Tartan 30
About the Tartan 30
Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.
- Builder
- Tartan Marine
- Designer
- Sparkman & Stephens
- Length
- 29.92 ft
- Waterline
- 24.25 ft
- Beam
- 10 ft
- Draft
- 4.92 ft
- Displacement
- 8,750 lb
- Hull / keel
- fin keel
- Rig
- sloop
- Propulsion
- inboard
- Fuel
- 20 gal
- Water
- 30 gal
- Stern thruster
- not fitted
- Steering
- tiller
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
-
Fuel 20 gal
“a 20-gallon fuel tank” — review, sailingmagazine.net · “Fuel: 15 Gallon” — search excerpt (1974), sailingtexas.comNo builder source was found. Sailing Magazine agrees with our earlier figure of 20 gal; one 1974 sale listing says 15 gal for a single boat that may have been altered.
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Water 30 gal
“a 30-gallon freshwater tank” — review, sailingmagazine.net · “Water: 40 Gallon” — search excerpt (1974), sailingtexas.comNo builder source was found. Sailing Magazine agrees with our earlier figure of 30 gal; one 1974 listing says 40.
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Holding unknown
“Waste: 10 Gallon” — search excerpt (1974), sailingtexas.comOne sale listing only.
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Water heater unknown
Practical Sailor's used-boat review and an owner page reproducing Tartan's equipment text do not mention a water heater.
Tanks are often replaced or added on older boats — check the tank labels or a survey for yours.
Thrusters and steering — where this comes from
-
Bow thruster unknown
No source mentions a bow thruster.
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Stern thruster not fitted
Nothing was found either way; our earlier figure of none has no source.
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Steering tiller
“Under water there is a relatively short fin keel and a tiller-controlled, skeg-mounted rudder.” — review, goodoldboat.com · “the tiller is far enough aft so that there is good seating forward” — review, practical-sailor.comTwo magazine reviews describe tiller steering on a skeg-hung rudder (Sparkman & Stephens design, from 1972). No wheel option was found.
Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.
Sources disagree on first year, last year, number built, ballast — left blank rather than guessed.
Production years, hull count and ballast are disputed (see disputed); roughly 600 were built in the 1970s at Tartan plants in Ohio and North Carolina. Standard fin keel with skeg-hung rudder (4.92 ft) and lead ballast on internal stainless bolts; a tall-rig version (sometimes called 30C) has 3 ft more mast, 5.5 ft draft and 500 lb more lead. Sailing Magazine says the forward hull is stiffened with Tensil-Cor laminate and the deck is plywood-cored. Center-galley and aft-galley interiors. Atomic 4 standard; Farymann two-cylinder diesel optional by about 1975 (parts scarce and costly); some owners have fitted Yanmar 2GM20 or 3GM30F diesels. Tanks (20 gal fuel, 30 gal water) from Sailing Magazine. Engine sits amidships under a box in the saloon with excellent access. Keel-stepped mast. Hull material left null: sources do not say whether the Tensil-Cor forward section is a core or a reinforcing laminate.
Engines fitted
-
Atomic 4 (Universal) gas — 30 hp, gas, single
standard
sailboatdata (1970-78, 606 built): standard power was the Universal Atomic 4, listed at 30 hp.Sources: sailboatdata.com
- Atomic 4 (Universal) — 30 hp, gas standard
-
Farymann diesel — diesel, single
factory option
sailboatdata: some boats came with a Farymann diesel instead of the Atomic 4; model/rating not given.Sources: sailboatdata.com
Boats of the same model can differ — check which engines yours actually has before ordering parts.
Known problems for this model
-
Bilge and keel-bolt damage from groundings or bad storage hull
Groundings or poor blocking can loosen floors and keel bolts or flex and tear the hull around the external keel; a misaligned engine or a gap between deadwood and ballast are warning signs. Practical Sailor suggests storing it in a cradle rather than on jackstands.practical-sailor.com
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Mast step corrosion and tie-rod rigging
Water leaking past the mast partner commonly corrodes the mast step and butt; also check main bulkhead tabbing and the deck-to-step tie-rod.practical-sailor.com
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Chainplate leaks and deck soft spots deck
Chainplates are prone to leaking, and soft deck spots near penetrations are likely on older boats.practical-sailor.com
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Gelcoat crazing and chalking hull
Most owners report degraded gelcoat with crazing, voids and chalking; blistering is about average.practical-sailor.com
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Water backing into Atomic 4 via exhaust engine
Some engines have needed rebuilds after water came back through the exhaust; have the engine checked mechanically.practical-sailor.com
3 more
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Rusting fuel tank fuel
The fuel tank tends to rust and should be inspected.practical-sailor.com
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Low companionway sill deck
The companionway sill is too low to stop a flooded cockpit draining below.practical-sailor.com
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Plywood-cored deck deck
Sailing Magazine describes the deck as a plywood-cored sandwich, so soft spots around fittings mean wet or rotted plywood core.sailingmagazine.net
Engines & parts
Universal Atomic 4 parts: good
Factory standard engine — you entered “Atomic 4 (Universal) gas”
Tens of thousands were built (sources say from 40,000 to 50,000). Despite being out of production for decades, the engine is well supported: Moyer Marine sells parts, rebuilt engines, fuel pump rebuilds and exhaust parts, and hosts an owners' forum; Old Lyme Marina and others also supply parts, and electronic ignition upgrades are available.
Parts sources: Moyer Marine
Common problems (3)
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Raw-water cooling scale and corrosion cooling
Most Atomic 4s are raw-water cooled, so the block scales up and corrodes, especially in salt water; cranking without starting can also flood the engine with seawater through the exhaust.goodoldboat.com · moyermarineforum.com · keelindex.com
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Gasoline vapor fire/explosion risk fuel
Gasoline vapor is heavier than air and settles in the bilge, so ventilation, blower use and shutting the fuel valve (a stuck carburetor float can overflow) matter.goodoldboat.com
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Ignition and fuel system faults electrical
Points, condenser, cap and wires, plus gummed carburetors and contaminated fuel, are the most common reasons an Atomic 4 won't run well.keelindex.com · goodoldboat.com
Maker’s service schedule (9)
| Engine oil & filter change | 50 hrs | “3. FIFTY HOUR CHECK a. Using sump pump, remove all oil from crankcase. Refill with a good grade oil as specified in Tabl” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Fuel filters & water separator | 50 hrs | “e. Clean fuel pump strainer.” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Heat exchanger & oil cooler cleaning | 50 hrs | “b. Inspect oil cooler and remove any accumulation of grit or dirt.” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Clean flame arrestor | 100 hrs | “b. Inspect flame arrestor to be sure air passages are clean and free from oil. If dirty remove and wash with kerosene.” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Check clutch (reverse gear) adjustment | 100 hrs | “4. ONE HUNDRED HOUR CHECK ... c. Check adjustment of clutch.” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Valve clearance check / adjust | 150 hrs or 1 yr | “5. ONE HUNDRED FIFTY HOUR CHECK a. Check valve tappet adjustment.” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Spark plugs inspect / replace | 150 hrs | “b. Remove, clean, and reset spark plugs.” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Transmission fluid change Universal V-drive unit (V-drive installations only; the standard reverse gear shares engine oil) | 500 hrs | “(2) After the first 50 hours of operation, drain unit and refill ... (3) Change lubricant every 500 hours of operation.” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Complete overhaul | 3,000 hrs | “At the end of three thousand hours of operation the engine should be completely overhauled.” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
Service part numbers (8)
| Oil filter optional add-on oil filter (not standard equipment) |
Universal 276236 | “2 Element or Cartridge 1 276236 (Oil Group, Oil Filter, Not Standard Equipment)” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Raw-water impeller Oberdorfer N202M-03 / N202M-07 replacement raw-water pump (Universal pump 295625) |
Oberdorfer 6593 | “5 Impeller 6593 6593 6593 6593 6593 1 (N202M, N202M-03, N202M-07 parts list)” — manufacturer, pumpsandpartsonline.com · “Impeller : Catalog # 6593, Impeller” — dealer, pumpagents.com |
| Raw-water pump kit Oberdorfer N202M-03 / N202M-07 raw-water pump |
Oberdorfer 10725 | “REPAIR KIT N202M N202M-03 N202M-07 10725” — manufacturer, pumpsandpartsonline.com · “Catalog # 10725, Repair Kit, includes O-Ring, Snap Ring, Impeller, 2 x Lip Seal” — dealer, pumpagents.com |
| Drive belt alternator belt (Prestolite and Motorola alternators) |
Universal 239387 | “19 Belt 1 239387 (12 Volt - Motorola 51 Amp Alternator)” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Spark plug | Universal 273276 × 4 | “8 Spark plugs, champion 4 273276” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Thermostat late style, from 1967 / serial #79476 (Holley 145 F, on cylinder head) |
Universal 200206 | “12 Thermostat Kit 1 200206 consists of 262278 and 261601” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Thermostat Dole type, before serial #79476 (on manifold) |
Universal 200207 | “13 Kit, Thermostat (consists of 275965 & 261144) 1 200207” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Zinc / anode fresh-water-cooled engines only (Universal heat-exchanger kit) |
Universal 299760 | “23 zinc pencil 1 299760 (Cooling, Fresh Water System, after serial #79476)” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
From the engine maker’s parts lists, or two independent parts dealers. Numbers change with serial number and get superseded — check yours before ordering.
Sources disagree on first year, last year, number built — left blank rather than guessed.
Model sources (5)
sailboatdata.com · practical-sailor.com · sailingmagazine.net · goodoldboat.com · goodoldboat.com
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Other Tartan models
- Tartan 27 1961–1980
- Tartan 34C 1968–1978
- Tartan 3500 ?–2005
- Tartan 37 (S&S) 1976–1988
Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.