Hinckley Bermuda 40 vs Tartan 37

[endurance]

I'm looking at H-Bermuda 40 (k/cb) and Tartan 37 (k/cb); Hinckley has LWL of 28'10", and Taratan 32'6". As I am reading about the hull design, the rule of thumb is that the longer the LWL, the better the speed .... obviously I'm overly simplifying very complex hydrodymics of hull shapes.

How would these two boats fair on handling, pointability and hull speed? I read that the H-40 does not point well.

I'm limited on boat choices due to where I sail - 4'6" is about the max I can go unless I relocate. I am hoping to sail to the carribean for a few winter months and back to my beautiful brown, dirty, muddy Barnegat bay for the summer.

Thanks ... Rick

[svquest2]

The Bermuda 40 is one of the most desired boats to have either offshore or at the dock. They are a CCA design built beautifully by Hinkley and I wouldn't hesitate one minute to decide. The waterline is shorter but that is the LWL or static waterline. When generating a hull wave the waterline grows. Originally the CCA designs were a little under canvassed and I think Hinkley went through three mods to increase mast height, & increase performance. The Tartan however is one of the best production boats and if substantially newer may offer a more desirable layout. You still will have to decide for yourself.

Joe S

[endurance]

Thanks, Joe S -

I am not too fond of the new boats but they do have more living spaces - I am willing to compromise on living space if I were to consider a H40.

Does anyone know anything about the Tartan k/CB design & reliability?

Where can I find out what the ~LWL is when sailing (upwind) on H-40?

Rick

[tartan37224]

The two boats are very different. The Hinckley Bermuda 40 is a classic, built to exceptionally high standards, but the classic lines come with somewhat of a penalty for space. I can't speak to the performance of the Bermuda 40 but I know they have been and continue to be very seaworthy and capable, and one of them would surely be a good option.

I can, however, tell you a bit about the S&S-designed Tartan 37. I have owned a T37 since 1997, and in that time I've become very active in the owner's association. I have sailed aboard several in various locations, and they perform quite well to windward. I own a fin keel (6'-7" draft) model, but the keel/centerboard boats I have sailed do nearly as well as the fin, provided the board is down. With the board up, the draft is 4'-2", ideal for your purposes. They have good build quality and very pleasing lines.

Several have circumnavigated or made long (trans-Atlantic and Pacific) offshore passages and came through with flying colors. For more information, visit Home

There is even a coffee-table book available, containing the history of the design and other useful information.

I'd be glad to discuss the T37 at greater length in a back-channel exchange of messages.

Tom Wells
Tartan 37 #224
Higher Porpoise

[Bash]

Tartan. (Assuming, of course, that both boats are in similar condition.)

[endurance]

Thanks, Tom ...

I do like the T37 CC based on the spec sheet and all the reviews - personally I have not seen one. If I were to consider T 37 CC, it would have to be a k/cb option - but I have not read much about the k/cb operation/problems on T37 or T41. Do you know how reliable they are and any maintenance issues that one should be aware of?

Rick

[tartan37224]

Rick,

The centerboard on the Tartan 37 is a reliable unit. Like anything, time and wear do take their toll, so if you are buying a Tartan 37 K/CB model, check the centerboard pivot bearings at the keel base carefully during the haul-out and survey. The pennant for these models rises from the centerboard through a conduit and into the mast, exiting through a block on the starboard aft side of the mast. The pennant is led back to the cockpit and the board is easily raised and lowered from there. Normal maintenance attention to the conduit, line and the pivot bearings is needed, but certainly no more than any other centerboard boat.

The model is referred to simply as the Tartan 37. Many have chosen to put the T37 C (Where the C stands for "classic") designation on it to differentiate from later models such as the Tartan 372 and the current T3700, but the C was never a part of the model designation. There was never a Tartan 37 CC. A "CC" used in a boat name usually denotes "Center Cockpit."

Where are you located? I might be able to steer you toward an owner who would be willing to show you a Tartan 37.

Tom

[gonesail]

i have seen a bermuda 40 sailing in 20 knots of wind close hauled and she was a pretty sight to see (so yes this boat will point well with the full keel) .. i had furled my sails and was motoring into the wind instead. i would say the Hinckley is the better built of the two and also the most appealing to the eyes.

[anotherT34C]

If the CB mechanism on the T37C is similar to the one on the T34C (Tom?) you can crank the CB down to any depth appropriate for trim. On the B-40 the CB is strictly either up or down.

I believe both the 37 and 34 CB's suffer from "CB droop" over time as they wear. Maybe figure a haulout and rebuild every 10 years.

If I were picking a boat to do serious offshore cruising, I would pick the T37C hands down (probably the best value cruiser on the market, IMO). If I were picking a boat to coastal sail, and anchor/show-off outside the yacht club, I would pick the B-40 (probably the prettiest boat ever built, IMO).

Another note... the Tartan will depreciate in value at a rate about equal to inflation (~3%/yr) while the Hinckley will hold its value well, and possibly appreciate as the years go by and they become more scarce.

[Cheechako]

Such a wonderful dillemma! Hinkley Bermuda or Tartan 37! I would have to go with the most preferred particular boat, age and price...

[sck5]

My cousin has a B-40 - It is a mistake to think of it as only a coastal cruising or show off boat. It was designed to go to Bermuda and does it quite well. My cousin has done the Bermuda race many times and while newer designs might be a bit faster, there is no question that the B40 is every bit a blue water boat.

More important is the difference in the sail plan (my cousin's is a yawl - do you want that/is the boat you are looking at also a yawl?), the hull construction (Tartans are cored, B40's are not) and living space (my cousins boat is well laid out for racing but not so much for a couple to live aboard) Even more important is how well kept the particular boats you are looking at are.

[CarlF]

The Tartan is a fine boat. I've sailed them many times with great satisfaction. But the B-40 is special - one of the most admired sailboats ever built. She wins races against 30 year younger boats, will carry her crew safely anywhere and is simply gorgeous. The craftsmanship is rarely seen today even in custom boats.

You must go sail a B-40 - take the helm, sit to leeward, close hauled in 15 knots or so. It's not for everyone. You'll know in 10 minutes.

Before you buy one, be aware that there is an especially terrible corner of Hell reserved for people who don't keep up the brightwork on their B-40.

Carl

[anotherT34C]

I'm almost certain that the hull of the T37C is NOT cored. The deck is, however.

I didn't mean to imply that the B40 is not a BW boat. However, it was designed to beat the old CCA rule, and as a result gives a wetter ride as compared with the T37. The T37, though shorter by three feet, is also quite a bit roomier in living accommodations and storage space.

I do love the B40, but if crossing an ocean, I'd prefer a T37C.

The brightwork comment is no joke. The B40 has lots. My T34 has the same style of brightwork that the B40 sports (though 6ft less of it of course) and I can barely keep up. Let it go, and the boat looks absolutely dreadful (AND you'd be comitting a crime against humanity!).

[S&S]

Ours is a 48' CCA rule yawl. she was built to go from a small Rhode island town to Burmuda fast. I can say that that rule produces excellent, go-anywhere sea boats, and yes they can be a little wet. ( but that's what dodgers are for)

[sck5]

"Construction of the Tartan 37 utilizes balsa wood core material in both the hull and decks."


See the review by Jack Horner on the BoatUS site.

BoatUS.com: Boat Reviews by Jack Hornor, N.A. - Tartan 37