Design and Construction
The hull is hand-laid fiberglass molded as a single unit, cored with end-grain balsa that tapers to solid glass in the engine bed, mast step, shroud terminals, thru-hulls, and keel sections anchor. The deck shares that balsa-cored construction with molded-in non-skid, and the two are joined by a bedded, mechanically fastened lap joint that has proven strong and dry. Practical Sailor's survey found the interior finish among the best they had seen, with exceptionally neat fillet bonding and no raw fiberglass edges anywhere. Tartan also used unidirectional roving in stress areas, and while gelcoat quality is very good, some roving print-through and visible hard spots show on the outside of the hull. All through-hull fittings sit flush with the hull skin and carry bronze ball valves below the waterline, while the hull-to-deck joint is stiffened with an aluminum plate glassed to the inward flange and through-bolted across the transom.
Rig and Handling
The underbody carries a skeg-hung rudder, cutaway forefoot, and long fin keel, and the boat is a keel-centerboarder in its original configuration anchor. Until the early 1980s most 37s were ordered with that centerboard; a few deep-fin versions with tall rigs went to racers, and by 1985 all three keel shapes—centerboard, deep fin, and Scheel shoal keel—were available. On the sailplan, the masthead sloop carries 625 square feet of sail and the optional inboard genoa track is worth having for anyone serious about windward work. Owners report the boat is well-mannered under sail, and writing in Cruising World, reviewers found performance to weather excellent with offwind speed ranking among the best, the skeg rudder giving great control on full-sail reaches and runs. Several hulls have turned in respectable showings in the Marion/Newport-Bermuda race.
Accommodations
Below, the boat is heavy with teak veneer and trim over a white Formica overhead, which Practical Sailor concedes makes the interior dark and cave-like. The forward cabin is genuinely comfortable for the size, with drawers, hanging lockers, and separate head access, though a louvered door limits privacy and would not survive a careless blow in a seaway. The head itself is secure enough for offshore use and the shower drains to its own sump rather than the bilge. In the main cabin the starboard settee makes a good sea berth and the port converts to a double; a dinette layout was standard, with a pilot berth that disappeared by 1986 in favor of shelves. The quarterberth aft converts to a double—a perk not often found at this length—and the galley to starboard sits opposite a large nav station at the companionway base. Ventilation is strong with eight opening ports, three hatches, and four vent fans.
Known Issues
The cored deck is the headline concern: it is prone to water damage and repairs can run expensive, so any survey needs to probe for soft spots. Many hulls left the factory with a poorly bedded toerail, a path for leaks into that same core. The cockpit drains sit above the waterline without any shutoff valves, which is fine at rest but leaves them submerged and open while sailing—a shutoff provision would be the careful owner's addition. The icebox sides are well insulated but the tops were left careless, and the engine box was only partially insulated from the factory.
Refits and Ownership
Most boats carry the 32-hp Universal 40 diesel, with the Universal 50 offered as an option, and the standard 47-gallon tank gives coastal motoring range; early specification lists also show a Westerbeke 4-107 as original equipment on some hulls. The centerboard pennant rises through the mast, which forced a complex mast step with transverse floors and a massive beam to take compression—a detail to respect during rig work. Bronze seacocks, backed deck hardware, and through-bolted pulpits speak to a structure that ages on its own terms if kept dry.
The Verdict
The Tartan 37 is a thoughtfully conceived S&S cruiser-racer whose balsa-cored shell, careful interior joinery, and versatile keel program still reward owners four decades on. It sails cleanly to weather and offwind, carries a berth plan rare for its length, and was built in numbers that keep spares and knowledge in circulation. The cored deck and toerail bedding are the prices of admission.
Pros
- Excellent windward and offwind performance with strong rudder control
- Well-finished, neat interior with a convertible aft quarterberth
- Three keel configurations available across the production run
- Flush thru-hulls with bronze valves and a proven dry hull-deck joint
Cons
- Balsa-cored deck vulnerable to costly water damage
- Toerail poorly bedded on many hulls
- Open cockpit scuppers submerged under sail with no shutoff
- Dark teak-heavy interior and a fragile louvered forward door
