Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Brothers

Whatever happened to the award-winning ETAP?

by Des Ryan on 27 Feb 2012
ETAP, whatever happened- besides the alien invasion SW
Whatever happened to ETAP? Founded in 1970 by Belgian entrepreneur Norbert Joris, ETAP built boats that were universally praised as innovative and ahead of their time, foam in their construction making them unsinkable. However, in January 2009, the company that made the unsinkable boat itself sank.

It had had a dream run. The yachts featured a unique hull-within-a-hull design; the gap in between was filled with a nonporous polyurethane foam, making it practically impossible for the inner hull to fill with water.

The ETAP 46DS had been awarded 'European Yacht of the Year' and won IPC Media's award for the category 'Sailboat over 40 ft'. But ETAP wasn't covering its costs, and was purchased by Dehler Deutchland in 2008, which itself declared bankruptcy later that year, and in January 2009 ETAP was itself declared insolvent.


But that wasn't the end of the story, as the design of the ETAP was just too good to ignore. Belgian company MIC Industries, an engineering firm, purchased the ETAP name in March 2009 - almost three years ago - for an undisclosed sum, including all the original factory molds and design instructions.

So why hasn't the ETAP, so lauded for so long, been manufactured since? The website is still there, even a link to the old website, although they seemed to have been invaded by aliens recently, with the strange statement:

For everything concerning 'survive 2012', please refer to Patrick Geryl, who is the author and organiser. Etapyachting takes no responsability for any publications made by third parties and has no direct connection to publications about 'Survive 2012', but then followed by links to Geryl's sites.

When questioned recently by Bloomberg Business Week, Toni De Pape, manager at MIC Industries, sees nothing unusual about featuring all ETAP endorsements on its website, even if they happen to be from survivalists. He says it was not MIC’s intention to make Geryl the new unofficial spokesperson for ETAP, but concedes that 'whatever helps our brand is OK with us.'

According to British yacht broker David Morris at Tollesbury Marina in Essex, England, 'It's really quite sad what's become of the ETAP brand.'

It’s certainly a bizarre outcome for one of the most acclaimed and beloved yachting brands in recent history.

For all information about ETAP - including how to survive Armageddon in 2012 - go to their http://www.etapyachting.com/!website.

Boat Books Australia FOOTERSydney Boat Show 2025 - Apply to ExhibitBarton Marine Pipe Glands

Related Articles

2025 Tiedemann Regatta
Experience shines alongside the brightwork at the Nw York Yacht Club A century ago, R Class yachts were the sports cars of the yachting world, sleek and low to the ground, nimble in the corners and quick around the course, and, above all, demanding to drive.
Posted today at 1:44 am
Bronze breakthrough for Liddell and Brown
Nacra 17 duo claim their first international podium at Kieler Woche Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown have claimed their first international podium in the Nacra 17 class, securing bronze at Kieler Woche, the third Sailing Grand Slam event of the season.
Posted today at 1:34 am
Foiling Week Malcesine 2025 concludes
Champions crowned and records set during the twelfth edition The twelfth edition of Foiling Week came to an end today in Malcesine with the awarding of the first BirdyFish World Championship title, showing the largest fleet ever for the occasion.
Posted on 29 Jun
Team Malizia starts Course Des Caps
Challenging race around the British Isles Team Malizia set sail today from Boulogne-sur-Mer, kicking off the inaugural Course des Caps race in light winds and challenging conditions with a solid start.
Posted on 29 Jun
Holcim-PRB set off on the Course des Caps
With Nicolas Lunven, Franck Cammas, Annemieke Bes, Alan Roberts, and onboard reporter Anne Beauge Today at 2:00 PM (French time), the IMOCA Holcim-PRB set off on the Course des Caps Boulogne sur Mer - Banque Populaire du Nord, a challenging route of over 2,000 nautical miles around the British Isles.
Posted on 29 Jun
America's Cup: Confidential settlement reached
(Updated) A confidential settlement reached over five year Cup legal claims. Confidential settlement reached between the America's Cup team Emirates Team New Zealand and their formerly contracted Event Managers, Mayo & Calder, and others associated with the company. But what of Mainstream Media's role in the affair?
Posted on 29 Jun
J/70 Mixed-Plus Worlds at Lake Garda Overall
Winners crowned at inaugural event, hosted by Circolo Vela Torbole It's hard to imagine a better debut for the inaugural J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship, held in the iconic sailing venue of Torbole on Lake Garda in Italy.
Posted on 29 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 10
Seven nations celebrate victories at the finale On the final sailing day of Kieler Woche 2025, there were beaming faces all around the Olympic Centre in Schilksee. Eleven decisions were made on Sunday and alongside Germany, Denmark, France, GB, Malta, Sweden, & Hungary were able to celebrate victories.
Posted on 29 Jun
Dan Turner prepares for Mini Globe Race 2025 Leg 3
Sailing aboard his homebuilt yacht, Immortal Game, Dan has navigated treacherous ocean conditions South Australian sailor Dan Turner finished in 2nd place and is now preparing to embark on the third leg of the Mini Globe Race 2025 — a gruelling solo circumnavigation challenge for sailors in compact 5.8-metre yachts.
Posted on 29 Jun
SGS Gold at Kieler Woche goes to France and GB
The best German team, Theresa Löffler and Christopher Hoerr, finished fifth With a victory in the final medal race of the Kieler Woche, the British team of Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris secured gold in the 470 class on Sunday (June 29).
Posted on 29 Jun