Tartan 37...

Review of our Tartan 37: Orion

Specifications

L.O.A. ——————————37’ 3-1/2”

Beam ——————————- 11’ 9”

Draft (CB)   Board Up ———- 4’ 2”

                    Board Down —— 7’ 9”

Displacement ———————- 15,500 lbs

Ballast ——————————  7,500 lbs 

Datum Waterline —————— 28’ 6”

Sailing Waterline - Point of Immersion forward to aft point of immersion—33’ +

Sail Area —————————- 625 Sq. Ft.

Berths ——————————— 6

Power:  Westerbeke 50 engine

Year: 1979

Design: Sparkman & Stephens design

T37 Layout

We bought a T37C (or Centre Board). It is a great little ship and the one pleasantly surprising thing about her is the vast amounts of storage space on board. 

Whilst looking at a number of other vessels we were surprised at the lack thereof. We keep discovering new hidey-holes. 

Up forward is the traditional V berth which we use as the master cabin. There is a chain locker directly in front of that with easy access to the windlass, nav lights and chain bin.

Under the V berth is the usual storage space, however this vessel has a retrospective Holding Tank fitted on the port side. We use the space under the V berth for our winter clothes, spare sails (cruising chute, yankee) The previous owner also built in 2 collapsable water tanks for additional water carrying capacity.This is plumbed into the main fresh water system. Brilliant for additional water for long range cruising.

There is ample locker space for all of Sally's clothes. The starboard side has 3 draws and the small foot locker and a larger hanging locker. On the port side is a locker with shelves for my 1 pair of underpants and a spare shirt. 

Above the V Berth is a very large opening hatch with a fly / mosquito net flap. GREAT for the tropics as it lets air in and keeps mozzies out. This is why i would always buy a yacht from a cruiser as it is these little additions that require a lot of time, money and thought to do and Mike the previous owner has kindly done them all for us!

Moving into the saloon, working our way aft, there is another locker on the starboard side for more hanging stuff. We put our wet weather gear in there. Directly aft of the locker is a wood burning bronze and soapstone heater. Although I have never tried it out, it looks amazing and I almost want to go somewhere cold just to have an excuse to fire it up (excuse the pun) and fill the boat with the lovely smell of wood smoke.

Underneath the heater is the Jabsco Fresh Water pump. Which supplies the head and galley and the shower in the cockpit. Directly to port is the head. A practical space with a shower, basin and toilet. Good stowage space, however it will be interesting when we take her out to see what jumps out of the racks as there is always a lot of movement / motion the further forward you go. 

Interestingly the shower drains to a separate sump under the floor in the saloon and there is a automatic float switch that pumps it dry. A good idea as this means that soapy water does not drain into the bilge. 

One of the best features is the drop down saloon table. I always seem to trip over centre mounted saloon tables. We use it for a fraction of the time but it is constantly in the way when moving fore and aft. With the tartan drop down table, it gives the feeling of a lot more beam / space in the saloon and easy access to the bilge etc. The water tanks are arranged port and starboard under the saloon settees. They have twin access hatches for easy cleaning. An activity we have just undertaken and were surprised how easy it was to clean them out. 

Behind the settees (port and starboard) is additional stowage space for tools, stores etc. We still have loads of empty spaces (but we have not provisioned extensively yet)

Some Tartans have a pilot berth on the starboard side and I believe this one had one once upon a time but the previous owner wisely converted it to stowage space. We keep all our towels, linen etc in there.

On the port side in additional stowage space above the saloon settees with books, glasses, etc.

Another hatch above the saloon with a solar fan to provide a bit of breeze and another fly net to keep the biters out.

Most yachts have the galley on the port side. Tartans have it on starboard. The fridge is very large and deep especially when you consider its a 33 year old boat. Fridge works really well, however we don't run it 24x7 as we are power misers and just run it to keep it cool.

There is stowage space above the stove with 3 sliders hiding 2 shelves in each for groceries. Aft of the stove is a deep well for pots / pans etc. There are twin sinks. Very useful for a wash in salt and rinse in fresh operation that I like to use for dishes. Did I mention I am also a fresh water miser?

Behind the sink is a well built rack for dishes, bowls, cups, etc. Well positioned as a knock down should not dislodge these (in theory). 

Under the sink is the usual nest of plumbing, but also extends quite deep enabling a lot of cleaning products to be stored.

The chart table is on the port side and is very large by todays standards. I know that electronic charts are the way forward and call me old fashioned, but I still want a piece of paper to jot a lat and long, especially on a long trip.  There is a cubby hole to the left of the table where we keep key tools, torches, winch handles etc. Nice big space for odds and ends. Chart table opens and has ample space too.

Aft of the table is the aft berth. In true cruiser fashion this has become our garage. Full of bits and pieces. What you may ask...well, washboards, cockpit cushions, tupperware full of stuff etc.

Under the aft bert, is a stainless fuel tank. The chart table seat, contorts into an extra length to turn the berth into a double. great for guests. 

The engine is where you would expect to find it. Another reason why i was so taken with the Tartan 37 was the great engine access. You can tackle it from all sides. The companion way stairs come off to reveal the starter, the water pump. alternator etc. There is access from the port side inside the aft berth. There is a large deep locker in the cockpit that one can climb inside to work on the starboard side of the engine and the gear box etc.

Speaking of the starboard locker, it is huge. deep enough to store all the fenders standing up. It has all our sheets, rode, tool boxes etc. Very functional.

There is a large cavity under the cockpit between the stern gland / prop shaft and the well of the cockpit into which there are hanging baskets of spares (fan belts, filters, etc). Accessing them in a hurry is tricky, but they are not everyday items and the less clutter the better in my opinion.

Engine access is great. It is some of the best I have seen on many boats. I have seen a few forums where people argue that having to clear a locker is a pain. It might be a minor inconvenience, however I can get my whole 6ft 95kg frame into the engine space in order to work on it. I can also access the sheaves and steering cables from the binnacle. If need be I can also access the engine from the aft berth on the port side although I don't have quite the same freedom. As a design feature, Tartans have a fibreglass well under the engine into which any oil or water leaks are easily identified, also you will never lose another nut or bolt into the bilge either. Very impressed with engine access and design. Well thought out!

The aft cockpit locker is also deep and capable of additional storage. There is a built in tray to protect the steering lines and quadrant from what ever you pile on top of it. There is also easy access to apply and use the emergency tiller.

The propane bottles don't quite have a home. Had I more funds, I would move them onto the transom with stainless holding brackets (like those for fenders) and clad them in navy blue covers, but for now they are fine in the cockpit.
There is also a dinghy davit to hoist our 10HP on board.

One small bug is that the canvas weather cloths in the cockpit restrict 360 turning of the winch handle. However if i had to chose between a quick tack and good size wave leaping into the cockpit, it seems a small price to pay for a little more awkward winching. If I don't like it at a later date, I can always remove the weather cloths.

We also have a gas BBQ on the stern, fed by a skinny 5lb propane. Yet to use it, but looking forward to doing so.
Another nice to have on board is the hot water tank which can be heated via the inverter / shore mains or the engine. This feeds hot water to head, galley and the cockpit shower.
Ah, the cockpit shower. Great for rinsing snorkelling gear and yourself. Runs off the main Jabsco water pump.

Great little ship. Every day we are on her, the happier we are with her.

The clock of life is wound but once,


And no man has the power


To tell just when the hands will stop


At late or early hour.

To lose one's wealth is sad indeed,


To lose one's health is more,


To lose one's soul is such a loss


That no man can restore.

The present only is our own,


So Live, Love, toil with a will --


Place no faith in 'Tomorrow' --


For the clock may then be still.



Robert H. Smith
©

1932-1982

A Buying Methodology...

Consultant speak for "how we intend to buy a boat'!

As we plan on jumping off to the Caribbean and starting small, we have had to take a different approach to sourcing yachts.

• First we sat down and discussed what we THOUGHT we wanted from a yacht based on what we planned to do with it and where we wanted to go. Cruising, not day sailing. Comfort, safety, space, performance, turn-key, etc - We soon found out that there is no such thing as "turn-key" when it comes to things that float...
• Then we identified a specification that met our requirements. Deciding on all those features like size, build, equipment, specification, pedigree etc
• I subscribed to Yachting Monthly Magazine and a number of online newsletters
• We started reading blog postings of Lin and Larry Pardey, Beth and Evan, Morgans Cloud, Mahina.com and other such authors and evangelists
• The Q&A with my parents increased 10 fold as we drilled them for information
• We started looking at boats and models that we knew of. Generally UK or South African designs. This expanded to US and Canadian boats as we realised that most UK / South African designs were mainly in the UK / South Africa. Buying in the US, you are better off looking at US designs
• We viewed a number of yachts in our nearby vicinity (of London / Solent) to learn more about boats, speak to owners, brokers etc. You can read a million books, articles and magazines but there is no substitute for actually stepping on board to take a look first hand. We were surprised just how many yachts looked good online and were far from it in reality!
• Online shortlist - created a Excel spreadsheet of a number of potential yachts in our proposed jump off area. Listing out kit it has and does not have. Pro's and Cons to provide a tool for side by side comparison
• On the list we identified nice to haves vs necessities. A radar is a nice to have in my book not a necessity, whereas a bimini (awning) to keep the sun out the cockpit is a necessity in the tropics. Sure you can get one made, but it will cost you thousands of dollars and weeks to accomplish
• We worked out that a cheaper boat with less spec, will often cost more in the long run than a more expensive vessel with all the kit. This even more so if you consider the time involved. Also remember that kit does not tend to affect the overall resale price of the boat. Just because you added a $5000 dodger does not increase its value by $5k...unfortunately
• Arranged viewings with those on the shortlist. All this involves significant time and expense as we hire cars and trains and aeroplanes to do this...The boat is getting more expensive by the day and we have not even bought one yet...
• We would view each boat and weigh up the options. Every boat has its value. Some however are just not appealing and don't fit the criteria. Others need more than just a polish and would be "project boats" for a long time before we could set off. Too long in some cases
• Every now and then you find the right boat but at the wrong price. As we are in a buyers market (the American economy - and the world economy - is in a poor place at the moment) we have considered a few yachts with prices in excess of our budget. Sometime a seemingly cheeky offer is accepted with the right timing and the right seller
• The most difficult part is realising that whatever you spend on a boat, you will spend an additional 40 - 50% on getting her cruising ready. I never thought about this until this was called out by my parents and seconded by John Neal - from Mahina.com. I started doing the math...no dingy, + $1000. No outboard engine for dingy, + $1000, no self-steering, + $2000 etc etc - THAT affected the boat budget!
• When we found one that we did like on paper, but it was far away, we made a few calls to the owners / brokers to find out all about the boat and what the condition was of the big ticket items Namely - the engine, hull, rig, sails etc. An engine rebuild can costs tens of thousand. Delamination on the deck costs thousands to fix. Chainplates are a mission and costly to replace etc
• If we liked what we heard we would go away and research the make, design. There are loads of forums with information from owners. Also some have websites dedicated to the design. We also emailed owners to ask their advice and what to look out for when considering the boat
• If all was to our liking, we would then make a preliminary offer. "Based on the information you have provided I would like to offer you $X for her...subject to viewing, survey and sea trial"
• If the offer was accepted, we would make our way to the boat and view her
• We would have a full survey done and would do this every time from now on. Preferably with the owner present for both the out the water survey and the sea trial. Together we can identify and discuss in an open forum any issues with the boat and it adds a bit of realism to the deal
• If there are any major issues that will require additional capital that you have not budgeted for, negotiate with the seller on price

The yacht specification...

We have spent numerous hours trawling sailing magazines, cruising blogs and many hours talking to my parents who have done this all before.
They recommended we look at yachts in the UK to further identify likes and dislikes with regards to designs, size, space, performance etc.

Many of our weekends were spent travelling down to the Solent (Portsmouth, Southampton etc) to view yachts from 30 foot, up to 40 foot to get a picture of what is on the market and to create a short list of makes, models, preferences and sizes.

As a pair of consultants, we are fairly analytical when it comes to these sorts of decisions so created our own criteria.

1. Used yacht preferably not older than 30 years
2. Monohull
3. Between 30 and 40 foot (any larger and the costs go up exponentially and any smaller and it would be tricky to store all our possessions and live comfortably)
4. Of a suitable cruising pedigree from a recognised designer. (Many yachts are built for many different purposes. Not all are suitable cruising yachts)
5. Fin and skeg design (personal preference as I believe long keel yachts not as manoeuvrable or have the same performance as more modern fin keel). As we will be sailing in the tropics there is not much tidal fluctuation and hence a bilge keel is not an option.
6. Hull can be Aluminium, cold moulded wood or GRP (Fibre Glass). Steel is also an option above 37 feet.
7. Sloop or cutter rig
8. Low maintenance yacht with few "toys". i.e. electronic water makers, water pumps, hot water etc.
9. Medium / heavy displacement yacht (too heavy and she will probably have poor performance and too light and she will be thrown around in a heavy sea)
10. Decent sized water tanks for longer range cruising
11. Interior should be open and well ventilated with a decent master berth for in port use
12. Suitable opening ports and hatches for ventilation in the tropics. (Some UK yachts did not have many hatches or had small hatches as they were not a huge requirement in that region of the world)
13. Adequate stowage space for clothes, tools, spares, food, sundry kit (older designed yachts like the Nicholson 35, although beautiful yachts were quite restricted in the amount of stowage space below)
14. Single head (I don't have 2 loo's in my house, why would I want 2 on a small yacht...and 2 more holes in the hull too!)

Hood 38

Certain preferences come into the mix too:

1. No traveller in the cockpit (great if you are single handing, but a pain as it takes up space, more ropes to foul the cockpit, limits use of a Bimini)
2. Manual water pumps in the galley and head
3. Centre cockpit generally means larger internal space and a drier boat, however this is not a requirement as most yachts in our bracket are aft cockpit

Nice to haves but no deal breakers included:
1. Self tailing winches
2. Dodger and Bimini (to keep the sun and spray away)
3. Windvane self steering is a big plus
4. Up to date electronics (in our searches, very few boats have modern electronics so we opted to factor in that all electronics would probably need to be replaced)
5. Fridge
6. Radar
7. Lazy Jacks
8. Spinnaker
9. Generator

With these points in my mind we commenced our search using the internet (yachtworld.com and sailboatlistings.com) to create a shortlist of yachts in Florida prior to travelling down there to view.