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• By Mark Schrader
• Updated: August 5, 2002

Anyone viewing the pleasingly modern lines of a Tartan 37 would find it hard to believe the first production model hit the market in 1976. Remarkably, Charlie Britton, along with a very talented Sparkman & Stephens design team, effectively incorporated many features important to offshore cruising and racing in a 37-foot hull. The only thing that hints at her age is the trademark plaid-upholstered interior.

Sailing performance and quality construction in an aesthetically pleasing package have been keys to Tartan’s success as a builder. The 37 has been the most popular choice for a variety of practical reasons.

The hull is hand-laid and molded as a single unit. It is cored with end-grain balsa, tapered to solid glass in any high-stress areas (engine bed, mast step, shroud terminals, thru-hulls and keel sections). The deck is of the same construction with excellent molded-in non-skid on all flat surfaces; it is joined to the hull with a bedded, mechanically fastened lap joint that has proven to be strong and dry.

The underbody features a skeg-hung rudder, cutaway forefoot and long fin keel (Tartan did offer the 37 with a deep fin of 6’7″ draft, a Scheel keel of 4’7″ draft, and a centerboard of 4’2″ up, 7’9″ down). Two rigs were offered — a standard rig giving bridge clearance of 52’0″ and a so-called “tall” rig at 53’8″ — supported by standard 1×19 stainless steel wire rigging. With sail area of 625 square feet driving a decidedly efficient hull, the Tartan 37 was capable of competitive racing as well as impressive, comfortable 24-hour runs. As with almost any S&S design, the rudder is efficient and the hull tracks well on all points of sail.

Performance sailing to weather is excellent and the cockpit remains fairly dry, but a good dodger mounted on the molded coaming that surrounds the cockpit and extends just aft of the mid-boom traveler is a must for added shelter. Offwind performance ranks up there with the best of them. Plenty of rudder contributes to great control in full-sail reaching or running situations.

The interior is traditional but larger than you would expect with 11’9″ of beam. It features lots of teak veneer and trim with teak-battened, white Formica overhead. An insert makes the V-berth an acceptable dockside double. The head forward with sink includes a shower spigot; the arrangement is tight but functional. The starboard, main-cabin settee works well as a sea berth, and the port settee converts to a double. The double quarterberth aft is a perk you don’t usually find in a boat this size. A great galley is to starboard and a nav station to port, just at the base of the companionway.

Most 37s are powered by the 32-hp Universal 40, although the Universal 50 was originally offered as an option. Even on the early models, the engine hours tend to be low — a testament to the boat’s sailing abilities. The standard 47-gallon fuel tank provides enough range for coastal or inshore motoring.

The Tartan 37 has held its value well. Early ones (1976-1981) list and sell in the low to mid $50,000 range; newer ones (1982-1988) in the $60,000 to $90,000 range. Price differences relate to condition, equipment or year manufactured. A $50,000 to $60,000 early Tartan 37 with little in the way of equipment (or with electronics still needing an upgrade) represents good value and may even appreciate slightly, depending on treatment given and additional gear added.

When considering buying an older boat, one axiom should be held sacred: Buy a good, capable boat, one that’s proven and reliable. The Tartan 37 is one vessel that more than fits the bill.

Tartan 37 Specifications: * LOA: 37’3″ (11.35 m.) * LWL: 29’5″ (8.97 m.) * Beam: 11’9″ (3.58 m.) * Draft (deep fin) 6’7″ (2.0 m.) * Draft (shoal Scheel) 4’7″ (1.4 m.) * Draft (c’bd up/dn) 4’2″/7’9″ (1.3/2.4 m.) * Ballast: 7,500 lbs. (3,402 kgs.) * Disp: 15,500 lbs. (7,031 kgs.) * Sail area: (100%) 625 sq.ft. (58.1 sq.m.) * Mast above water: 52’0″ (15.9 m.) * Ballast/Disp: .48 * Disp/Length: 272 * SA/Disp: 16.1 * Fuel: 47 gal. (178 ltr.) * Water: 90 gal. (340 ltr.) * Holding: 16 gal. (60 ltr.) * Auxiliary: 32-hp Universal 40 diesel * Designer: Sparkman & Stephens

• More: 2001 - 2010 , 31 - 40 ft , Coastal Cruising , keelboat , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , tartan
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Sailboat Preview: Dufour 44

New to the fleet: pegasus yachts 50, balance 442 “lasai” set to debut, sailboat review: tartan 455, one mile offshore with christian williams, winds of change, how to protect your spars from corrosion, sailing totem refit series: the forward head makeover.

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Marlow-Hunter, LLC

The 37 – where luxury meets performance.

360 Marlow-Hunter 37 Virtual Tour »

The Marlow-Hunter 37 is a stunning cruiser that is larger than any of her competitors and by far the largest volume sailboat on the market under 40 feet. The updated window line gives this yacht a sleek feel, but the improvements do not end there. The Glenn Henderson hull design still reflects the bow hollow and stern reflex but the design has been improved upon with a hard hull chine featuring a wider beam carried further aft which allows for more space below as well as stability and performance on the water.

The deck features a sleek, modern profile with large side windows allowing for increased interior light. The deck hatches are flush-mount, offering an enhanced look that complements the new profile. Lengthening the cockpit has allowed the MH37 to have a cockpit that is roomier and the fold down cockpit table allows the crew to take advantage of more cockpit space. The cockpit of the MH37 also features a fold-down swim platform that extends the already lengthy cockpit another four feet when folded down while the boat is docked or at anchor. Even with the fold-down swim platform, the MH37 has a telescoping stainless steel swim ladder that can be easily accessed while the swim platform is up or down. This safety feature not only functions well, providing stable steps for re-boarding the boat, but also hides away, making for a cleaner looking stern. The transom features a large storage area designated to neatly stow away shore power cords.

Down below , the master aft cabin is roomy and features comfortable headroom and private access to the head. The interior has been enhanced with a richer look and feel. Enhancements start at the sole of the interior which features a hardwood flooring look that accentuates the true beauty of the Marlow-Hunter 37’s interior. The large galley features Corian countertops with complementing stainless steel fiddles that not only keep items from falling off the countertops in a seaway but also serve as excellent hand holds for personal stability when preparing a meal or moving about below. The main salon is breathtaking from the level of fit and finish to the sheer volume she delivers. She features a full navigation station and a salon table also doubles as an additional bunk area for 2 people when the table is lowered into the bunk position. The forward cabin is large enough that it has been mistaken for the master cabin.

Throughout the MH37 she features seriously upgraded hardware and superior features such as warm LED lighting, dovetailed drawers, ball bearing slides on cabinet drawers, superior fit and finish with real and exotic timber used with high end fabrics to create, an inviting and warm interior second to none. Its high performance hull design provides clearly superior performance on all points of sail while maintaining safe, comfortable and easy handling characteristics in inclement weather. The hardware chosen reads as a who’s who of high quality in way of Lewmar winches, Yanmar engines, Dometic climate control and superior gel coats, resins and build materials.

Marlow-Hunters “Grid Truss” hull liner combined with the Dupont Kevlar “Load Path Reinforcement strapping” provides a near perfect finish for the bilge and machinery spaces while adding enormous reserve strength and resistance to the hull structure. Providing triangulation of all forces from the Patented B&R rig design to the unique keel sump system, the Marlow Hunter cradles its captain and crew in safety with spirited sailing.

The Marlow-Hunter 37 follows the same development path, providing performance sailing with the largest and most comfortable interior available under 40 feet. Nicely equipped and ready for you to sail away at $212,731.

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INSIDE LOOK: Key Bridge's destruction up close as 7News team takes the waters

by Brad Bell

BALTIMORE, Md. (7News) — Our Army Corps of Engineers harbor work boat approaches the scene slowly. We’re told there are divers in the water. But even from a distance of several hundred yards, our view of the Key Bridge disaster tells more of the story of what happened there and the impact it continues to have.

“It is sobering. The magnitude is enormous,” said Colonel Estee Pinchasin of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

READ | Baltimore truckers face dwindling work as supply at the port dries up

Pinchasin is one of the leaders of the Unified Command organizing the Key Bridge response. She invited us along Thursday, in part to make a point.

"You can’t fathom it,” She said. “Until you’re right up against it and see the destruction."

As the captain maneuvers our boat, We get a look at the bow of the container ship, Dali. The Key Bridge lies across the ship. Dozens of containers are crushed like they were paper. We’re told the salvage crews at work here will begin to offload some containers from the ship. We see the full steam ahead work to clear the channel up close. Sparks fly as cuts are made in the massive steel trusses of the fallen bridge.

READ | 2 temporary channels open at Port of Baltimore after Key Bridge collapse

“They’re making another cut on this truss in order to remove a 350-ton portion of it," Colonel Pinchasin said.

We also see the impact of the alternate channels opened by the Coast Guard. We spot a tug pushing a barge. It’s one of several able to get back to work. Colonel Pinchasin wants people to know even though it's hard to see progress is happening and she says the contractors doing the work are the best available. She says they’ll get the job done.

“This is what they do," she said. "This is what they’re designed to do. They’ve been here since day one."

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• Sailboat Guide

Islander 37

Islander 37 is a 36 ′ 6 ″ / 11.1 m monohull sailboat designed by Bruce King and built by Islander / Tradewind Yachts between 1966 and 1972.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

A kit version was sold as the YACHTCRAFT 37.

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• Sailboat Reviews

A departure from most 1980-era Pearsons, this Bill Shaw design was sharply influenced by the IOR, yet retains decent cruising accommodations.

In the decade prior to its demise in 1991, Pearson Yachts was noted for building mainstream cruiser/racers of above average construction with decent sailing and cruising characteristics.

During its long history, Pearson’s boats can be divided into three fairly distinct categories. Though the company was formed in 1956, its first large successful sailboat was the Triton, in 1959. Into the mid-1960s, Pearson built solid, single skin boats, like the Vanguard, Rhodes 41, Invicta 38 and Countess 44, that were capable of offshore sailing. This was due in part to their moderately heavy displacement, full keels and all-wood interiors, which allowed bulkheads to be tabbed to the deck, as well as all furniture to the hull.

As the demand for lighter, general purpose boats became stronger, and as Bill Shaw took over all the design work, Pearson built a lot of CCA-type boats, including the Pearson 33 and 39. Some were keel/centerboards. They had large mainsails, smaller foretriangles, and generous overhangs. These boats represent something of a transition between the old Rhodes, Alberg and Alden designs, and Shaw’s 1980-era designs, which make up the third category.

The Pearson 37 is one of several transitional Bill Shaw designs that stands apart from the others.

This particular 37 was designed to meet the IOR rule, and double as a family cruiser. This boat was launched in 1981; production totaled 42 and lasted only a few years. It is not to be confused with another Pearson 37 that was aimed specifically at the cruising market and manufactured from 1987-89. The re-designed hull shape of the second 37 is more conventional, with a greater 12′ 4″ beam.

“That later boat was designed specifically for the cruiser who wanted to tie up his boat in the marina at night,” said Shaw. “We built a powerboat-like interior with a double berth forward, and placed two swivel chairs in the saloon. We were on the cutting edge of what is now considered a typical sailboat interior. We also added a step aboard transom.”

The 6′ 6″ deep fin of the 1981 boat was replaced with a 4’ 8″ shoal draft keel for gunkholers, and winglets were added, which some owners say slightly improved its pointing ability.

Other cruising additions were a self-tacking jib, lazy jacks, and a mainsail with a built-in sail cover that zipped over the boom à la the Doyle Stack Pack.

Design The earlier Pearson 37 was one of 43 boats Bill Shaw designed during his 27-plus year tenure at Pearson Yachts, first as designer, later as general manager and part owner.

“I designed the boat for sailors who wanted to race their boats in IOR and PHRF fleets, then jettison the crew, pick up the wife and children, and go cruising,” he said. “The hull design was state-of-the-art, if you will, and she was furnished with a comfortable, though lightweight, interior.”

The IOR influence is evident in the pinched ends and bustle.

The boat carries plenty of sail for its intended purpose; the high aspect mainsail measures 276 sq. ft. and the foretriangle 363 sq. ft. for a total of 639 sq. ft. This give the boat a sail area/displacement ratio of 18.7. Standard gear also included a “big boy” that is tacked to a 36″ track with adjustable car. The spinnaker is 1,302 sq. ft.

Displacing 12,800 lbs. on a waterline of 30′ 1-1/2″, the 37’s displacement/length ratio is 195. This is not light by today’s standards, but light to moderate for its time.

The rudder is behind a small skeg and there are flaps to minimize drag. All through-hulls are flush.

Accommodations are significantly more comfortable than today’s modern race boat. The hulls are lined with spruce and hickory, cabin soles are teak and holly, and the head and master stateroom are enclosed with wooden doors. There are berths for seven, which you might fill on an overnight race, but that’s too many for cruising.

Construction In typical Pearson fashion, the early 37’s construction schedule and hardware have conservative specifications.

“Our approach was to evaluate loads and then build in a 30-percent fudge factor,” Shaw said.

The lamination schedule for the balsa-cored hull included alternating layers of mat and roving, “to provide impact resistance,” Shaw said. The deck is cored with balsa. Plywood was substituted in areas where hardware fastens.

Though vinylester resins were not being produced at the time, Shaw says that the company had overcome blistering problems by using high quality gelcoat. However, several owners report minor blistering on their hulls.

“We noticed reoccurrences of blistering following the energy crisis of the late 1970s,” Shaw said. “Gelcoat was turning yellow, and we saw evidence of crazing. My theory is that the manufacturer was substituting ingredients in the product because of the oil crisis. We also determined that boats in northern climes that were hauled every winter were less prone to blistering, especially compared to those in the south that lived in warm, brackish water.”

The hull has an inward-oriented flange onto which the deck was laid. It was bonded with silicone, the seam was glassed on the underside of the deck, and stainless steel fasteners were bolted through the teak toerail.

In response to owner comments regarding leaky portlights, Shaw said, “We used the best materials available at the time, but silicone will eventually cause leaks.”

Wiring runs are accessible; wires are bundled and color coded, and owners report no electrical problems or failures.

Water is in two 35-gallon bladder tanks below a settee. The aluminum fuel tank holds 22-gallons.

Deck The keel-stepped mast is tapered with double spreaders. The upper, intermediate and lower shrouds are #8, #10 and #12 Navtec rod, and stays are #10 rod. There also is a babystay that fastens to a short track on deck.

Our test boat, which was commissioned in 1981, wears its age well. The gelcoat is smooth and fair, and shows few signs of crazing; the diamond nonskid was effective during rainy test conditions. Double lifelines running from bow to stern, coupled with a 2″ teak toerail and cabintop handrails, provide security when heeled.

Halyards are inside the mast, a bit unusual on boats of this vintage. They run through turning blocks attached to the mast collar to four two-speed Lewmar 42 winches mounted on deck just aft of the mast. For windward work, when tight sheeting angles are required, the jib sheets are led aft through two cars on tracks located inboard next to the cabintop. For sailing downwind, they can be re-led to tracks on the toerail. The primary winches are three-speed Lewmar 48s.

Flattener, reef lines and other sail controls are led to two-speed Lewmar 30s mounted atop the coachroof within easy reach of the trimmer; standard equipment was four stainless steel cleats that we would replace with modern rope clutches.

The boat is well ventilated by two hatches, one 26″ square over the forepeak and a second, 12″ square, over the head.

The cockpit measures 8′ 6″ and seats 6-8 adults on comfortably contoured seats. In fact, Shaw probably designed the most ergonomic cockpit seats of any designer doing production boats. The helmsman sits atop a rounded seat while under power, then moves to seats in the cockpit corners for sightlines to the telltales.

A port lazarette with a 40″-wide opening is a 6′ long, 36″ deep locker large enough to hold a deflated inflatable dinghy; otherwise, it would benefit from installation of a shelf. Stowage for two propane tanks is located to port at the transom.

Boats came with a 40″ stainless steel destroyer wheel with less than two turns lock to lock.

The mainsheet tackle is near the end of the boom and connects to a traveler on the bridgedeck. This location makes moving in and out of the cabin somewhat inconvenient, but seems best for proper sail control. The only alternative would be mid-boom sheeting to a traveler mounted on a bridge over the companionway, but this would be less convenient for the trimmer and require more purchase.

Interior Exploration of spaces belowdecks confirms that Shaw does not exaggerate the boat’s dual personality. The interior is well-lighted by portlights. Spruce and hickory line the hull and overhead. Foam behind the ceiling battens may have disintegrated over the years. The hickory dining table stows flush against the bulkhead, which opens the area to traffic and makes way for moving through with sails for packing under the V-berth.

Headroom is 6′ 3″.

Several owners commented that adhesives holding interior wood panels eventually loosened.

The U-shaped galley is located to port below the companionway, which facilitates ventilation of odors and the transportation of vittles to the cockpit. It centers around a gimbaled propane stove, though many boats were retrofitted with electric ranges that either drew rave reviews (“much safer and don’t have to worry about an explosion,” one owner said) or were ridiculed.

Storage is in two large dry lockers and shelves that surround the stove. A well-insulated 33″ x 30″ icebox aft of the stove reportedly will maintain block ice for up to five days. The stainless steel sink is forward in a leg of the galley that separates it from the saloon.

Opposite the galley is the nav station with a 24″ x 36″ table that’s actually large enough to be functional; its storage area, however, is only 4″ deep.

The electrical panel is mounted outboard in a fascia that has enough room for electronics such as VHF radio, GPS, stereo and other instrumentation. To work at the chart table, one sits on the head of the quarterberth, so there is no backrest.

This quarterberth is 48″ wide at the head, 6′ 6″ long, and furnished with a reading light and shelving.

Additional sleeping accommodations are in port and starboard settees and pilot berths, which measure 26″ wide and 77″ long. The pilot berths are equipped with canvas lee cloths, and are more comfortable for sleeping than the settees.

The master stateroom in the bow is enclosed by a wooden door, and has 6′ standing headroom. The V-berth is 5′ 11″ wide at the head and 6′ 6″ long. The compartment has two hanging lockers and additional storage below the berth, which also houses the holding tank.

The head, located to starboard, measures 41″ long and 38″ wide, and is equipped with a canvas-lined clothes hamper—a nice touch. Furnishings include a stainless steel sink, a functional medicine cabinet, and linen closet behind the vanity.

Considering its racing orientation, we think the boat’s layout, accommodations, and volume of storage areas are adequate for coastal cruising.

Performance Most owners who race their Pearson 37s report that the PHRF rating is around 105-108, depending upon spinnaker size, but we found boats with ratings as low as 99. The owner of our test boat races year round in the Pacific Northwest and typically finishes among the first three boats in a fleet of 35- to 55-foot racer/cruisers. He is flying older Dacron sails, so we would anticipate significant improvements in boat speed and pointing ability if outfitted with newer sails.

We tested the boat on a raw winter day in wind speeds ranging from 12-25 knots and a 2′-3′ chop. The owner typically loads the hydraulic backstay adjuster to 2,500 pounds for sailing to weather in these conditions.

Sailing with a 130% jib and full mainsail, boat speed was 6.7 to 7.4 knots on a close reach, about a half knot slower when hard on the breeze. With properly trimmed sails the helm is well-balanced; easing the main traveler to leeward in heavy puffs dramatically reduced weather helm. We depowered the main by increasing backstay tension.

On a weather beat the boat pointed to within 30°-35° of apparent wind, and tacked through 80°-85°; it tends to go sideways when heeled more than 15°.

In the heaviest puffs we noted rudder stall when attempting to foot off. Shaw says this the product of a design intended to meet then current IOR design targets.

“The best solution in those conditions is to have a mainsail trimmer who can ease the sheet,” he advised.

The owner of our test boat reported speeds of 9-11 knots sailing under spinnaker, and 8.5 knots downwind with the #2 jib poled out while towing a dinghy.

The strong suit of IOR designs is sailing upwind. When reaching and running, these boats are more difficult to handle and the Pearson 37 is no exception.

Our test boat was equipped with a Universal 3-cylinder diesel rated at 23-hp. equipped with a Martec folding propeller. It motored at 6.2 knots at three-quarters throttle, backed up easily and tracked well in reverse.

Because there is no insulation under the cockpit sole, it’s noisy underway; one owner attacked the condition with heavy insulation and reportedly reduced engine noise belowdecks to 62 db.

Conclusion The overall condition of our test boat was impressive, especially considering that it lives year round on a mooring in the Pacific Northwest and is sailed hard by its original owner. Though he doesn’t spend weekends polishing the hull or varnishing the woodwork, the boat shows only the signs of wear we’d expect to see in a boat nearly 20 years old.

Also impressive was its performance. The Pearson 37 rates only 15-20 seconds slower than newer, similarly sized boats, and has decent cruising amenities. We’d opt for the deep keel, if it can be sailed in your local waters.

Depending upon geography (most are on the East Coast or Great Lakes), equipment, and sails, used boats are selling for about $45,000-$50,000.

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I would like to see more write ups on the Pearson 39-2

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