Known Tartan 3700 Issues (2001)

[Zzmeyer]

Originally Posted by Scaramanga F25

Any after market deficiencies are not the manufacturer's fault.
A surveyor may not want go up the mast so you may need a rigger.
Only a competent diesel mechanic will survey the engine not the surveyor so this is sometimes the reason for the sale.

A very sage post. Too many of us rely on the limited scope of a survey. To me, after hull and deck integrity which a competent surveyor will review, rigging and engine are about the most important condition to ascertain as they are expensive to fix or dangerous to ignore.

[BrownBear]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Found these old photos in my files. A 2005 tartan 37.
They had a wee leakage problem with the factory installed bow thruster tube. The thruster was mounted horizontally without support and the tube was not strong enough to support the thruster motor.

Mostly held in place with putty, minimum mat and marked as "exhaust pipe" ie. way thinner than a thruster tube. We actually kicked it out of the hull.

2005 seems like a rough year for the company. Thank you for your comments.

[BrownBear]

Originally Posted by christianbarner

I purchased my 2007 Tartan 3700 four years ago and have sailed her here on the Coast of Maine each summer since. While I had no prior experience with Tartan Yachts, we have found her to be be very comfortable, reliable, and and easy to sail. She is equipped with the "solent rig" which Tartan calls "cruise control" -- 95% self-tacking jib located immediately behind a 150% reacher. Both are furling. Yes, tacking the reacher means rolling in and back out on the opposite tack. I have tried passing through and it just isn't worth the trouble. That said, we short tack inside the islands with jib only, and then replace with the reacher in open water when we are unlikely to tack again for hours. She has also been modified with a Schaeffer boom furling main and electric winches which makes single handing very comfortable.



I do recall reaching out to Tartan to discuss the carbon fiber mast made by Novis. My surveyor recommended and did a separate internal thermal inspection of the mast to confirm the absence of any delamination. The inspection found nothing and I was very satisfied with the responses I received from Tartan/Novis regarding the manufacturing process.



I too did a lot of research at the time of my purchase regarding the Blue Heron hull failure incident and its aftermath (easily found online). I believe Tartan offered dealer inspections of hulls up through hull number 119. Mine is 124. As an attorney myself though, I am convinced that the court of public opinion usually gets it wrong and should be viewed with skepticism from the outset.



I hope you will be as happy with your Tartan as I am with mine. Best.

Thank you for your input. I had heard about the hull failure, and while that is completely unacceptable that somehow that got by the builders and the production management that is the only case that I can seem to find. Obviously something that huge is going to create quite a stir. I would imagine that as the authorities were involved that other boats were checked, as you mentioned.

I have never sailed on a boat with that jib setup but it sounds interesting. This particular boat that I am looking at is a traditional masthead sloop.

Thank you for your comments and I am glad you enjoy your boat. Everything I have heard is all positive.

[t-3400]

The yammar issue in the thread was related to electrical bonding and corrosion of the sail drive (not the quality of the yaar engine. There was blamestorming and litigation, until the engineering issue was understood and solved. An electrical survey would find the issue, if present. We looked for and addressed the issue during purchase of our 3400.

[BrownBear]

Ah, thank you for clarifying. I will add this to the things to look for.