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 1x19 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.