Tartan 395

The Tartan 395 is a 39-foot-6-inch bluewater cruiser designed by long-time Tartan naval architect Tim Jackett and built at the company's Fairport Harbor, Ohio facility. Introduced in 2018, it represented Tartan's first completely new model in several years and a deliberate departure from prevailing European styling trends. Jackett opted instead for classic American yacht proportions: a gentle sheer, a relatively long coachroof, stout coamings, and a reverse transom with a traditional overhang. The result is a boat that looks purposeful rather than fashionable.

Three underbody options are offered — a deep fin, a beavertail fin, and a keel/centerboard combination — giving buyers the ability to tailor draft to their cruising grounds. Displacement ranges from 16,000 to 17,300 lb depending on the keel chosen, and all ballast is lead. The air draft of just under 63 feet allows the boat to transit the Intracoastal Waterway without unstepping the rig.

Tartan builds the 395 using a vacuum-infused composite process with modified epoxy resins rather than conventional polyester. The hull laminate sandwiches a closed-cell foam core that cannot absorb water, while the deck uses balsa coring. The company owns its own autoclave, and optional carbon-fiber spars are available; even the standard rig uses a carbon-fiber mast that is substantially lighter than a comparable aluminum spar. A carbon-fiber rudderstock is fitted as standard. Build quality is consistent with ABS standards and finish detailing is considered among the best in American production boatbuilding.

The 395 carries what Tartan calls its Cruise Control Rig (CCR): a fully-battened mainsail paired with a self-tacking jib on an inner stay and a code-zero reacher on an outer roller furler. The arrangement lets short-handed crews manage canvas without going forward, and delivers a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.3 upwind and 26.9 downwind — respectable numbers for a family cruising boat of this displacement.

In moderate air the 395 is a steady and confidence-inspiring performer. Close-hauled it can point to within 35–40 degrees of the true wind and sustain boatspeeds in the mid-sixes under main and self-tacking jib. On a reach the boat accelerates willingly, with testers recording speeds of 7 knots and above in 15-knot conditions. The twin helm arrangement gives good visibility forward and to the sails, and all control lines lead aft to the cockpit.

Under power the Volvo 40 hp saildrive pushes the boat at a comfortable 6 knots at 2,000 rpm, reaching 7.4 knots at higher revs. The boat is reported to maneuver nimbly at low speed and can turn within her own length — a practical virtue for marina arrivals with a short-handed crew.

Below, the 395 is laid out as a two-cabin boat with queen-size berths both forward and aft. Amidships, a pair of settees flanks a centerline dining table. The nav station sits port of the companionway facing forward, and a well-sized galley occupies the starboard side. A single head compartment with a generous shower stall serves both cabins. Eight opening ports overhead keep the cabin bright and ventilated.

Joinery is finished in honey-toned solid maple, complemented by a teak-and-holly cabin sole and understated fabric colors. The overall impression is warm and traditional without feeling dated. Total berth count is seven, and holding tank capacity is 24 gallons. A deep, well-protected cockpit with fold-down transom step and swim platform rounds out the living arrangements on deck.