Tayana 37 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Lineage

Perry gave the 37 a shapely Baltic stern, borrowed heavily from Aage Nielsen’s Holger Danske, winner of the 1980 Bermuda Race. Practical Sailor recorded the Baltic stern, scribed plank seams molded into the fiberglass hull, and lavish teak above and below.

Below the waterline, the solid, hand-laid GRP hull has a long-keel profile with a cutaway forefoot and a Constellation-type rudder rather than a traditional barn-door shape. The boat measures 36 feet 8 inches overall, with a 31-foot waterline and 11 feet 6 inches of beam. Displacement is 22,500 pounds, including 8,000 pounds of iron ballast. These figures place it firmly among heavy-displacement, full-keel cruisers, and it is widely regarded as a benchmark for bluewater voyaging.

Construction and Accommodation

Early hulls had notably heavy solid-glass shells, a point of pride for many owners. The decks carried a teak overlay over a balsa or plywood core. Below, extensive solid-teak joinery fills the interior. Examiners rated the woodwork among the best they had seen, noting flawless joints, paneled doors, and dovetailed drawers.

Every Tayana 37 was custom built, so there was no single standard interior. One common arrangement put a V-berth forward, with the head and lockers just aft. In the main cabin, a U-shaped settee sat to port, while a straight settee and pilot berth occupied the starboard side. Farther aft, the U-shaped galley was to port, with the navigation station and quarter berth to starboard. The interior probably sold more boats than any other feature.

Rig and Sailing Performance

The standard rig is a masthead cutter with wooden spars stepped on deck over a substantial compression column. A ketch rig was also available, and individual boats were built with either wood or aluminum spars, stepped on deck or at the keel.

Perry strongly recommended the aluminum cutter rig. The aluminum spars supplied from France, New Zealand, and the U.S. are well proportioned. By contrast, the wooden spar has a massive section and extremely thick walls; one examined mast also had a large knot at spreader height. Perry favored the better-proportioned aluminum cutter rig. With mid-boom sheeting, the wooden spar bends like a rubber band, making mainsail shape difficult to control. Its clew outhaul slide is also far too flimsy for a boat of this size.

Perry drew an unusually high-aspect sail plan with significant mast rake, giving the Tayana 37 good performance on all points. With the aluminum rig, a ball-bearing mainsheet traveler, and well-cut sails, it is surprisingly fast. Many boats originally came with stretchy Lam Sails from Hong Kong that held a poor shape.

Despite its 33 percent ballast ratio, the Tayana 37 isn’t stiff. Heavy joinery and fiberglass work above the waterline raise its center of gravity. Perry considers this tenderness an asset because it softens the boat’s roll. Many owners report substantial weather helm, however, and the boat can be sluggish in less than 10 knots. Most rely on a large genoa or cruising chute in light air.

Deck and Cockpit

The deck geometry includes bulwarks, double lifelines, and substantial pulpits. Forward, the long staysail boom makes it harder to cross the bow. The bowsprit platform has double anchor rollers that house CQRs, but the standard staysail traveler is only a bare stainless-steel rod.

The cockpit is small but seaworthy, with scuppers and seacocks at all four corners. Omitting a stern coaming lengthens the seats enough for sleeping on deck, but the trade-off is a wet helm in a following sea.

Tanks, Engines, and Service Access

The original black iron fuel and water tanks are a known age-related concern. The Tayana 37’s original black iron tanks can present age-related problems. A 90-gallon black iron tank is mounted beneath the forward V-berth. When full, this bow tank combines with heavy ground tackle to produce noticeable bow-down trim. Owner pressure led to optional amidships tankage.

Three engines have powered the Tayana 37: the Yanmar 3QM30, Perkins 4-108, and Volvo MD17C. The Yanmar later became standard. Most boats have diesels rated at 30 to 50 hp, providing a sedate cruising speed of 5.5 to 6 knots. The hull is prone to squatting if pushed faster.

The engine box can be removed completely for servicing, though there is no easy access to the oil dipstick.

The Verdict

The Tayana 37 is a traditionally styled, heavily built Perry cruiser with enduring custom teak interiors and a bluewater pedigree. It rewards patient light-air seamanship and careful inspection of its tanks and rig rather than a focus on outright speed.

Pros