About the Boat
The Tartan II is a wooden party fishing boat built in 1974. It is 42’ long and is certified to carry up to 34 people each trip. Originally named the Captain Bob II, the boat was chartered successfully throughout southeastern Connecticut for many years prior to being sold to Beth Stepski and the Tartan II was born!
What makes the Tartan II unique?
The Tartan II was built in 1974 by a second generation boat builder, Seth Persson. Seth was a well-known builder of wooden racing sailboats. When the Tartan II was built (then the Captain Bob II) Seth had never built a commercial boat before. Seth’s attention to detail and meticulous nature resulted in a sturdy, dependable wooden boat that will be sailing for generations to come.
The purchase and restoration of the Tartan II
Once purchased, Beth & Mike Stepski worked diligently to restore the boat. Although in incredible shape, months of hard work and determination were needed to make the boat sail ready. Every day and countless nights was spent working on the boat with the help of Mike’s kids (ages 7-12) and countless friends and family.
Throughout the summer of 2014, the crew of the Tartan II read news stories about the restoration of the Charles W. Morgan and were excited to also be restoring an old wooden boat to its prime. The crew of the Tartan II is excited to share the wooden boating experience with its current and future customers.
But why call it the Tartan II?
The name of the boat was never a question. Mike Stepski is a second generation commercial fisherman. Mike’s father, Victor, owned a charter boat, the Tartan, which sailed out of Niantic in the 1970s. In addition, Mike’s mother is from Scotland and if you look at our company’s logo, the Sinclair tartan is prominent in the background.
When choosing which boat to fish on, remember the Tartan II’s unique history and become a part of its future.