Design and Construction
The hull has a clean IMS-type form, with a smooth run and broad hips aft but no extreme transom. Its arc-like sections meet the centerline tangentially, while moderate topside flare keeps the hull from looking overly full.
The beam at the waterline is 10 feet, compared with an overall beam of 12 feet 4 inches. The sheerline reaches its low point surprisingly far aft, around station 7.75, giving the deck a distinctive profile. Above the waterline, the deck’s soft, sculpted shapes suggest low windage rather than slab sides.
The hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the ballast is lead. The fin-keel version carries 6,500 pounds of ballast with a displacement of 15,200 pounds. Buyers could choose between a 6-foot-10 fin keel and a 4-foot-9 Scheel keel, trading ultimate draft for shoaler cruising. The Scheel-keel version adds 500 pounds of ballast, for a total of 7,000 pounds.
Rig and Handling
The 372 carries a masthead sloop rig with double spreaders and a babystay. Jackett designed about four inches of pre-bend into the mast.
The rudder is elliptical, with no skeglet ahead of it—a configuration that favors quick response over redundant protection. Sail area is 672.5 square feet against the boat’s 15,200-pound displacement, producing an SA/D of 17.53. The D/L is 232. Those figures put the 372 in the lively cruiser-racer range rather than the heavy-displacement camp.
Its clean run aft and broad hips suggest that it can carry power off the wind without the stern-heavy manners associated with more radical sections.
Accommodations
Jackett wrapped the cockpit coamings around the forward end of the cockpit, sacrificing a little cockpit-seat length to create more working headroom in the head and aft stateroom.
Angled bulkheads in the main cabin increase the usable space—or at least the impression of it—and help keep the saloon from feeling boxed in. The galley wraps around over the engine box, consolidating the cooking and mechanical spaces along one side.
Aft, the quarter cabin contains a generously sized double berth measuring 6 feet 4 inches wide, along with a bureau and hanging locker. It makes for a private owner’s space comparable to those found on larger boats.
Engine and Tankage
A Yanmar 3HM 3FE auxiliary rated at 34 horsepower drives a single screw. The boat carries 43 gallons of diesel and 90 gallons of water. Those capacities support extended coastal cruising without the frequent fuel-dock stops imposed by smaller tanks.
Verdict
The Tartan 372 is a considered design from Jackett’s mature period at Tartan. It combines an IMS-influenced hull and two keel choices with a pre-bent, double-spreader rig. Below, angled bulkheads and wrapped coamings help the interior feel larger than that of a typical 37-footer.
Only sixty were built, creating a small but coherent fleet. The shoal-draft Scheel-keel option also broadens the range of waters in which the boat can cruise.
Pros
- IMS-type hull with broad aft sections and a clean run
- Choice of a 6-foot-10 fin keel or a 4-foot-9 Scheel keel with additional ballast
- Angled bulkheads and wrapped coamings make the interior feel larger
- Large quarter-berth stateroom with a 6-foot-4-inch-wide double berth and storage
Cons
- Elliptical rudder lacks skeglet protection
- Only sixty were built, limiting fleet size for parts-sharing
