Designed to the CCA rule, the Tartan 27 has long overhangs, a short waterline, moderate displacement, slack bilges, a long keel, centerboard, shallow draft, aperture propeller, and keel-hung rudder. A few boats were built as yawls, a rig that received a favorable CCA rating; the mizzen was stepped into the lazarette.
Design and Construction
The hull is a substantial laminate of woven roving and mat, ranging from 5/16 to 3/4 inch thick. The deck is balsa-cored, with plywood substituted at hard points. The outward-turning hull-to-deck flange is secured by screws that also hold the teak rubrail. It isn’t the joint Practical Sailor recommends, but it has no reputation for leaking and helps keep the deck and cockpit drier.
In 1966, the external keel was encapsulated and ballast increased by 350 pounds. The first dozen boats had bronze centerboards. Most later boats used fiberglass-encapsulated steel plates, which had plenty of problems on all but the earliest hulls. With few exceptions, however, the boat’s basic construction has proved superb.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The standard Tartan 27 has a single-spreader masthead sloop rig with a low aspect ratio, large mainsail, and modest foretriangle. Upper and single lower shrouds lead to chainplates just inboard of the toerail. Racing requires genoas of up to 176 percent to wring out the boat’s speed.
The boat heels quickly at first, then stiffens at around 20 degrees. It was designed to sail at 20 to 25 degrees of heel, lengthening the waterline and adding speed. Press it beyond that and weather helm develops. It will also put the rail in the water quickly if the crew doesn’t reef early. Owners of the shoal-keel version report needing to reef above 10 knots.
In moderate conditions, the Tartan 27 is well balanced and can sail with the helm unattended. In puffs, however, a yawl-review boat developed some weather helm. It tracked neutrally with the mainsail eased and the jib sheeted tight.
Backing down is an adventure, as is typical of a long-keel boat with an aperture propeller. Under sail, the stopped propeller also throws turbulence against the rudder.
Accommodations
The original interior had a dinette, midships galley, cockpit-opening icebox, quarterberth, and small head. Later boats adopted a more traditional arrangement with settee berths, an aft galley, no quarterberth, a chart table, and a larger athwartships head.
The 1977 redesign raised the sheerline by 4 inches and eliminated the boxy doghouse, creating the Tartan 27-2. The updated boat had a less boxy, single-level cabin trunk, a more traditional interior, and a bridge deck with a longer cockpit.
Inside, the 27-2 is trimmed in solid teak and teak-veneered panels over a fiberglass furniture pan. A standard V-berth occupies the forward cabin. Just aft, the head to port is only just large enough; opposite it is a hanging locker with a balky sliding door.
The saloon has long settees and a folding bulkhead table. The starboard settee slides out on legs to form a larger berth, while the port settee makes an adequate berth. Headroom is 5 feet 10 inches. A navigation station sits aft to port above the icebox.
The overhead is hardboard finished with teak strips but has no handholds. Stout grabrails are fitted to the carlings between the portlights.
Known Issues
The tiller-head fitting is the design’s weakest point and its most common, annoying problem. Owners and surveyors alike flag worn fittings.
On many boats, the keel-stepped mast rests on wood supports. Several owners report that leaks around the mast partner can rot this wood, causing the step to collapse and damaging nearby bulkheads. The balsa-cored deck most often delaminates around poorly bedded chainplates.
The centerboard pivot can wear until the board drops and hangs solely from its pendant. The pendant itself may chafe through its guide tube and cause leaks, while the steel-core centerboard brings its own problems.
Rudder sloppiness results from a post with no bearing in its tube. The through-hulls are brass nipples glassed inside the hull, with gate valves screwed onto them—a potentially serious arrangement. Various fuel tanks were installed over the years, and some leak. Colored gelcoat topsides have also chalked badly on many boats.
Refits, Parts, and Owner Support
Some Tartan 27s have been converted to wheel steering. Builder parts support continues for fiberglass hatches, rudders, and centerboards. Regional racing and cruising support is strong, with good technical resources. The Chesapeake Bay Tartan Sailing Club’s Tartan 27 Handbook is renowned for its completeness and considered a must-have.
One owner spent three years upgrading NorthStar, a 1978 Tartan 27-2. The work included new portlights, shorepower, a swing-mounted GPS, self-tailing Lewmar winches, a Harken Battcar mainsail system, an inner forestay for a staysail, and a custom anchor platform with a windlass. The boat was then trailered to the North Channel of Lake Huron, evidence that a properly upgraded 27-2 is capable of offshore passages.
The Verdict
The Tartan 27 is a handsome CCA-era centerboarder that sails well and stays together. The yawl variant adds rule-driven charm, while the later 27-2 modernized the deck and cabin without sacrificing the boat’s classic character. It rewards an owner who’s willing to address its known structural and rigging weaknesses.
Pros
- Solid woven-roving hull laminate and a flange joint with no reputation for leaking
- Well-balanced helm that can sail unattended in moderate air
- Sparkman & Stephens pedigree and continuing builder support for parts
- The 27-2 update resolved earlier layout and working-deck issues
Cons
- Chronic problems with the tiller-head fitting and balsa deck around the chainplates
- Keel-stepped mast-support rot and centerboard-pivot wear present real risks
- Underpowered with the Farymann diesel; tricky when backing down
- Cramped by modern standards, with a balky sliding door
