Prospective New/Recent Tartan Buyers Note

[camaraderie]

I have long been a fan of the quality of Tartan boats and know there are many happy Tartan Owners here regularly...BUT...I just ran across some posts and a Blog that indicate there may be some real problems with recent build quality AND the mfrs. willingness to stand behind the product.
I have no idea whether these claims are true or not, but they seem to be well documented and thought any prospective buyers or 4 digit series Tartans ought to be aware of the controversy and make their own decisions. Here's the blog with links to other stuff:

http://mako3700.blogspot.com/

[sailingdog]

Ahh... the internet.. the great leveler...

[luckyjim]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

I have long been a fan of the quality of Tartan boats and know there are many happy Tartan Owners here regularly...BUT...I just ran across some posts and a Blog that indicate there may be some real problems with recent build quality AND the mfrs. willingness to stand behind the product.
I have no idea whether these claims are true or not, but they seem to be well documented and thought any prospective buyers or 4 digit series Tartans ought to be aware of the controversy and make their own decisions. Here's the blog with links to other stuff:

100% verified, 100% researched. Data validated at all levels with owners. If you write to Tim Jackett from the blog link, he will email you and ask you to send photos of your Tartan 3700 or he'll ask you to talk with your dealer...looking in the area of the hull failure. Ask the guys that have done it! They are out there. Ask the guys who went to TONE and get what they heard Tim say in a forum about the split hull case.

[T34C]

Originally Posted by luckyjim

100% verified, 100% researched. Data validated at all levels with owners. If you write to Tim Jackett from the blog link, he will email you and ask you to send photos of your Tartan 3700 or he'll ask you to talk with your dealer...looking in the area of the hull failure. Ask the guys that have done it! They are out there. Ask the guys who went to TONE and get what they heard Tim say in a forum about the split hull case.

By whom??

Very disturbing if all this is true. I am a little concerned with the tone (no pun intended) of the blog. It has a bit of a sound of "the sky is falling" as if written by someone looking to sue... Oh wait. I will very interested to see how Tartan handles this issue. I think their response is probably more important than the issue itself.

Keep buying the ones with the "C" at the end!!!!!

[T37Chef]

I have come across similar comments on the web. It concerns me very much and how it could affect the value of other/older Tartans. More than anything, I have read the sometimes unbelievable ordeals buyers have had with commissioning from dealers! I read the one about a Tartan being delivered without a wheel and a furling unit, yikes, how did it every leave the factory like that???

[Freesail99]

I know they are using epoxy in there hulls. They must be very thin, to have split like that. When I epoxy coated my bottom, I had some ruff high spots to remove. I used 15 different, 50 grit belts using a beltsander, to grid the epoxy down. Epoxy is some very hard stuff.

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by T34C

By whom??

Very disturbing if all this is true. I am a little concerned with the tone (no pun intended) of the blog. It has a bit of a sound of "the sky is falling" as if written by someone looking to sue... Oh wait. I will very interested to see how Tartan handles this issue. I think their response is probably more important than the issue itself.

Keep buying the ones with the "C" at the end!!!!!

Maybe you should start looking at the ones with "C" at the beginning!! (smile)

- CD

[sailingdog]

Everyone knows that the ones beginning with a C are completely suspect... and only a madman would sail on one.

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

Maybe you should start looking at the ones with "C" at the beginning!! (smile)

- CD

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Everyone knows that the ones beginning with a C are completely suspect... and only a madman would sail on one.

I am not talking about "C" with Catamaran, I am talking about "C" with Catalina!!! That many posts and you still don't know anything about a quality boat or a quality car (Alex's thread... bet you have not read my reply).

ON ANOTHER NOTE

Let me just say right here, right now, for all the owners of Tartan: THEY BUILD A GOOD BOAT! Geez, T34 is going to give me crap for that. I have recently been in an incident as the TE for Catalina where all the owners started screaming foul play and this and that and it turned out to be nothing but rumors and a hoax.

I am not saying this is nothing... I am not saying it is not. HOWEVER, remember what Cam said: it is controversy... so be aware of it and do not panic over it. I cannot imagine them putting out anything but a fine yacht and standing behind it. Just be aware of it and get the truth for yourself... but do be aware of it.

- CD

[Tartan34C]

Be careful about what you say next CD. There are a lot of Tartan 34C owners around and they are a rough bunch.
All the best,
Robert Gainer