Tartan Fantail 26 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

The Daysailer (DS), Weekender (WE), and Self-Trainer (ST) share the same hull, cockpit, and sailplan but differ in trim and belowdecks appointments. All three are aimed at singlehanders or racing couples.

Design and Construction

Above the waterline, the Fantail evokes another era with its nearly plumb bow, fine entry, reverse transom, and slight sheer. Beneath that traditional profile is a modern underbody with a high-aspect rudder and a deep keel carrying a 1,200-pound bulb. This arrangement places the lead ballast low for stability.

True to its Tartan roots, the Fantail has a vacuum-infused, balsa-cored hull. The resin-infused hull and deck use epoxy, and the builder backs the structure with a 15-year nonblistering warranty.

Tartan builds its own carbon pocket booms for the Fantail, saving weight aloft and simplifying mainsail takedown. Studs near the boat’s balance point accept a bracket that allows the Fantail to be hauled with a yacht-club gin pole.

Rig and Handling

The Fantail carries a large fractional rig with a pocket boom, integral mainsail cover, and lazyjacks. A carbon-fibre retractable sprit holds the furler for the asymmetrical spinnaker. The traveler spans the aft end of the cockpit, providing end-boom sheeting and better mainsail control.

All sail controls lead aft to the cockpit, several through turning blocks beneath the deck and coamings. Every version is tiller-steered, and the boat is optimized for shorthanded sailing.

The DS and WE use a self-tacking jib with a double-ended sheet for upwind sailing, while the ST carries a traditional headsail. The Daysailer and Weekender also have the retractable sprit for an asymmetric chute off the wind. Performance options include laminate sails and a carbon-fibre, single-spreader mast.

Cockpit and Accommodations

All three versions share a nine-foot cockpit with room for crew despite the tiller.

The Daysailer is a flush-deck cuddy-cabin boat with plenty of teak and varnished trim. Below, it has sitting headroom, a portable marine head, a 40-quart cooler, and a stereo.

The Weekender adds a cabin house and foredeck, gaining 10½ inches of headroom over the Daysailer. Its accommodations include an alcohol stove and sink, a marine head with holding tank, and a 6' 5" V-berth suited to a weekend for two.

Intended for sailing-school use, the more utilitarian ST omits the teak and some belowdecks comforts. This club-trainer version also drops Tartan’s brightwork for easier maintenance.

Power and Electrical Systems

An opening well beneath the small aft deck houses a Torqeedo Cruise 2.0 electric outboard, with remote controls in the cockpit. Tartan standardized an electric-propulsion package built around a 6-horsepower Torqeedo outboard and a single 24-volt lithium-ion battery. A separate 12-volt bank powers the rest of the boat.

The Torqeedo controller panel has a built-in GPS that displays speed and battery-discharge rate. A wind generator or solar panels are optional.

Options and Ownership

Because the three versions share their hull and systems, most upgrades apply across the range. The builder may soon offer a carbon mast, while laminate sails and the carbon-spreader rig are listed options.

At 8 feet 5 inches wide, the boat has a street-legal beam. An optional double-axle trailer makes it easy to relocate, while the gin-pole haulout studs simplify handling in a club yard. The 15-year structural warranty reflects Tartan’s confidence in the epoxy infusion.

The Verdict

The Fantail 26 is a clever reinterpretation of the daysailer: a classic sheer and reverse transom above a modern hull with a bulb keel and sprit-set spinnaker. Its deck layout is genuinely friendly to shorthanded crews, and its electric drivetrain is quiet.

The three versions let buyers choose among the Daysailer’s brightwork, the Weekender’s cabin, and the Self-Trainer’s stripped-down sailing-school utility without giving up the shared performance platform.

Pros