turadh

About Turadh

Turadh, our floating home, is an Etap 37s build in 2004.

We bought her in 2021, after having sailed a Beneteau First 31.7 called Hydra since 2016.

The Hydra was a great boat, perfect for racing and shorter trips, and we had a lot of fun with her. However, for longer journeys and true living aboard, she proved to be a bit too nervous and cramped. We were looking for a vessel that would offer both comfort and, above all, safety. That’s when we found the Etap 37s, which we called turadh.

Etap 37s: A Unique Sailing Experience

The Etap 37s is a sailboat that stands out thanks to its thoughtful design, innovative construction techniques, and reliable performance at sea. Built by the Belgian shipyard Etap Yachting, this yacht combines comfort with safety, making it ideal for both recreational and serious sailors.

Innovative Double-Hull Design

What truly sets the Etap 37s apart is its double-hull construction, a hallmark of the Etap brand. This design makes the boat virtually unsinkable, offering peace of mind, especially during long voyages or in challenging weather conditions. The space between the two hulls is filled with foam, which, in addition to safety, provides excellent thermal and sound insulation.

Innovative Double-Hull Design

What truly sets the Etap 37s apart is its double-hull construction, a hallmark of the Etap brand. This design makes the boat virtually unsinkable, offering peace of mind, especially during long voyages or in challenging weather conditions. The space between the two hulls is filled with foam, which, in addition to safety, provides excellent thermal and sound insulation.

Performance and Ease of Sailing

With a length of 11.35 meters and a beam of 3.85 meters, the Etap 37s features a sleek and efficient underwater profile. The combination of a deep T-shaped lead keel (or an optional shallow version) and a well-balanced rudder ensures excellent sailing performance. The boat is easy to handle, even with a small crew, thanks to practical features like a well-positioned furling jib and a smartly designed deck layout.

What are the most important specifications?

Development

  • Designer: Mortain & Mavrikios
  • Build by: Etap yachting Belgium
  • Model: 37s
  • Type: Cruiser monohull
  • Build in 2004

Hull

  • Displacement: 6350 kg
  • Draft: 1.95m
  • LOA: 11.26 m
  • LWL: 9.90 m
  • Beam: 3.85 m

Hardware

  • Anchorwinch: Lofrans X2 1000
  • Anchorchain: 60m grade 40 8mm
  • Ankerlijn: 30m
  • Anchor: Viking 10

Electronics

  • Raymarine Plotter
  • 2 x rugged tablet with Navionics
  • Raymarine Ray 60 VHF 2 stations
  • AIS 700
  • Raymarine radar

Comfortable Interior

The interior of the Etap 37s is designed with comfort in mind, without compromising functionality. The boat offers ample space for six people, with two generous cabins, a practical galley, and a cozy saloon. The high-quality finish, combined with an intelligent layout, makes the interior perfect for longer stays aboard, especially for a crew of 2.

Safety and Reliability

Beyond its unsinkable design, the Etap 37s includes additional safety features that make it a dependable choice. Its sturdy construction, easily accessible safety lines, and well-organized deck ensure a reassuring experience, no matter the sea conditions.

What do experts say about the Etap 37S?

Darrell Nicholson in “Practical Sailor”

The Etap 37 occupies a spot at the high end of the market when measured against most production boats of similar size. However, she is priced competitively compared to quality boats designed for offshore passages. Buyers will pay a premium for her unsinkability. Somers explained that “this construction method adds 20 to 30 percent” to the cost of construction, which raises a question about a) the necessity of an unsinkable boat, or b) the veracity of CE category A. The CE certification (required of all recreational boats sold in the European Union) does not hold offshore cruisers to an unsinkable standard, or require construction methods as stringent as a Lloyd’s certification. Most sailors are aware of the risk of going to sea, but assume that a liferaft affords a great degree of protection in the event of a holing. Ultimately, then, a prospective owner may be forced to weigh the risks of an offshore catastrophe with the additional cost of an unsinkable craft. As with any monohull, if the keel falls off it will turtle, though this boat will be more buoyant than a conventionally constructed sailboat.

Tom Dove in “Sail magazine”

Etap has built more than 6,000 unsinkable boats, so this is a proven technology. The boats are comfortable, look sharp, and sail well. The engineering and construction costs a bit more than more conventional techniques and you lose a bit of interior space, but when you’re offshore it should be comforting to know that nothing short of cannon fire will do you in.

Barry Tranter in “Yacht and Boat Magazine”

A boat for which seaworthiness was a major design factor, in a manner almost forgotten in the modern cruiser/racer. The hull is extremely well behaved, but you cannot help being impressed by the design detail. The boat gives every promise of being able to handle itself at sea, and the cook should be able to produce hot meals for as long as the crew is capable of eating them.