In its nearly 60 years of building world-class sailboats, Tartan Yachts has earned a reputation for constructing the best looking, best built, performance cruising sailboats in the industry. The highly-regarded American builder out of Fairport Harbor, Ohio has a singular focus they attack without compromise—building sailboats that offer unmatched accommodations and performance for extended cruising.
Building off the wildly popular 345’s impressive construction and design qualities, Tartan’s acclaimed designer Tim Jackett created the magnificent Tartan 395 for owners who wanted a bigger size for serious offshore work at even greater speed and comfort. And it was worth the wait.
Hull #1, which was completed for the Newport International Boat Show, was recently delivered. It’s the first completely new boat debuted by Tartan in several years and the response was immediate and overwhelming—hull #7 was sold during the Newport show—reminding us that the historic Tartan brand is back and reaffirming their place as one of the leading sailboat builders.
Pedigree
The Tartan 395 features classic proportions, with Tim Jackett eschewing the current trend of Euro-style cruisers and staying true to Tartan’s lineage. She’s exactly what you’d expect from a legendary sailboat brand like Tartan.
Another Tartan staple that figures prominently into the strength and longevity of their luxurious sailboats is the exclusive use of top-of-the-line components on board for every facet and function. Every vessel has the option to be outfitted with only the best, such as Harken hardware, Edson steering, Raymarine electronics, and LeisureFurl in-boom furling mainsails.
Hulls
Tartan hulls are resin-infused and use the most advanced materials available for unmatched strength and durability. There is no compromising their commitment to develop and utilize the most advanced construction techniques and technology available. To produce the strongest and most impact resistant laminate in the marine industry, Tartan uses a proprietary combination of unidirectional E-glass, synthetic structural foam coring, and epoxy modified vinylester resin to assure the best resin-to-glass ratio through the hull laminate.
Additionally, the core is closed cell foam so it can’t absorb water and the laminate is vacuum-bagged to eliminate any voids and to assure the complete saturation of resin into the glass layup. This results in some of the stiffest, strongest, and longest-lasting hulls in the industry, and gives Tartan owners the confidence to sail wherever they want to go.
Decks
Like the Tartan hulls, resin-infusion under vacuum pressure creates the desired 30% resin to 70% glass ratio that results in decks that are the strongest and stiffest on the market. The balsa core is eliminated anywhere there is a through deck mounting to eliminate water intrusion into the laminate for the life of the deck. This approach also yields substantial weight savings, which provides a lower center of gravity, increased stability, and easier motion at sea. It also looks good, providing that distinctive appearance of quality and value that Tartan is known for.
Unlike the its sister 345, the 395 gives the captain two wheels to steer from, providing flexibility and options while underway. The hinged stern platform makes boarding easy, whether from the water or a dinghy.
Interior
The Tartan 395 comes standard with either a maple or cherry interior and white ceiling liners with matching wood battens. Teak is also available as an option. Tartan doesn’t do mass-produced interiors to achieve a low price point. Indeed, Tartan custom builds the interiors in-house for each yacht, creating a modern, yacht-quality cruiser that appeals to experienced and discerning owners who demand the best. This results in improved fit and in additional customization options. There is of course a basic platform to start from. Whatever your choice your result will be a warm, light, airy interior that has a traditional vibe with a modern touch.
There are no fake or man-made wood products used in Tartan boats. All wood is solid, high-quality, natural wood, and is bent in-house for beautiful, continuous curves. The 395 is laid out for two couples, and you can sleep two more on the settees in the main cabin. She features two double cabins, one forward and one in the starboard quarter cabin. Both are “master cabins” but the after berth is slightly wider while the forward cabin has more living space. The head is huge and features a separate shower stall. Tartan also made it easy to let fresh, invigorating air in, with dozens of opening ports and hatches.
Mast
In addition to the advanced hull and deck materials, all Tartan’s come equip with sister company AMP Composites carbon-fiber spars. AMP has been building carbon-fiber spars exclusively for Tartan since 2004. The carbon-fiber mast weighs half as much as a comparable aluminum mast and is taller than most comparable modern designs, allowing for a larger sail plan when desired.
The taller, lighter, stiffer, stronger mast is a crucial part of Tartan’s Cruise Control Rig (CCR). The rig gives the ability to carry two headsails (a 145% reacher and 97% self-tacking jib) permanently on roller furling and offers good performance over a wide range of wind strength, allowing for plenty of off-the-wind power in the big mainsail and the large reaching sail.
Performance
The 395 is nimble and agile, featuring excellent maneuvering and easily turning within her own length. She is also incredibly stable under sail and power. She features a 40 hp diesel engine with saildrive and two-blade folding prop, as well as a 40-gallon fuel tank capacity with remote gauge. Buyers have their choice of three keels: the standard fin keel, 6-foot 2-inch draft, and beavertail keel 4-foot 10-inch draft, and the optional keel/centerboard, 4-foot 3-inch draft with the board up and 8-foot 3-inch draft with the board down.
It’s clear with the 395 that Tartan Yachts is rightly reminding the industry of their place on the Mount Rushmore of global sailboat builders. Keep an eye out for more innovative designs from Tartan and Tim Jackett.
Seattle Yachts is proud to be a Tartan dealer and representative on the west coast of the U.S. and in Florida. Our team of performance sailboat yacht brokers have years of experience helping clients into the right boat for them or selling their existing one. Seattle Yachts is also the representative for Legacy Yachts, Tartan's Downeast Yacht sister company.
