ft
Laguna 26
8.3 ft
Sadler 26
9.4 ft
Displacement
Etap 26 ★
5 lbs
Albin 78
5 lbs
Laguna 26
3 lbs
Sadler 26
4 lbs
Ballast
Etap 26 ★
1 lbs
Albin 78
2 lbs
Laguna 26
1 lbs
Sadler 26
2 lbs
Sail Area
Etap 26 ★
286 sq ft
Albin 78
—
Laguna 26
275 sq ft
Sadler 26
273 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Etap 26 ★
15.5
Albin 78
—
Laguna 26
17.8
Sadler 26
15.4
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Etap 26 ★
30.8 %
Albin 78
40.4 %
Laguna 26
—
Sadler 26
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Etap 26 ★
18.3
Albin 78
—
Laguna 26
15.7
Sadler 26
16.9
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Etap 26 ★
2.10
Albin 78
—
Laguna 26
2.12
Sadler 26
2.24
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Etap 26 ★
223
Albin 78
222
Laguna 26
—
Sadler 26
—
Hull Speed
Etap 26 ★
6.2 kts
Albin 78
—
Laguna 26
6.2 kts
Sadler 26
6.1 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Etap 26 ★
2.3
Albin 78
—
Laguna 26
3.1
Sadler 26
2.0
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