Tartan 3400/345 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Jackett’s 3400 is a fin-keeled monohull with a spade rudder, and the structure leans on an oven-cured epoxy hull anchor rather than conventional polyester layup. Above the waterline she carries a teak toe-rail, and the deck is solid fiberglass. The keel architecture is genuinely unusual: Tartan engineered a threesome of keels that are truly interchangeable anchor, offered as deep fin, shoal (Beavertail) draft, or centerboard configurations. Even the 6-foot-6-inch bulbed fin is relatively conservative, and the shoal keel itself was developed over a decade before the model’s launch. An elliptical rudder mounted well aft gives maximum steering leverage, which pairs with the interchangeable keels to let an owner tailor draft and balance to his home waters without changing the hull.

Rig and Handling

The sail plan is built around a tapered, double-spreader carbon spar with an innovative carbon boom, both lighter and cleaner than a conventional aluminum rig. A self-tacking jib works in a tall, nearly masthead 15/16 arrangement that provides maximum leading edge, while the mainsail carries full battens. An optional “Q”-sail — a lightweight roller-furling reacher — adds horsepower and versatility upwind and off the breeze. On the water, test sailors found she tacked through 100 degrees in light wind with the working jib and never lost steerage, always maintaining a wake anchor when the air went soft. The Yanmar saildrive unit excelled at what saildrives do best, and engine access was much better than on many conventional inboards anchor; at three-quarter throttle she topped six knots.

Accommodations

Below, the living area is brightened by a white overhead accented with cherry battens and a conspicuous cherry deck-support pole. The most noticeable feature is a stand-alone sink to port of the companionway. Storage is serious: beneath the aft berth are drawers of double depth, and the forecabin gets its air from a pair of hatches. Testers liked the positive closing latches on all lockers, though they found fiddles generally too low for serious stowage and the chart table smaller than they would like. The head has minimal elbow room, and the side-opening fridge gave the survey crew pause. A standard fan serves the aftercabin, legroom in the saloon was more than enough for a six-footer, and the noise level below was better than average. A separate sump with its own pump handles grey water in the bilge, and the electrical panel drew high marks from the testers.

Known Issues

Several accommodation compromises are worth weighing. The head is tight, the chart table is small for paper navigation, and the low fiddles limit secure stowage when heeled. The side-opening fridge layout drew reviewer hesitation. None of these are faults that ground the boat, but they shape liveaboard comfort on a 34-foot hull.

Refits and Ownership

Owners shopping a 3400 should note the interchangeable keel system: a boat delivered with a shoal keel can later take a deep fin or centerboard without hull modification, which protects resale and lets the boat follow its owner. The carbon rig and epoxy hull are low-maintenance by nature, and the saildrive simplifies the drivetrain compared with a conventional shaft. The self-tacking jib and available roller-furling reacher reduce crew workload for short-handed sailing.

The Verdict

The Tartan 3400/345 is a thoughtfully engineered Jackett design that bridges cruising and racing without apology. The epoxy hull, carbon rig, and interchangeable keels give it a technical edge over many contemporaries, while the belowdecks cherry detailing and standalone sink make the interior feel considered. Tight headroom in the head and modest stowage fiddles are the trade for her performance-focused footprint.

Pros