BoatsTartan Marine 30

Tartan Marine 30

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1970–1978

A Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop offering versatile interior configurations and a choice of standard or tall rigs

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Tartan Marine 30, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24
CoastalBluewater

1.94 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.94
LightHeavy

274 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 274
EasygoingPowered-up

17.0 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 17.0
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

What the fleet has seen

The Tartan Marine 30, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Tartan Marine 30 is a 9.1-meter masthead sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Tartan Marine from 1970 to 1978. It features a fin keel with a skeg-hung rudder and a displacement of 3968 kg. The model was offered with two hull and interior configurations and a choice of standard or tall rig, with the tall rig adding 0.9 meters to the mast, 0.3 meters to the draft, and 227 kg of lead.5:08 The Tartan 30 was designed during the peak of Midget Ocean Racing Class (MORC) popularity, making it a capable racer-cruiser with a balanced, spacious interior and full headroom.1:18 Aboard *Lady K Sailing*, the Tartan 30 is identified as a suitable budget-friendly option for Gulf Stream crossings, recommending a purchase price of $15,000 to $20,000 to allow for essential upgrades.0:54 The original engine was typically an Atomic 4, and a repower to a modern diesel like a Beta 16 can cost $10,000 to $18,000. *Practical Sailor* notes that a boat with a new engine often indicates good overall maintenance, but advises inspecting for soft deck cores and aging standing rigging.6:35

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Tartan Marine 30 on video

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

2seen for sale
2channels weighed buying one
US$12,000Median asking
US$9,000–US$14,900Asking range

  • A specific boat listed for $9,000, with a potential purchase price of around $7,000

    from Lady K Sailingseen July 20234:32

  • A specific Tartan 30 for sale in Newport with a new Beta Marine diesel engine, almost purchased by the chief content officer

    from Practical Sailorseen April 20246:16

  • Another used Tartan 30 listed for sale with an original Universal Atomic 4 engine, used for comparison

    from Practical Sailorseen April 20246:35

  • A Tartan 30 variant that was recently repowered with a Beta diesel and for sale

    from Lady K Sailingseen February 2025watch

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
41.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.0
Displacement / length
273.9
Comfort ratio
24.3
Capsize screening
1.94
Hull speed
6.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
866
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1970–1978
Units built
606
Designer
Sparkman, Stephens
Builder
Tartan Marine

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Islander Yachts 309.02 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA raised-deck masthead sloop with a shallow 1.12-metre draft, produced briefly as a distinct variant of the Islander 29
The Cheapest Tiny House You Won't Have To Build - Ep 272 - Lady K Sailing4:48from Lady K Sailing
Cal Boats 309.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOffered with an optional tall rig, this masthead sloop served as the predecessor to the 2-30 series
Salt & Tar: Story of Us #1 Black Pearl and a Caribbean Island15:55from Salt & Tar
Islander Yachts Bahama 309.12 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1973-1985 production masthead sloop sharing its hull with the Islander 30 MKII and featuring a balanced fin keel
Diesel Overheating Dinghy Pump Hack3:07from Practical Sailor
Seafarer Yachts 309.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop available with a tall rig and keel centerboard, distinct from the earlier Tripp-designed model
FROM THE CORPORATE WORLD TO VAGABUNDOS BEACH | Living on a sailboat | #SAL #4411:36from Hashtag Sal
Pearson Yachts 309.08 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bill Shaw-designed masthead sloop with over 1,000 hulls built, balancing a stiff 43% ballast ratio for coastal cruising
Pearson 30 Sailboat Reviewfrom Practical Sailor
Granada Yachts 309.18 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 30-foot fractional sloop with a 1.65-meter draft, designed for balanced, performance-oriented cruising
Capsized in 20-meter waves: Are Wiig on the drama in the Southern Ocean | Bearing on Sailing2:53from SEILmagasinet

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Tartan Marine 28A Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop designed for balanced performance with a stiff 43% ballast ratioTartan Marine 33A Sparkman & Stephens fractional sloop designed with a shoal-draft keel for versatile coastal cruisingTartan Marine 10A Sparkman & Stephens fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio designed for competitive performanceTartan Marine 38A Sparkman & Stephens design featuring a taller rig and deeper fin keel than its predecessor for improved performanceTartan Marine 31A 1987-1991 production masthead sloop with a 1.83-metre fin keel and a balanced 43% ballast ratio

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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