Opinions on Tartan 3500 and late 90's Moody?

[JulieMac]

On our recent trip to Florida, we saw a couple of nice coastal cruisers. Two different designs- a 2001 Tartan 3500 and a 1998 Moody 362. We're looking for a nice coastal cruiser to take us to the Keys and into the Caribbean.

The Tartan is aft cockpit, and with a fully battened main. The Moody was a center cockpit boat, with a furling main. The aft cabin was very nice and it had new electronics.

I believe the Moody has a solid FRP glass hull, while the Tartan is cored to save weight. I'd give the nod to the Tartan for more spirited sailing, and the Moody for comfort.

Does anyone know if either of these models use a pan liner? Do you have experience or knowledge of their build quality, sailing characteristic or any particular quirks?

[robert sailor]

Both sound like good choices for what you want to do. Live a board might tip the scales towards the Moody but I agree that the Tartan would be the faster boat, its 117 PHRF rating suggests its probably quicker by 10-15 seconds.

[Capt.Don]

JulieMac - I have a 2000 Tartan 3500. I'd say the 3500 is capable of more than coastal cruising, is fast and fun to sail. The boat is solid, well built, look great.....After 15 years, out Tartan looks almost as good as new. PM me if you specific questions,
Don

[JulieMac]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Both sound like good choices for what you want to do. Live a board might tip the scales towards the Moody but I agree that the Tartan would be the faster boat, its 117 PHRF rating suggests its probably quicker by 10-15 seconds.

Is that 10-15 seconds per mile?? I've heard of PHRF, but don't know what it means around the buoys.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by JulieMac

Is that 10-15 seconds per mile?? I've heard of PHRF, but don't know what it means around the buoys.

Thats about right

[malcolmlj]

Moody is a British builder, one of the oldest in the world, but little known in the USA.
I sailed a Moody 38 for 14 years, including 11,000 miles in 2 1/2 years, from UK to the Med, then the Caribbean, USA, up to northern Main.
Solid glass hulls, built like a brick built ............, also faster than they look.
Won many classes in ocean races like the UK-Azores and back.
Genoa is the driving sail, in mast main is a balancer.
Hold their price very well, but make more money this side of the pond than in USA.
Will be romping along when most are furling or running for shelter, wonderful heavy weather sea boat.
Visit the Moody Owners web site for huge amounts of information.

[JulieMac]

What production year/era was the Moody 38 on which you sailed, Malcolm?

[Scaramanga F25]

At about 5 knots 15 seconds per mile is a lot less less than o.1 kts.
Negligeable in cruising.

[malcolmlj]

Amber Sea was a 1994 Moody 38 with centre cockpit and in-mast furling main.
Worst conditions I sailed her in was in the UK western approaches, constant 50+ knots of wind gusting to 62 knots. We hove to for 12 hours, making about one and a half knots to leeward, and when the wind dropped to 35 knots sailed on.
Moody's are bomb proof sea boats, and will cope well with the tough conditions the Great Lakes produce at times.

Regards,
Malcolm

[DougAnnapolis]

We owned a tartan 3500, built in 2001. Excellent excellent boat. Sailed the boat on Ches. Bay for 3 years and sold it for very close to what I paid for it.
The boat had furling Genoa (worked great) and the fishing line flaking system for the main. Dutchman ! Dutchman didn't work as nicely as the demo, but still worked fine. We had AC and it was a dream to take on overnights.
Very very stable boat. We didn't race, but we would, frequently overtake J boats.and larger boats because it sailed so well. The 135 Genoa was a power house. We upgraded the factory Refrig got more cooling and less power draw.

Loved tartan wood work. It is soooo much better than the laminated stuff you see on beneteus. They are in a race to the bottom, and they have won.

We upgraded to a used tartan 3700. And we are happy. Tartans hold their value. tartans can go offshore without breaking something.

Moody is a great boAt also, but never sailed one . Ally's a quality well built boat.
Make sure which ever boat your buy that your survey guy checks everything, every thing that is supposed to work, all electronics, and I would suggest an amp hour meter of you are going off shore

[Mapoftassie]

Hi all! If your having to compare sail area, stability, Capsize ratings, Blue water comfort ratings, etc compare yachts @ sailboatdata.com

[malcolmlj]

In answer to the earlier question from Julie Mac, my Moody 38 was 1994.
One of the original Bill Dixon design.
The post 2000 versions had a reduced specification to try and compete on price withe the French mass production boats.

[GordMay]

Carl’s Sail Calculator ➥ Sail Calculator Pro v3.54 - 3200+ boats
Tartan 3500 vs Moody 35

Performance Comparison Tartan 3500 vs Moody 35

LOA Tartan 3500
35.2
Moody 35
34.5
LWL Tartan 3500
30
Moody 35
28.83
Beam Tartan 3500
11.75
Moody 35
11.88
Displacement Tartan 3500
13200
Moody 35
13300
Sail Area Tartan 3500
619.3
Moody 35
508.63
Capsize Ratio Tartan 3500
1.99
Moody 35
2.01
Hull Speed Tartan 3500
7.34
Moody 35
7.19
Sail Area to Displacement Tartan 3500
17.74
Moody 35
14.5
Displacement to LWL Tartan 3500
218
Moody 35
248
LWL to Beam Tartan 3500
2.55
Moody 35
2.43
Motion Comfort Tartan 3500
24.09
Moody 35
24.72
Pounds/Inch Tartan 3500
1260
Moody 35
1224

[Mapoftassie]

Well put together! I left the site details and would help should I believe it nessasary to Nurse someonr along! But you have do it well! Congratulations! On a very well detailed reply to a simple question! Oh Just for the record! ... I'm not a Nurse S(Hence I dont hold peoples hands unless they are family!


Warm Regards

[malbert73]

I own a 34 year old Tartan and it looks better on deck and below than many 10 year old production boats. Tartans have the reputation for being very well built, and are very stiff sailing boats generally with higher ballast/displacement than others due to higher level hull/structural build without heavy glued together liners.
I don’t have firsthand experience on Moodys. But I would suggest that for the sailing you are doing the light air strength of the Tartan will be more important than the heavy air strength of the Moody. In 6-8 knots of breeze I’m sailing fast when others are motoring and I know the 3500 has similar traits.