The boat measures 34 feet 5 inches overall, with a 30-foot-5-inch waterline and an 11-foot-11-inch beam. Displacement is roughly 10,800 pounds, including 3,500 pounds of lead ballast. Those dimensions place it between a weeknight club racer and a weekend coastal cruiser.
Design and Construction
Jackett designed the 3400 as a fin-keeled monohull with a spade rudder. Its structure centers on an oven-cured epoxy hull rather than a conventional polyester layup. Above the waterline, the boat carries a teak toe rail, and the deck is solid fiberglass.
The keel arrangement is genuinely unusual. Tartan engineered three truly interchangeable keels: a deep fin, a shoal-draft Beavertail keel, and a centerboard configuration. Even the 6-foot-6-inch bulbed fin is relatively conservative, while the shoal keel was developed more than a decade before the model’s launch.
An elliptical rudder mounted well aft provides maximum steering leverage. Together, the interchangeable keels and rudder arrangement allow an owner to tailor the boat’s draft and balance to home waters without changing the hull.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The rig uses a tapered, double-spreader carbon spar and an innovative carbon boom, both lighter and cleaner than a conventional aluminum rig. A self-tacking jib is set in a tall, nearly masthead 15/16 arrangement that provides maximum leading edge, while the mainsail has full battens. An optional “Q”-sail—a lightweight, roller-furling reacher—adds horsepower and versatility both upwind and off the breeze.
In light air, test sailors found that the boat tacked through 100 degrees under the working jib without losing steerage. Even when the breeze softened, it was always maintaining a wake.
The Yanmar saildrive unit excelled at what saildrives do best, and engine access was much better than on many conventional inboards. At three-quarter throttle, the boat topped six knots.
Accommodations
Belowdecks, a white overhead with cherry battens brightens the living space. A conspicuous cherry deck-support pole adds another interior accent. The most noticeable feature is a stand-alone sink to port of the companionway.
Storage is substantial in places. Beneath the aft berth are double-depth drawers, while a pair of hatches ventilates the forecabin. Testers liked the positive-closing latches on all lockers, although they found the fiddles generally too low for serious stowage. They also considered the chart table smaller than they would have liked.
The head offers minimal elbow room, and the side-opening refrigerator gave the survey crew pause. A standard fan serves the aftercabin, and the saloon provides more than enough legroom for a six-footer. Noise levels below were better than average.
A separate sump with its own pump handles grey water in the bilge. Testers also gave the electrical panel high marks.
Ownership Considerations
Several interior compromises are worth weighing. The head is tight, the chart table is small for paper navigation, and the low fiddles limit secure stowage when the boat is heeled. Reviewers also hesitated over the side-opening refrigerator layout. None of these faults grounds the boat, but each affects liveaboard comfort in a 34-foot hull.
Prospective owners should also note the interchangeable keel system. A boat delivered with the shoal keel can later accept a deep fin or centerboard without hull modification, which protects resale value and allows the boat to follow its owner.
The carbon rig and epoxy hull are low-maintenance by nature, while the saildrive simplifies the drivetrain compared with a conventional shaft. For short-handed sailing, the self-tacking jib and available roller-furling reacher reduce crew workload.
The Verdict
The Tartan 3400/345 is a thoughtfully engineered Jackett design that bridges cruising and racing without apology. Its epoxy hull, carbon rig, and interchangeable keels give it a technical edge over many contemporaries. Belowdecks, cherry detailing and the stand-alone sink make the interior feel considered. Minimal elbow room in the head and modest stowage fiddles are the trade-offs for its performance-focused footprint.
Pros
- Interchangeable deep-fin, shoal, and centerboard keels
- Light, controllable carbon spar and boom with a full-batten mainsail
- Strong light-air handling with a self-tacking jib and optional reacher
- Better-than-average quiet belowdecks
- Excellent saildrive access
Cons
- Minimal elbow room in the head
- Low locker fiddles that limit secure stowage
- Small chart table
- Side-opening refrigerator layout questioned by testers
