I’m in the market for my next boat, and I’m considering two Tartan 37s that are for sale on Lake Erie in Ohio. I’ve done a lot of research on them and read a lot on this site, but I’m also looking for some honest opinions on whether you think the Tartan, in general, is the right choice for me and whether the two I’m looking at, in particular, may be.
My budget is about $50K, which includes any immediate repairs/upgrades. I have the resources to afford more, but my wife is averse to spending over that all in one year. So, I could spread out additional high cost upgrades over the course of a few years.
I sail on Lake Erie and mostly day sail on weekends and evenings. I do the occasional over-night trip. I want to start club racing (PHRF) and would like to go on longer, multi-day excursions. My current boat, an Ericsson 30-2, doesn’t meet my needs. My wife is a good sport, but not really a sailor and doesn’t like the camping-like level of creature comforts my Ericsson provides. Thus, I’m looking for a bigger boat (<=40’) that has: (1) a hot water shower, (2) wheel steering (raking the cockpit with my tiller is a big negative for my wife and non-sailing guests), and (3) air conditioning. Personally, I want something shoal draft, well built, good looking, and good sailing. Most subjectively, I want a boat that I love enough that I don’t mind throwing money into (I’ve owned 3 others, so I’m well aware of all the hidden and ongoing costs). My current boat simply isn’t that. I like working on boats and I’m pretty good at it, but I want to spend my time sailing, not recoring rotten decks (been there, done that) and missing sailing seasons. I plan to farm out more work than I have in the past, but I still like taking on the occasional project. I think that a Tartan 37 would be a pretty good match for what I’m looking for.
I’ve researched the Tartan 37 market and found 15 boats for sale in the U.S. The prices range from around $30K to $65K (with one outlier at $75K in California). The average price is about $52K - within my budget. Only three have been repowered, and those only command a slight premium.
The two for sale in Ohio are the two lowest priced ones on the market, asking right around $30K. I’ve looked at one so far (which I‘ve learned belongs to a member of this board) and I’m looking at the other tomorrow. The one I looked at seemed sound; I detected no soft spots on the deck. The owner said he potted, epoxy filled, redrilled, and rebed all the deck hardware about 10 years ago, when the boat had a fairly substantial refit. It’s seems to be in fairly good condition and well equipped. As is, it’s better than my current boat in every way. Unless a survey reveals serious defects, this boat seems like a bargain and would allow me to make some immediate improvements (like adding air conditioning, new standing rigging) and still stay within my initial budget.
So, any feedback or suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
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