Design and Construction
The 3700 is a solid fiberglass hull below the waterline with a balsa-cored deck, built in the Tartan tradition of a robust hull-to-deck union. Her deck plan puts opening hatches in every living space and twelve opening ports in the cabintrunk, while a solid teak toerail accents the sheerline. The range of positive stability is listed at 125 degrees, a number shared with her larger sibling the 4100 and a meaningful datum for a boat pitched as a capable coastal and offshore cruiser. Three keel configurations were offered from the start: a 7-foot 3-inch fin, a 5-foot beavertail with its flat wide-tailed bulb, and a 4-foot centerboard version, letting an owner match draft to his cruising ground without altering the core hull.
Rig and Handling
Her rig is a standard masthead, two-spreader sloop with a slight sweep to the spreaders, and the mainsail overlaps the backstay by about six inches. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is given as 18.2, though sources differ on the underlying sail-area figure; what is not in dispute is that the rig is conventional rather than radical, paired with a direct-drive Yanmar diesel of 40 horsepower and an engine box placed under the companionway. The beam carried aft with minimal taper, combined with the moderate SA/D, places her in the performance-cruiser band rather than the out-and-out racer, and the 125-degree positive-stability range underlines the cruising intent.
Accommodations
Below, the 3700 makes a virtue of her wide, low-taper afterbody. Reviewers pointed to a huge double quarter berth as one of the layout's defining assets. The galley, however, drew a measured caveat: the sinks have no adjacent counter space, a shortfall that matters in day-to-day meal prep even as the rest of the plan reads roomy. The deck plan's hatches and twelve cabintrunk ports bring light and air to all living spaces, and the teak toerail and clean lines speak to the marque's fitted-boat sensibility without overstating it.
Known Issues
The known points a shopper should keep in mind are the galley sink counter gap noted above and the practical consequence of the engine box sitting under the companionway, which frames access and service layout rather than indicating a failure mode. The centerboard version, where chosen, carries the usual trunk-and-trunk-seal considerations inherent to the configuration.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership context is straightforward: the 3700 is a 1999 Tim Jackett launch, a performance cruiser with a lead-ballasted fin, beavertail, or centerboard hull and a masthead sloop rig on a 56-foot mast. The anchor well on the foredeck and the opening hatches throughout suggest a boat laid out for extended coastal use. The choice among the three keels is the principal ownership variable, with the beavertail establishing the displacement basis for the published D/L and the centerboard trading a little simplicity for shoal-water reach.
The Verdict
The Tartan 3700 is a purpose-built Jackett performance cruiser that trades a little galley practicality for a genuinely large aft berth and a hull tuned for stability and reach. The three-keel option and the 125-degree positive-stability figure give her a credible offshore profile within the 37-foot class.
Pros
- Three keel configurations (fin, beavertail, centerboard) from the design's launch
- Huge double quarter berth made possible by beam carried aft with minimal taper
- Positive stability range listed at 125 degrees
- Opening hatches in all living spaces plus twelve cabintrunk ports
Cons
- Galley sinks lack adjacent counter space
- Engine box under companionway defines, rather than eases, service access
