Thinking about buying a tartan

[Lawrence.cooks]

I'm seriously considering buying a tartan that's legit why I joined the forum, I want sth probably in the 35 to 40 ft range or so, basically something I can coastal cruise now and eventually take on longer trips. I've sailed on a 3700 before and I really liked the feel but I've never owned one myself and yeah they've got a strong rep for build quality, but I'm curious what you guys as current or past owners think about things like deck hardware, maintenance quirks, and systems durability. and I know for most of us to be here then that means we're definitely fans of tartan but I need unbiased opinions on this one please, anything I should be looking out for in a survey? budget is around $100k

Appreciate any insights, I'm hoping to make this my "keep for a while" boat, so I wanna do this right

 

[Sinclair2]

Tartans are good boats, especially for coastal and offshore use, you can check core integrity, chainplates, and older wiring. Systems are generally reliable, but a thorough survey is key especially under $100k.

 

[Tatrio]

What should I be checking closely during a survey, any known issues with the hull, deck core, or rigging on Tartans in that size and price range that might not be obvious?

 

[wizardofbooze]

I'm seriously considering buying a tartan that's legit why I joined the forum, I want sth probably in the 35 to 40 ft range or so, basically something I can coastal cruise now and eventually take on longer trips. I've sailed on a 3700 before and I really liked the feel but I've never owned one myself and yeah they've got a strong rep for build quality, but I'm curious what you guys as current or past owners think about things like deck hardware, maintenance quirks, and systems durability. and I know for most of us to be here then that means we're definitely fans of tartan but I need unbiased opinions on this one please, anything I should be looking out for in a survey? budget is around $100k

Appreciate any insights, I'm hoping to make this my "keep for a while" boat, so I wanna do this right

for that price you could find a well maintained 3700 which you already have experience with. They're generally durable and well made, but not perfect. We can all explain as much as we want, but I think it would be best to find someone that actively works on these kind sof boats and have him do the inspection. Getting the pros to do their job is the best way to avoid any potential headaches.

 

[Lightingthetrail]

it would be best to find someone that actively works on these kind sof boats and have him do the inspection

This is the best advice you'll get for this or any kind of purchase that you have no experience of knowledge with. I bought a 2018 345 which seemed like it left the factory, but boy wha I wrong. After paying a small fortune to fix the electrical gremlins, the engine gave out. The guy that was servicing it said that it was cosmetically perfect, but a quick inspection would've shown the faults, so yes, get it inspected by a pro.