Tartan 37 (S&S)
Built 1976–1988 by Tartan Marine
Own one? Keep her maintenance, manuals and checklists here — free for a week
Shopping? Find the right used boat
Looking at one? Sea-trial scorecard
About the Tartan 37 (S&S)
Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.
- Built
- 1976–1988
- Builder
- Tartan Marine
- Designer
- Sparkman & Stephens
- Length
- 37.29 ft
- Waterline
- 28.5 ft
- Beam
- 11.75 ft
- Draft
- 4.17 ft
- Displacement
- 15,500 lb
- Ballast
- 7,500 lb
- Hull
- fiberglass-cored
- Hull / keel
- centerboard
- Rig
- sloop
- Propulsion
- inboard
- Water
- 90 gal
- Water heater
- AC + engine · standard
- Number built
- 486
- Stern thruster
- not fitted
- Steering
- pedestal cable · Edson
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
-
Fuel unknown
“50 gallons of fuel” — review, soundingsonline.com · “standard 47-gallon fuel tank” — review, cruisingworld.com · “Fuel Capacity: 50 gallons” — search excerpt (1980), swiftsureyachts.comTwo magazines disagree slightly: Soundings says 50 gal and Cruising World 47 gal standard. Our earlier figure of 50 matched Soundings and a spec database; no builder or owners' association figure was found. Listings showing 53 gal involve replacement tanks.
-
Water 90 gal
“90 gallons of water” — review, soundingsonline.com · “Fresh Water: 90 Gallons (340.69 Liters)” — search excerpt, curtisstokes.netNo builder source was found; Soundings magazine and a listing agree with our earlier figure of 90 gal.
-
Holding unknown
“Holding Tank: 25 Gallons (94.64 Liters)” — search excerpt, curtisstokes.netOne broker listing only.
-
Water heater AC + engine · standard
“The Tartan 37 came with a combination 120v AC and engine coolant water heater.” — owners' association, tartan37.netThe Tartan 37 Sailing Association's technical resource says the boat came with a 120 V/engine-coolant heater in the engine space; the original capacity isn't given (the article installs a 12 gal Raritan as a replacement).
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 pedestal cable · Edson
“CLASSIC PEDESTAL STEERER/TAPERED ... DISHED DESTROYER WHEEL ... CHAIN & WIRE ROPE KIT W/HARDWARE ... RADIAL DRIVE WHEEL” — spec database, edsonmarine.com · “I decided to overhaul using the Edson brake rebuild kit and the Edson steering rebuild kit. New bearing seemed in order” — owners' association, tartan37.comEdson's data sheet for the Tartan 37/38 gives an Edson Classic pedestal with a 36 in destroyer wheel and chain and wire to a radial drive wheel. An owner on the Tartan 37 owners' forum describes rebuilding the original 30-year-old Edson pedestal, confirming the Edson brand in our earlier figure.
Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.
Sources disagree on standard engine label, fuel tank — left blank rather than guessed.
Distinct from the later Tim Jackett-designed Tartan 3700. Owners association: S&S design #2253 commissioned in 1975; the first few hulls were built as the racing Tartan 38 (deep fin, tall rig); 486 built 1976-1988, about 10% deep-keel and most keel/centerboard (4.17 ft up / 7.75 ft down); fin keel 6.58 ft; a few late hulls got a Scheel keel. Hull is balsa-cored in stress areas per Practical Sailor; sailboatdata describes hull and deck as balsa-cored. Early boats had a starboard pilot berth with a cantilevered chainplate arrangement, dropped by 1986.
Engines fitted
-
Westerbeke 4-107 (W-40) — 40 hp, diesel, single
standard
Practical Sailor's spec table gives a 40 hp Westerbeke 4-107 as standard (owners note the Westerbeke 4-107 is also sold as the W-40). The review text instead calls the standard engine a 'Universal 40' (Universal and Westerbeke were the same company); which years had which label is not stated.Sources: practical-sailor.com · forums.sailboatowners.com
Manuals and brochures online
- Spec sheet Tartan 37 specifications page (dimensions, sail area; no tankage) — tartan37.com
- Document Tartan 37 Technical Resources, Ch. 4 Sec. 1: Replacing the Water Heater (Tartan 37 Sailing Association) — tartan37.net
Hosted by the builder or an owners' association; they own the copyright.
Known problems for this model
-
Water damage to cored deck deck
Practical Sailor's main warning is the balsa-cored deck, which is prone to water damage and expensive to repair.practical-sailor.com
-
Hull-deck joint aluminum plate corrosion deck
Deck bolts are tapped into an aluminum plate glassed into the hull flange, so galvanic corrosion can loosen or strip them; inspect the joint closely.practical-sailor.com
-
Aluminum backing plates and poorly bedded toerail deck
Deck hardware is backed with aluminum plates that can corrode or swell if water gets in, and the toerail near the bow is often poorly bedded.practical-sailor.com
-
Complex centerboard pennant through the mast hull
The centerboard pennant runs up through the mast, requiring a complex mast step and compression beam and making centerboard service harder and costlier.practical-sailor.com
-
No shutoffs on cockpit scuppers plumbing
Exhaust, scupper and bilge outlets above the waterline lack shutoffs, though the scuppers can be submerged underway.practical-sailor.com
Engines & parts
Westerbeke W-40 (Westerbeke 40) parts: good
Factory standard engine — you entered “Westerbeke 4-107 (W-40)”
Shares its base engine and rear-seal problem with the Perkins 4.108 (Foley Engines' 4.108 rear seal fix also covers the Westerbeke 40), so many internal parts can be sourced through Perkins 4.108 channels such as TAD and Foley.
Parts sources: Foley Engines, Trans Atlantic Diesels (Perkins 4.108 parts), Westerbeke (factory parts store)
Common problems (2)
-
Rear main seal leak engine
Same chronic rope-seal leak as the Perkins 4.108.foleyengines.com
-
Overheating under load cooling
Owners chasing W-40 overheating often find a nearly blocked raw water elbow at the exhaust elbow or a failed heat exchanger.cruisersforum.com
Maker’s service schedule (19)
| Engine oil & filter change W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 100 hrs | “Servicing After Every 100 Hours of Operation 1. Change the engine's lubrication oil and oil filter.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Engine oil & filter change Westerbeke 40 / Four-107 (1980 technical manual, pub. 20502 ed. 8) | 150 hrs or 1 yr | “IT IS MANDATORY THAT THE CHECKS 3, 4, 5 AND 6 BE ATTENDED TO WHEN TOTAL OPERATING TIME REACHES 150 HOURS.” — manufacturer (1980), westerbeke.com |
| Fuel filters & water separator Westerbeke 40 / Four-107 (1980 technical manual, pub. 20502 ed. 8) | 1 yr | “10. Wash primary filter bowl and screen. ... 11. Replace secondary fuel filter element.” — manufacturer (1980), westerbeke.com |
| Valve clearance check / adjust W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 500 hrs | “Servicing After Every 500 Hours of Operation *1. Torque the cylinder head nuts. *2. Adjust the valve clearances.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Retorque cylinder head nuts W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 500 hrs | “Servicing After Every 500 Hours of Operation *1. Torque the cylinder head nuts.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Drive belts inspect / replace W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 100 hrs | “Servicing After Every 100 Hours of Operation ... 2. Adjust the alternator and water pump drive belt tension, if required” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Drive belts inspect / replace Westerbeke 40 / Four-107 (1980 technical manual, pub. 20502 ed. 8) | 1 yr | “SEASONAL CHECK-OUT (MORE OFTEN IF POSSIBLE) ... 1. Check generator or alternator "V" belt for tension.” — manufacturer (1980), westerbeke.com |
| Raw-water pump impeller W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 250 hrs | “Servicing After Every 250 Hours of Operation ... Check the sea water pump's Impeller.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Coolant replacement & freeze-point test W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 500 hrs | “Servicing After Every 500 Hours of Operation ... 3. Drain, flush, and refill the fresh water cooling system.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Coolant replacement & freeze-point test Westerbeke 40 / Four-107 (1980 technical manual, pub. 20502 ed. 8) | 1 yr | “END OF SEASON SERVICE 1. Drain fresh water cooling system ... 3. Fill fresh water cooling system with antifreeze” — manufacturer (1980), westerbeke.com |
| Engine pencil zincs W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 1 mo | “Monthly Check the condition of the zinc anode in the heat exchanger's sea water circuit.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Engine pencil zincs Westerbeke 40 / Four-107 (1980 technical manual, pub. 20502 ed. 8) | 1 yr | “2. Remove zinc rod (usually located in heat exchanger) and see if it needs replacing.” — manufacturer (1980), westerbeke.com |
| Air filter / intake silencer Westerbeke 40 / Four-107 (1980 technical manual, pub. 20502 ed. 8) | 1 yr | “12. Replace air filter.” — manufacturer (1980), westerbeke.com |
| Injector test / service W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 800 hrs | “Servicing Attar Every 800 Hours of Operation *1. Remove and check fuel injectors.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Compression test, alternator check, tighten bolts/nuts/clamps W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 800 hrs | “Servicing Attar Every 800 Hours of Operation ... *2. Check the engine's compression pressure.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Heat exchanger & oil cooler cleaning W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 1,000 hrs | “Servicing After Every 1000 Hours of Operation 1. Remove, clean, and pressure test the primary heat exchanger.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Check fuel injection pump timing W 40NA (1988 operator's manual, pub. 37169) | 1,000 hrs | “Servicing After Every 1000 Hours of Operation ... *2. Check the fuel injection pump's timing.” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Transmission fluid change W 40NA with Hurth HBW 150 gearbox (1988 operator's manual) | 250 hrs or 1 yr | “Change the transmission fluid after the first 30 hours of engine operation and thereafter every 250 hours (or once per y” — manufacturer (1988), westerbeke.com |
| Transmission fluid change Westerbeke 40 with Westerbeke-Paragon SA1/SAO manual or Paragon P200/P300/P400 hydraulic gear (1980 technical manual) | 100 hrs or 1 yr | “Under normal conditions, the oil should be changed every 100 hours or each season, whichever is shorter.” — manufacturer (1980), westerbeke.com |
Service part numbers (11)
| Oil filter Spin-on filter (engines from 1975; also the pre-1975 spin-on conversion) |
Westerbeke 016655 | “40 16655 FILTER LUBE OIL” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Oil filter Early canister-type oil filter (to 1975), element only |
Westerbeke 011268 | “35 11268 ELEMENT LUBE OIL FILTER” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Fuel filter | Westerbeke 011703 | “11703 ELEMENT,FUEL” — manufacturer, hansenmarine.com |
| Fuel pre-filter / separator | Westerbeke 032974 | “92-2 32974 FILTER SEDIMENTER/WATER TRAP” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Raw-water impeller Sea water pump 16423 (rubber impeller; standard) |
Westerbeke 033104 | “9 33104 KIT IMPELLER AND GASKET” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com · “33104 IMPELLER KIT 16423 PUMP” — manufacturer, hansenmarine.com |
| Raw-water impeller Old sea water pump 11020 (NLA, replaced by pump 16423) |
Westerbeke 011906 | “5 11906 KIT IMPELLER AND GASKET” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Raw-water pump kit Sea water pump 16423 |
Westerbeke 018172 | “2-3 18172 KIT MAJOR REPAIR” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com · “18172 KIT,WATER PUMP 16423 MAJOR REP” — manufacturer, hansenmarine.com |
| Drive belt Standard alternator |
Westerbeke 012270 | “12270 BELT” — manufacturer, hansenmarine.com |
| Air filter | Westerbeke 012556 | “2 12556 FILTER AIR INTAKE” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Zinc / anode | Westerbeke 011885 | “23 11885 ZINC” — manufacturer, westerbeke.com |
| Thermostat | Westerbeke 024688 | “9 24688 THERMOSTAT” — 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.
Steering
Edson — Pedestal chain-and-wire steering parts: good
Edson (New Bedford, MA) still sells service parts: chain-and-wire kits, sprockets, idlers, pull-pull conduit steering and internal pedestal parts, and keeps steering data sheets by boat model, many decades old.
Parts sources: Edson Marine (service parts)
Common problems (3)
-
Old or slack steering wire steering
Edson advises replacing steering wire about every five years, checking tension with the wheel locked, and inspecting under load annually; owners often find decades-old stiff wire.usna.edu · youtube.com
-
Lubrication and fastener checks steering
Chain, wire, sheaves and pedestal bearings need regular oiling or greasing, and clevis/cotter pins and bolts should be checked monthly to avoid failures.usna.edu
-
Replacing engine control cables in the pedestal steering
Swapping throttle/shift cables inside an Edson pedestal is a common owner job requiring removal of the wheel shaft sprocket pin.forums.sailboatowners.com
Edson — Traditional geared steerers (worm / rack-and-pinion) parts: good
Edson says its traditional wheels and geared steerers are still available, now built with modern materials; rack-and-pinion steerers are offered for transom-hung and inboard rudders.
Parts sources: Edson Marine (traditional steerers)
Model sources (14)
sailboatdata.com · practical-sailor.com · tartan37.com · tartan37.com · tartan37.com · betamarineusa.com · listingsport.com · westerbeke.com · forums.sailboatowners.com · soundingsonline.com · cruisingworld.com · tartan37.net · edsonmarine.com · tartan37.com
Own a Tartan 37 (S&S)? Add her to your boats, then share a photo — names, numbers and faces are blurred before it appears.
Other Tartan models
- Tartan 27 1961–1980
- Tartan 30
- Tartan 34C 1968–1978
- Tartan 3500 ?–2005
Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.