Jammer buys a Tartan

[Jammer]

I joined CF in 2010. I bought my first sailboat (a 1975 Morgan 25) in 2018. I sold it and bought a Hunter 26 two years later, taking these boats on daysails and weeklong cruises on Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River system in the Minneapolis area, and in Lake Vermilion (in northern Minnesota) and Lake Superior (the one that needs no introduction). I sold the Hunter last spring having concluded that it is too large to be trailerable and too small to be truly suitable for overnights.

After a search lasting all summer, my wife and I decided to purchase a Tartan 3800 that was for sale in Chicago. We will use Duluth as our home port. The purchase closed a few weeks ago and we sailed (well, motored mostly, but there was some sailing) to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, about halfway up the shore of Lake Michigan, where due to the lateness of the season we are having the boat hauled for the winter.

Aside from some plumbing problems that I am working through, the boat is well found. We will be adding some form of cabin heat and updating the ground tackle.

This Tartan was built in 1999 and was among the last of the 3800s to be completed. Among the many things I like about this vessel are the 5'4" fixed keel and the conservative, long-life, low-maintenance choices throughout -- no saildrive, no carbon fiber mast, no rod rigging, no teak decking, metal rather than plastic portlights. She is straightforward to sail with no running backstays or hydraulic backstay adjusters or other gratuitous go-fasters. There is an in-boom mainsail furler, and I have not yet decided whether I like it. Halyard and primary winches are electric and I expect I will rapidly become weak and soft with such luxury unless I disconnect them.



We are looking forward to the delivery from Manitowoc to Duluth next spring, and plan to remain in the Great Lakes for the next several years. We still have land-based connections that will limit our time aboard.

[Stu Jackson]

Congratulations on your new boat, all the best.

[noelex 77]

She looks perfect.

Originally Posted by Jammer

the conservative, long-life, low-maintenance choices throughout -- no saildrive, no carbon fiber mast, no rod rigging, no teak decking, metal rather than plastic portlights.

KISS is generally the best policy for an offshore yacht .

[Adelie]

Congrats

[rslifkin]

That's a beautiful boat and a nice upgrade! I don't think I've ever met an unhappy Tartan owner, so it should serve you well.

[Tetepare]

Holy #### you didn’t screw around. That’s a spectacular boat!

[LakeSuperior]

Will keep an eye out for you!!

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I joined CF in 2010. I bought my first sailboat (a 1975 Morgan 25) in 2018. I sold it and bought a Hunter 26 two years later, taking these boats on daysails and weeklong cruises on Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River system in the Minneapolis area, and in Lake Vermilion (in northern Minnesota) and Lake Superior (the one that needs no introduction). I sold the Hunter last spring having concluded that it is too large to be trailerable and too small to be truly suitable for overnights.

After a search lasting all summer, my wife and I decided to purchase a Tartan 3800 that was for sale in Chicago. We will use Duluth as our home port. The purchase closed a few weeks ago and we sailed (well, motored mostly, but there was some sailing) to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, about halfway up the shore of Lake Michigan, where due to the lateness of the season we are having the boat hauled for the winter.

Aside from some plumbing problems that I am working through, the boat is well found. We will be adding some form of cabin heat and updating the ground tackle.

This Tartan was built in 1999 and was among the last of the 3800s to be completed. Among the many things I like about this vessel are the 5'4" fixed keel and the conservative, long-life, low-maintenance choices throughout -- no saildrive, no carbon fiber mast, no rod rigging, no teak decking, metal rather than plastic portlights. She is straightforward to sail with no running backstays or hydraulic backstay adjusters or other gratuitous go-fasters. There is an in-boom mainsail furler, and I have not yet decided whether I like it. Halyard and primary winches are electric and I expect I will rapidly become weak and soft with such luxury unless I disconnect them.



We are looking forward to the delivery from Manitowoc to Duluth next spring, and plan to remain in the Great Lakes for the next several years. We still have land-based connections that will limit our time aboard.

Good luck with your new boat.
I have loads of experience with in-boom furlers so here here are a few hints

1. The boom to mast angle is super important. 87 degrees If I remember
correctly.

2. Get a really robust hard vang. Maintains the angle already mentioned
don’t trust a topping lift boom is just too heavy

3. Boom brake and preventers are absolutely essential
The boom is so heavy an accidentally jibe will cause loads of
damage

4. Keep the electric winches, the halyard and furler paths are
convoluted, and loaded with resistance

Cheers
Neil

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

Good luck with your new boat.
I have loads of experience with in-boom furlers so here here are a few hints

1. The boom to mast angle is super important. 87 degrees If I remember
correctly.

2. Get a really robust hard vang. Maintains the angle already mentioned
don’t trust a topping lift boom is just too heavy

3. Boom brake and preventers are absolutely essential
The boom is so heavy an accidentally jibe will cause loads of
damage

4. Keep the electric winches, the halyard and furler paths are
convoluted, and loaded with resistance

Cheers
Neil

You are indeed wise. I will be having a discussion with my rigger about the vang, which is undersized. Right now there isn't a topping lift, either, though I do want to run one. Hadn't thought of a boom brake, taking your advice on that.

[randydandy]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I joined CF in 2010. I bought my first sailboat (a 1975 Morgan 25) in 2018. I sold it and bought a Hunter 26 two years later, taking these boats on daysails and weeklong cruises on Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River system in the Minneapolis area, and in Lake Vermilion (in northern Minnesota) and Lake Superior (the one that needs no introduction). I sold the Hunter last spring having concluded that it is too large to be trailerable and too small to be truly suitable for overnights.

After a search lasting all summer, my wife and I decided to purchase a Tartan 3800 that was for sale in Chicago. We will use Duluth as our home port. The purchase closed a few weeks ago and we sailed (well, motored mostly, but there was some sailing) to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, about halfway up the shore of Lake Michigan, where due to the lateness of the season we are having the boat hauled for the winter.

Aside from some plumbing problems that I am working through, the boat is well found. We will be adding some form of cabin heat and updating the ground tackle.

This Tartan was built in 1999 and was among the last of the 3800s to be completed. Among the many things I like about this vessel are the 5'4" fixed keel and the conservative, long-life, low-maintenance choices throughout -- no saildrive, no carbon fiber mast, no rod rigging, no teak decking, metal rather than plastic portlights. She is straightforward to sail with no running backstays or hydraulic backstay adjusters or other gratuitous go-fasters. There is an in-boom mainsail furler, and I have not yet decided whether I like it. Halyard and primary winches are electric and I expect I will rapidly become weak and soft with such luxury unless I disconnect them.



We are looking forward to the delivery from Manitowoc to Duluth next spring, and plan to remain in the Great Lakes for the next several years. We still have land-based connections that will limit our time aboard.

Jammer,

She is a pretty boat. It was on our list and my wife and I were set to fly in to look at her when we got an accepted offer on hull #37 down in Panama City Florida. Since then, I've tore into just about everthing on this 3800 so if you run into any questions, give me a yell. Enjoy!