The design was built by Tartan Marine in the United States. The company produced 400 examples of the type between 1978 and 1988, but it is now out of production.
Design
The Tartan Ten is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with aluminum spars. It has a 7/8 fractionalsloop rig, a raked stem, a reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixedfin keel. It displaces and carries of ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard keel fitted. The boat is fitted with a Farrymandiesel engine for docking and maneuvering. The fuel tank holds and the fresh watertank has a capacity of. Being intended for racing, the design has a flush deck and very little interior space. There are six berths, including a bow "V"-berth, which has the head underneath and a privacy curtain. The galley is located amidships and includes a manual pump sink and a portable ice box. The chart table doubles as a galley table. The halyards are all internally-mounted, as is the reefing system and the 4:1 outhaul. The mast can be shaped by the shrouds and 4:1 mechanical advantagebackstay. There are two jib sheet winches in the cockpit and two halyard winches on the cabin top. The boom vang has a 4:1 mechanical advantage and can also be employed as a preventer, when attached to the rail. A genoa track system was a factory option. Lacking any cabin windows, ventilation is provided by a large deck hatch on the foredeck, which is also used to pass sails below for storage. The design has a PHRF racing average handicap of 126.
Variants
;Tartan Ten ;LS-10
Operational history
In a 1992 review Richard Sherwood noted, "while the Tartan Ten was not designed to any rule, she was designed primarily for racing. The flush deck leaves little room in the cabin; and while there are six berths, the general cabin appointments are for weekends and overnights, not extended cruising. The Ten is a one-design and is delivered complete. No hull or rig alterations are allowed." The Tartan Ten was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1998. The citation, written by Josh Adams of Sail Magazine, noted, "Tartan Marine’s effect on the racing community with the T10 went beyond the boat. Now Sailors could forget about their boat’s rating and compete boat for boat. Inshore, Tartan’s energized approach to fleet development, spawned large fleets throughout the Midwest. The all purpose mission of the Tartan Ten: ready for offshore, good around the buoys, and fun for the small-family cruise or daysail."
