Tartan 31 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Both interior arrangements share the same fundamental DNA — angled bulkheads, teak-and-holly cabin sole, a U-shaped galley suited to offshore cooking, and a businesslike navigation station to port. The original layout features a fold-down chart table separated from the main cabin by a full bulkhead, with a pilot berth to port and a quarterberth aft. The Piper revision removed the pilot berth in favor of additional stowage, shifted the settees slightly outboard, moved the dining table to the centerline, and opened the nav station into a permanent, more spacious arrangement facing aft. The dual-door head access that Jackett added to the Piper is a genuine liveability improvement, though a minority of owners feel it compromised privacy.

Forward, both versions carry a V-berth double of generous width at the shoulders but narrowing noticeably toward the feet. The quarter berth to port is broadly regarded as the most comfortable sleeping spot aboard — a full seven feet long and well-sheltered from motion. Main settees are bunk-sized for adults, though the starboard berth in the original runs shorter than the port. Standing headroom reaches six feet two inches in the main cabin and an even six feet in the forecabin. On the used market, original-variant boats are somewhat more common; Piper examples are less numerous but typically show up with the sailaway gear package — furling headsail, lazy jacks, and a self-tacking jib option — already aboard.

Keel configuration is the other key variable. The deep six-foot fin was the preferred choice for racing-oriented buyers and is what most overseas examples carry. The shoal-draft Scheel keel on original boats and the Beaver Tail on Piper examples draw around four feet four inches and are far more common on the American used market, where shallow coastal waters drove demand. Buyers planning serious upwind racing or offshore passages should weight the deep-fin option heavily; the shoal versions are excellent for coastal cruising but surrender some windward efficiency.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Boats coming to market are commonly fitted with an autopilot, a chartplotter, and a dodger — three items that have become effectively standard on any coastal cruiser that has been actively sailed. A spinnaker or asymmetric spinnaker is often present, reflecting the boat's dual racing-and-cruising identity; gennakers appear with some frequency as well, particularly on boats with club-racing histories. Radar and a bimini are seen on a solid share of listings.

Owner upgrades tend to cluster around convenience and shorthanded sailing. Hot water and air conditioning appear on a portion of well-equipped examples, particularly boats based in warmer American waters. Line-leading modifications to support shorthanded sailing — clutches at the mast, additional turning blocks, extra cockpit winches — are a frequent improvement on boats that changed hands from racing sailors to cruising couples. Backstay adjusters, whether mechanical or hydraulic, are a worthwhile performance upgrade that serious racers commonly install; their presence signals a boat that has been actively tuned rather than merely maintained.

What to Inspect

The Tartan 31's construction is genuinely strong. The hull uses hand-laminated alternating layers of chopped strand mat and unidirectional E-glass, with a vinylester resin barrier coat behind the gelcoat — an arrangement that has provided solid osmotic blister resistance across the fleet. Balsa end-grain coring is limited to the deck, so the hull itself is solid laminate. The hull-to-deck joint is through-bolted the full length with stainless steel fasteners driven into a molded-in aluminum backing strip, further sealed with 3M 5200 — a belt-and-suspenders arrangement that ages well but deserves inspection for any sign of weeping or separation along the toerail.

Mast leaks are the most frequently reported persistent complaint across the owner community. The compression post area, wiring penetrations at the mast boot, and the masthead itself are all worth probing carefully. Some owners have resolved the problem with silicone sealer; others have faced recurring bilge accumulation requiring regular attention. Survey the bilge for staining or salt residue that might indicate a chronic drip rather than a one-time incident.

Keel bolts deserve close attention. The keel is secured by seven three-quarter-inch stainless steel bolts, and the bedding compound should be checked for any sign of weeping rust or movement. The stuffing box, notably, is readily accessible once the companionway stairs are swung aside — a well-designed feature that also means there is little excuse for deferred maintenance here.

On Piper examples, verify that all tie-rod hardware is properly secured; at least one owner reported finding an unsecured tie rod and attributed it to dealer assembly, but the prudent buyer confirms this independently. Stern chocks were omitted on Piper boats and are occasionally retrofitted; their absence is a minor inconvenience rather than a safety concern, but worth noting.

The Yanmar 2GM diesel is a durable and well-supported engine, but units in this age range are approaching the point where impeller history, heat exchanger condition, and raw-water pump wear matter greatly. Confirm service records and test thoroughly under load. Inspect the engine mounts for softening, which is common in boats that have spent years in warmer saltwater climates.

Sail inventory condition varies widely given the boat's racing heritage. A stretched 135-percent genoa that once did double duty on the race course and coastal passages may be years past its useful life; budget accordingly if the headsail looks blown out.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The Tartan 31 is a primarily American market boat, with the strongest concentration of examples along the Atlantic seaboard, the Great Lakes, and the Chesapeake Bay — regions where Tartan's dealer network was historically strongest and where the boat's blend of performance and cruisability found a natural audience. West Coast and Gulf Coast examples exist but are less common. International examples are rare; Tartan did develop export markets in Northern Europe and Japan during the production run, but relatively few of those boats surface on the American brokerage market.

The boat's reputation for retaining value reflects genuine quality, but that reputation should prompt buyers to verify condition rather than assume it. A well-maintained Tartan 31 is worth paying for; a deferred-maintenance example carries more latent cost than its lower asking position might suggest.

Pre-purchase checklist:

• Confirm keel variant (deep fin vs. shoal Scheel or Beaver Tail) and match it to your sailing intentions
• Identify generation (original vs. Piper) and inspect interior layout against your crew requirements
• Probe all mast boot and masthead penetrations for signs of chronic leaking
• Inspect keel bolt area for weeping rust or bedding failure
• Verify tie-rod hardware security on Piper examples
• Test the Yanmar 2GM under load; obtain full service history
• Examine stuffing box condition — easy access means easy maintenance, for better or worse
• Assess sail inventory honestly; factor replacement costs into your offer
• Confirm hull-to-deck joint integrity along the full toerail run
• Survey the deck coring for any soft spots at hardware penetrations