Legacy Yachts may look like your classic downeast-style boat with its signature bow flare and protected pilothouse, but there is nothing ordinary about it once you take a peek under the engine hatch. The timeless Legacy design is reminiscent of the Maine lobster boats where the style originated years ago, yet today Legacy is on the cutting-edge of boat building. In 2010, Legacy Yachts was acquired by the esteemed Tartan Marine Company that builds Tartan Sailboats. Legacy's models were already known for their maneuverability and performance, but adding Tartan's advanced techniques and high-end materials to the process brought Legacy to an entirely new level of quality.

"There is a fine line between romance and obsession and no shame in either emotion. Focused properly, obsession can be channeled to create excellence." -Tartan Marine

 

Legacy Hulls

The hull of each Legacy Yacht built has decades of experience behind its shape and design. Tartan's commitment to using the very best materials and most advanced construction techniques has allowed Legacy to flourish when it comes to the quality of each hull. Known for being durable and stiff, each Legacy hull is resin-infused and vacuum-bagged to maintain a low-resin, high-fiber content. The epoxy-modified vinylester resin, the unidirectional E-glass, and the foam coring produce the strongest laminate for the hull of any other boat in its class. These materials combined with the infusion process create a practically impenetrable hull as well as keeping the boat lighter for better efficiency. Other builders use polyester resin which simply cannot match the same strength and durability as the materials used in each Legacy Yacht.

An additional benefit to the process used at the Tartan factory is the aesthetic differences seen in Legacy hulls compared to other brands. Once a hull built with polyester laminate is exposed to extreme temperature changes and hours of sunlight, there is a post-curing process that occurs which causes an 8% resin shrinkage in volume. This affects the sleek, shiny look of the hull and can affect its appearance. Legacy's hulls do not experience this same shrinking in volume due to the vinylester resin and thus remain looking newer for a longer period of time. This also helps resale value!

 

The Difference In Each Legacy Deck

Just as important as the performance of each hull is the strength of each deck on a boat. Being that this is where the owner and guests on board spend the entirety of their trip, it's important that each deck is durable, but will also look good for years after its first launched. Similarly to how the Legacy hulls are constructed, each deck goes through the same vinylester-resin, vacuum-bagged infusion process to ensure that the resin-to-glass ratio is perfect. The result is one of the strongest and stiffest decks on any boat in its class.

Typically when a deck is constructed on a boat, it's up to the individual laminator to hand lay the fiberglass. The hope is that he does a good job and there is no air left in between the balsa core and the glass. If so, the strength and durability of the hull or deck can become compromised. The Tartan factory uses a closed-molded system where both the fabric and the balsa core is laid down dry at the same time. The deck is then vacuum bagged, the air sucked out entirely, and then the high-quality resin infused in its place. This leaves absolutely no room for air bubbles and a deck that is going to be strong and look stunning for a very long time. Additionally, the weight of the boat becomes lighter and thus increasing efficiency!

 

 

Living Spaces Meant For Living

So many boat designs today focus on the outside only to let the inside become an after-thought. Decorating the inside of your yacht is as important as that of your home, particularly if overnight trips are planned. The interior of each Legacy model is both functional and luxuriously comfortable. Legacy allows each owner to customize their interiors to suit how they plan on using the boat. No expenses are spared and no shortcuts are made when it comes to the interior accommodations. 

What does it mean it mean to not take any shortcuts? Every piece of the interior is CNC cut for accuracy and precision. There are no spaces or holes, everything fits together perfectly. Wood is bent in Tartan's in-house woodshop for beautiful curving that runs continuously through the salon and cabins. The Tartan factory prides itself on not using any fake or man-made woods, but instead opting to use high-quality natural wood like solid cherry for the interiors. The bending of the wood in-house allows Tartan to build the interior of each Legacy without sharp corners or edges, making it safer to move about if the sea gets rough. The wood is even thick enough that it can be continually refinished for many years after the boat is first launched.

Just as important as having a comfortable cabin is the ability to fill the interior with sunlight and fresh air. Legacy takes extra care to make sure each model has maximum ventilation opportunities in the salon and cabin. Every hatch and opening is stainless steel which prevents leakage and keeps the interior air-tight if desired. Each opening can be outfitted with a low profile shade screen to keep the air flowing and the bugs outside.

 

Three Legacy Models To Choose From

The Legacy Yachts 42

The Legacy 42 is said to "combine heirloom quality fit and finish with scorching performance," in an article by Yachting Magazine, The performance is a result of the Volvo Penta IPS 400 310HP twin engines that cruise at 28.7 knots with a 29.5 knot top speed. The Legacy 42 can run for 601 nautical miles at that cruising speed. Enjoy the joystick handling that comes with the steerable drive pods, but also the 30% sound reduction over competing models in its class that use an inboard shaft drive. Multiple layouts of the 42 are available as well and can be customized for just one couple with a large master cabin. Or if guests will be on board, there is an additional cabin layout that offers a single berth that can convert to a double. Learn more about the Legacy 42 here.

 

The Legacy Yachts 36

"I don't want a big boat, I want a small boat, but I want to be comfortable." This quote was given to the editor of Power & Motor Yacht Magazine by a new owner of a Legacy 36. It perfectly describes the intentions of the Tartan factory with the middle model in the Legacy line. The Legacy 36 offers high-performance coupled with good fuel efficiency, characteristics seen throughout all of Tartan's yachts. The hull shape is a deep-V and has wide chine and centerline flats for excellent planing at low speeds. The base engine package includes the Cummins QSB 6.7 480hp electronic diesel engine, but owners have the option to upgrade to the 550hp engines for more speed. The latter engine choice can produce a top end speed of over 27 knots and a 9.7 gph fuel burn while cruising at 11.4 knots. Learn more about the Legacy 36 here.

 

The Legacy Yachts 32

The Legacy 32 may be the smallest of the three models, but she definitely doesn't feel small when sitting inside. The crowning achievement on board the Legacy 32 is undoubtedly the engine room, which once you have seen inside, will understand the important of what Tartan has done. Every fitting, system, installation, and component is carefully thought through and executed resulting in more reliable systems, efficiency, and performance. The 32 is powered by an electronic Cummins diesel engine that is offered at 380and 420 horsepower. The entire engine room has been insulated and then molded in so the boat is extremely quiet and the surfaces are easy to clean. With the Cummins 420HP engine, the Legacy 32 can cruise between 20-24 knots with a top speed of 25.4 knots. Learn more about the Legacy Yachts 32 here.