Tartan 33 Buyer's Guide
Shopping a used Tartan 33 means looking at a Sparkman & Stephens-designed coastal cruiser built between 1979 and 1984, with just over 200 hulls produced. These are boats that have settled into the used market as capable daysailers and weekend cruisers, and a careful viewing focuses on the structural shared traits and the few design quirks that matter at the dock.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard interior places the galley aft to starboard with a single sink facing aft and an icebox compartment, while the nav station sits with a good-sized chart desk and the electrical panel. A quarterberth lies behind the nav station, and the saloon has facing settees with a folding table. The head runs the full width of the boat with bi-fold doors, and the mast shares that compartment. Later B-plan boats lengthened the settee and added more lockers, but the forward cabin access remains blocked whenever the head is in use.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used Tartan 33s often carry a dodger and a short-handed setup that simplifies sail handling for a couple. A spinnaker is often seen, along with a chartplotter at the nav station for navigation. Air conditioning is a frequent comfort addition in warmer climates. Less commonly, buyers will find a bimini, autopilot, asymmetric spinnaker, electric winches, or a cockpit shower as owner upgrades. Most boats still run the original 24-horsepower Universal diesel, with engine access from the lazarette, port quarterberth, and behind the companionway.
What to Inspect
The keel stub is shared between the Scheel and deep-fin models, so on a deep-fin 33R the void along the stub should be checked for trapped moisture or odor. Keel bolts are reachable in the bilge, and their bedding should be examined for weeping. Balsa coring in both hull and deck means tapping and sounding for soft spots, especially around the structural aluminum toerail where the hull-to-deck joint loads. The head's full-beam layout is worth testing: close the bi-fold doors and confirm the forward cabin is truly sealed off. Original halyards at the mast and non-self-tailing winches are typical, so verify clutch and fairlead upgrades if halyards were routed aft.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Tartan 33s are found in the United States and Canada. When you go to look, keep a short list in mind.
- Check the keel stub void on deep-fin models for moisture.
- Sound the balsa-cored deck near the toerail for softness.
- Confirm bilge access to keel bolts and inspect their bedding.
- Test the head doors blocking forward cabin entry.
- Verify engine access from lazarette and quarterberth.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Tartan 33. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 13 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $800 | — |
| Mar 25 | 5 | $34,900 | +4262.5% |
| Jul 25 | 1 | $22,500 | -35.5% |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $10,500 | -53.3% |
| Sep 25 | 5 | $14,500 | +38.1% |
| Oct 25 | 4 | $31,400 | +116.6% |
| Jan 26 | 3 | $24,000 | -23.6% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $17,000 | -29.2% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $24,000 | +41.2% |
| May 26 | 2 | $29,450 | +22.7% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $20,000 | -32.1% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $20,000 | 0.0% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $17,000 | -15.0% |
Where they're listed
Tartan 33 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 20 (95.2%), followed by Canada.
Country view
21 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $23,750 | 20 | 4 | 95.2% |
| Canada | $23,017 | 1 | 0 | 4.8% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tartan 37 | 37.29' | $ 47,000 | 73 | 27 |
| Tartan 33You are here | — | $ 23,500 | 23 | 5 |
| Tartan 30 | 29.92' | $ 9,950 | 18 | 5 |
| Tartan 34-2 | 34.42' | $ 29,900 | 18 | 5 |
| Pearson 33 | 32.92' | $ 19,000 | 13 | 6 |
| CS 33 | 32.67' | $ 21,507 | 13 | 2 |
| Tartan 42 | 42' | $ 89,000 | 13 | 11 |
| Tartan 40 | 40.25' | $ 79,900 | 11 | 3 |