Hi all, I am new here and in need of some more help. I have been looking at Irwins for some time now. The two main selling points of the Irwin 52 that I like are the open layout and most of all the draft. It seems that with a draft of only 5'6" or so I would be able to go many places in the bahamas and caribbean. I have been looking for an Irwin 52 to buy and fix up. I have past up many good deals (you learn as you go along) and now as I look on yachtworld and the like there are not that many Irwin 52's left out there. This leaves me looking at my other options (and other boats). Most of my other options involve boats with more draft, around 6'5" and 7'. But I am hesitant in purchasing one of these boats because of how much it might limit me as to where I can go. What I am asking is that those who have lots of sailing experience, does a draft of 6-7feet really limit you that much of where you can go then if you had a 5'6" draft, or are my speculations wrong? What are problems that are encounted because of the bigger draft? Thanks
Draft Issues
- Thread starter creinhard
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Irwin for cruising
Creinhard...I owned a 5'4 draft Irwin 44 and presently have a 6' draft. The major problem with either of these drafts is the ICW and not the Bahamas or the Caribe. You can easily get into over 95% of the places cruisers go in the Bahamas with that draft and once you get down island it simply ceases to be an issue. BTW...I don't mean to imply that you can't do the ICW with a 6' draft...you can but there are places where you have to wait for tidal rise to get through. One thing that MAY surprise you about a 52 ft. boat is that many mooring fields are limited to 40-45' boats so you end up having to anchor out a bit further or in less protection. If you can find one in good condition, the Irwin 52 is an ideal, roomy and cost effective cruising boat for the Bahamas and Caribe.
Creinhard...I owned a 5'4 draft Irwin 44 and presently have a 6' draft. The major problem with either of these drafts is the ICW and not the Bahamas or the Caribe. You can easily get into over 95% of the places cruisers go in the Bahamas with that draft and once you get down island it simply ceases to be an issue. BTW...I don't mean to imply that you can't do the ICW with a 6' draft...you can but there are places where you have to wait for tidal rise to get through. One thing that MAY surprise you about a 52 ft. boat is that many mooring fields are limited to 40-45' boats so you end up having to anchor out a bit further or in less protection. If you can find one in good condition, the Irwin 52 is an ideal, roomy and cost effective cruising boat for the Bahamas and Caribe.
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