Tartan 34C
Built 1968–1978 by Tartan Marine
About the Tartan 34C
Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.
- Built
- 1968–1978
- Builder
- Tartan Marine
- Designer
- Sparkman & Stephens
- Length
- 34.42 ft
- Waterline
- 25 ft
- Beam
- 10.17 ft
- Draft
- 3.92 ft
- Displacement
- 11,200 lb
- Ballast
- 5,000 lb
- Hull / keel
- centerboard
- Rig
- sloop
- Propulsion
- inboard
- Fuel
- varies by year
- Water
- 36 gal
- Number built
- 525
- Stern thruster
- not fitted
- Steering
- tiller
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
-
Fuel varies by year
“Later boats have a 26-gallon fuel tank under the port settee” — search excerpt (later boats), practical-sailor.com · “Fuel: 30 gal aluminum diesel tank” — broker listing, sailboat-cruising.comPractical Sailor reports the original drawings show a 21 gal tank under the cockpit, and later boats a 26 gal tank under the port settee; the hull number where it changed is unknown. An owner's sale page for a boat repowered with a diesel lists 30 gal, likely a replacement. No builder document was found.
-
Water 36 gal
“Water: 50 gal total, 1x 30 gal fiberglass tank, 1x20 gal flexible tank” — broker listing, sailboat-cruising.comNo builder source was found. One owner's sale page lists a 30 gal fixed tank plus an added 20 gal flexible tank on an altered boat, which neither confirms nor settles our earlier figure of 36 gal.
-
Holding unknown
“Blackwater: 10 gal” — broker listing, sailboat-cruising.comOnly one owner's sale listing gives a figure, and it may be a retrofit.
-
Water heater unknown
“ON DEMAND WATER HEATER” — search excerpt, tca34.clubexpress.comOnly one boat-for-sale notice on the Tartan 34 Classic Association site mentions a heater (an on-demand unit, clearly added later); no builder source found.
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.
-
Stern thruster not fitted
Nothing was found either way; our earlier figure of none has no source.
-
Steering tiller
“Although a tiller was standard, you will find wheel steering on many boats.” — review, practical-sailor.com · “I have restored a 1970 34C Tartan, hull #68 which has a tiller, and have a quote from Edson for the Pedestal, Wheel, and” — search excerpt (1970), forums.sailboatowners.comPractical Sailor gives a tiller as standard; many boats now have wheel steering, but it doesn't say whether that was a factory option or an owner conversion. Owners report converting to Edson pedestals.
Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.
The C (classic) suffix is a used-market label for the first Tartan 34; the later S&S Tartan 34-2 is a different boat. Keel/centerboard: 3.92 ft up, 8.33 ft down. Atomic 4 in most boats; Farymann R-30-M diesel optional from 1975. Practical Sailor suggests the Universal Model 25 diesel as a possible drop-in Atomic 4 replacement if space allows. Fuel tank size varies by year (see the tank notes). Mainsail foot shortened at least twice during production; yawl rig advertised as an option. Deck is balsa-cored; hull coring not mentioned by sources. Hull material (solid or cored) not stated by sources read. Practical Sailor says "more than 500" built 1968-1978; sailboatdata gives 525.
Engines fitted
-
Atomic 4 (Universal) — 30 hp, gas, single
standard
Most boats; 30 hp per sailboatdata and Wikipedia.Sources: sailboatdata.com · en.wikipedia.org · practical-sailor.com
- Atomic 4 (Universal) — 30 hp, gas standard
-
Farymann R-30-M diesel — diesel, single
factory option
Diesel option from 1975 (Practical Sailor).Sources: practical-sailor.com
-
Universal Model 25 diesel — diesel, single
common repower
Practical Sailor calls the Universal 25 a drop-in replacement for the Atomic 4 in many cases (check room).Sources: practical-sailor.com
Boats of the same model can differ — check which engines yours actually has before ordering parts.
Known problems for this model
-
Gelcoat crazing and balsa deck delamination deck
Owners most often report cracked and crazed deck gelcoat on the foredeck and forward cabin trunk, and some report soft or delaminated balsa-cored deck; sound the whole deck before buying.practical-sailor.com
-
Brass through-hull nipples and gate valves plumbing
Early boats used brass pipe nipples glassed into the hull with gate valves, which dezincify in salt water and should be replaced with proper bronze or composite seacocks.practical-sailor.com
-
Centerboard and lifting gear hull
The centerboard and its mechanism are a frequent complaint; the board locks in position rather than kicking up, so groundings with the board down are common.practical-sailor.com
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Basic original electrical system electrical
Original wiring is minimal, with a small alternator and fuses rather than breakers; check for poorly added circuits.practical-sailor.com
-
Engine low in bilge engine
The engine sits under the port settee in the bilge, giving good access but making it vulnerable if the hull floods; prop clearance limits upsizing.practical-sailor.com
Engines & parts
Universal Atomic 4 parts: good
Factory standard engine — you entered “Atomic 4 (Universal)”
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)
-
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
-
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 (4)
sailboatdata.com · practical-sailor.com · en.wikipedia.org · sailboat-cruising.com
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Other Tartan models
- Tartan 27 1961–1980
- Tartan 30
- 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.