Why a Tartan? In the words of a past Tartan owner and soon-to-be new Tartan owner

Kevin Roche, soon-to-be owner of Tartan 335 Hull Number One © Kevin Roche

Since owning my first Tartan at the age of 33, now 40 years ago I made an exploratory visit to Tartan Yachts. We have been considering several options from a new yacht build in Europe to going the refit route. I had been considering owning a much larger yacht before coming to my senses. After owning eight-sailing boats (and two power boats) building a new Tartan as our last boat now at 73 years old just felt right. I knew instantly I had made the right choice.

Over the years we had built two previous Tartans, the classic Sparkman & Stephens designed Tartan 37, hull number 410 and a few years later a Tartan 40, I believe hull number 3. Both were sailed on the Great Lakes until we moved the T40 to Annapolis and joined the Annapolis Yacht Club. After two years sailing the Chesapeake Bay, we got the bigger boat calling and then built a very custom Mason 44 on which we spent weeks at a time cruising the East Coast.

We sold the Mason now 25 years ago, moved to California, and have been boatless ever since. Over the years, we have sailed throughout the Great Lakes, East Coast of the US, the Caribbean, the Greek Islands, the Southern Ocean through the Beagle Channel, rounded Cape Horn and across to the Antarctica Peninsula. Now at 73 years of age with our new T335 we will explore the California Coast. I had been looking for a day sailor, so I order the Tartan Fantail and proceeded to more than double the base price with options and details. My wife thought it would be too small for us and then thank God Tim decided he should tell us about the new T335 in development. Once I saw the plans it took no time to make the decision to build hull number one.

Why Tartan?

We are from Ohio, my wife, son, and I learned how to sail on Ohio lakes and then onto Lake Erie. Returning to Tartan is both sentimental and practical. Tartan's storied history, consistency, commitment to the customer, to not just be another mass-produced mass marketed brand, and their passion for listening and delivering on what we want, advising and working with us to build our special Tartan. During that initial visit, it was the Tartan team building and refitting Tartans that won me over. I could feel their pride and attention to the details! Tim Jackett's talent, long commitment to Tartan and willingness to adapt to our goals for the T335 and to build what I hope will be one of the most beautiful and well equipped Tartans built to date. As an architect working my entire 45 plus years in the luxury retail and hospitality industry, I am blessed with the understanding of the value of world class design, details done well, and the quality of materials executed with functional experience and honest craftsmanship. When you are on an overnight passage, in fresh breeze, night or day and when the conditions test your experience and skill, you're depending on the yacht under you to perform. When you see her at anchor and she makes you smile, you know you're in love.

We are looking forward to sailing MUSIC with our family and friends out of Marina del Rey California.

I heard somewhere "For every day you spend on the water it adds two days to your life!"