On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 21:51:19 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On 10 Jan 2006 18:26:10 -0800, wrote:

Any opinions about the over all quality of Tartan sailboats vs. Pearson
sailboats - say since about 1980?

Is one generally considered better than the other?

==========================================

They are both decent boats but I think most people would put Tartan
ahead by at least half a length, and you get a lot more choices in my
opinion. Tartan is probably the king of shoal draft.

Any of these debates almost always lack the following parameters,
without which a considered response cannot be given.

1) Which models, specifically, are you comparing?

2) To what intended use would you put them?

The Pearson 30 is a popular and venerable (meaning narrow and darkish,
but sails well) that is good for coasting/inshore stuff.

The Tartan 34 (and up) went and still go to the Caribbean and lots of
Tartan 37s (a popular model) are delivered from the northern U.S. to
the Caribbean every year, and seem to do well in the open ocean/Gulf
Stream.

So questions of "over all quality" have to be contextualized. Having
said that, I've seen and sailed enough Hunters to know I wouldn't buy
one, and yet they move more boats than Tartan and Pearson ever did.

R.