The Tartan 365 wins Cruising World’s Boat of the Year
The Tartan 365 has been awarded the 2023 Boat of the Year Award (mid-size cruisers) by Cruising World Magazine. The Tartan 365 adds to a long list of past Tartan Boat of the Year winners. We would like to commend the entire Tartan team for a job well done! Full copy of the Cruising World announcement is below or here.
2023 Boat of the Year: Best Midsize Cruiser
By CW Editorial Team
It was terrific to see a trio of boats in the mid-30-foot division, but also to discover that all three yachts in the class were exemplary sailboats.
Taking a long view on the Boat of the Year contests from the past two decades, it’s clear that the midsize segment of the market has often gotten the short shrift. Boatbuilding is a business, and the profit margins on larger boats are bigger. Hence, we get fewer offerings in the smaller size ranges. That’s why it was terrific not only to see a trio of boats in the mid-30-foot division (at one time, the sweet spot in cruising sailboats), but also to discover that all three yachts in the class were exemplary sailboats. Our conclusion? Any coastal-cruising sailor who obtains a nominee from the 2023 Midsize Cruiser category is going to be quite satisfied with the choice.
Longtime Tartan Yachts designer and mainstay Tim Jackett joined our judges for the sea trial of his latest creation, the Tartan 365. Remarkably, it was Jackett’s first spin on the yacht, as well as ours. It was a terrific, windy sail.
“On a breezy day, with probably a little too much sail up, we had a thrilling test sail,” judge Mark Pillsbury says. “Thanks to a self-tacking jib mounted on an inner forestay, the boat was well-mannered close reaching to windward. And cracked off with the reaching sail set, let’s just say that the ride home was a thrill.”
Of the double-headsail setup, which Tartan calls its CCR (cruise control rig), judge Herb McCormick agrees: “It just really works. You know, it really is great to have that option to really be able to switch gear when you’re hard on the wind. Then you crack off at 20 degrees, and you roll up the little jib, and you unroll the code zero, and it’s a whole different sailing experience. You’re hauling the mail.”
The [Tartan 365] was well-mannered close reaching to windward. And cracked off with the reaching sail set, let’s just say that the ride home was a thrill.”
—Mark Pillsbury
Judge Ed Sherman has a different take: “According to Jackett, COVID forced the plant to move and acquire new staff. In my view, this ended up as a change for the best because I saw significant improvements in the behind-the-scenes quality and detail work than on Tartans a few years back. First class all the way here.”
Jackett was smiling at the conclusion of our test sail. Though he did not yet know the BOTY results, whatever transpired, he already realized he had a winner.
View the full release by Tartan Yachts: https://www.tartanyachts.com/tartan-365-wins-boat-of-the-year-2023/
