I would like to get any feedback on the 44 or 46 Irwin. I am considering buying one for cruising. Negative or positive comments would be appreciated. Thanks, Ron
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44 Irwin
Just sold mine! Lived and cruised aboard her for several years and did the ENTIRE east coast of the US and the Bahamas in her with no significant problems. This is NOT a bluewater boat...but she sails nicely and is REALLY quick under power compared to other boats her size. The transom platform is REALLY a nice feature and there is probably more living room than on any other 44 ft boat i can think of. You will not get the fit and finish of a pricier boat...but we were always secure on our 2-3-4 day coastal ocean passages including some gales and payed about 1/3 of the price of a similar sized "bluewater" boat. I would not cross an ocean in her but she was ideal for our plans.
Just sold mine! Lived and cruised aboard her for several years and did the ENTIRE east coast of the US and the Bahamas in her with no significant problems. This is NOT a bluewater boat...but she sails nicely and is REALLY quick under power compared to other boats her size. The transom platform is REALLY a nice feature and there is probably more living room than on any other 44 ft boat i can think of. You will not get the fit and finish of a pricier boat...but we were always secure on our 2-3-4 day coastal ocean passages including some gales and payed about 1/3 of the price of a similar sized "bluewater" boat. I would not cross an ocean in her but she was ideal for our plans.
44 Irwin
Why would you say it is not a blue water cruiser? They seem to be plenty heavy, was there a constuction issue? My e-mail is ron807@msn.com. I would like to pick your brain some more on the boat.
Why would you say it is not a blue water cruiser? They seem to be plenty heavy, was there a constuction issue? My e-mail is ron807@msn.com. I would like to pick your brain some more on the boat.
why not bluewater
I would say it is not a bluewater boat because she is built and designed as a coastal and bay cruiser just like hunters, beneteaus etc. AND I have been in blue water with her (80 miles offshore or so) and the hull flexes and torques in big seas (i.e. 12-15 ft in 30 knots)and that would not give me a lot of comfort if I was crossing an ocean. Look...if you want blue water you have to pay the price or go for a significantly smaller boat at the same price. There is a reason blue water boats cost more...they are built to take a pounding for a long time. Ted Irwin didn't build this boat to cross oceans...he built it to allow people who bay sail and coastal cruise to get A LOT of living space and comfort in a boat that sails well and is well suited for living aboard in terms of systems and tankage. Again...we loved our Irwin and highly recommend them for the purposes stated above but not for more!
I would say it is not a bluewater boat because she is built and designed as a coastal and bay cruiser just like hunters, beneteaus etc. AND I have been in blue water with her (80 miles offshore or so) and the hull flexes and torques in big seas (i.e. 12-15 ft in 30 knots)and that would not give me a lot of comfort if I was crossing an ocean. Look...if you want blue water you have to pay the price or go for a significantly smaller boat at the same price. There is a reason blue water boats cost more...they are built to take a pounding for a long time. Ted Irwin didn't build this boat to cross oceans...he built it to allow people who bay sail and coastal cruise to get A LOT of living space and comfort in a boat that sails well and is well suited for living aboard in terms of systems and tankage. Again...we loved our Irwin and highly recommend them for the purposes stated above but not for more!
Thanks, I appreciate your input. An owner that has experienced his boat is very important for input. We are interested in sailing the Caribbean and relatively new at the sailboat business. Our 1st & only sailboat has been an Irwin 34 Citation and we have been very happy w/ it. I do now it isn`t a blue water boat but we have been in a couple good blows w/ it. We are also considering a westerly, Whitby, Morgans and CSY. any thoughts? Thanks, Ron
Boat for Caribe...
Understood! We have been down to the Caribe in our present boat (Tayana)...and if you plan to do it via the Thorny path rather than "Route 66" then any of the boats you mention are perfectly capable of the passage and of handling conditions there as you head further down island. Of the boats you mention....the Whitby/Brewer 42 is the only one I'd go bluewater on but if you go below on it you'll think you're on a boat half the size of the Irwin 44. So...it is really up to you which direction to head. I would also say, that even making passage to the Caribe...80% of your time will be spent at anchor. You want to make sure the boat can handle the other 20 % but the 80% is important to marital bliss!! We have friends that bought a Pacific Seacraft 37 based on its stellar reputation for construction and seaworthiness and they thought that was important when starting out to cruise. Now they wish they'd bought a Catalina 42 for less $$ after 5 years of living aboard and being cramped and never NEEDING the seaworthiness they paid for on the coast and in the Bahamas. BTW...if the Caribe is in your plans...read VanSant's "Passages South"...Good Luck!
Understood! We have been down to the Caribe in our present boat (Tayana)...and if you plan to do it via the Thorny path rather than "Route 66" then any of the boats you mention are perfectly capable of the passage and of handling conditions there as you head further down island. Of the boats you mention....the Whitby/Brewer 42 is the only one I'd go bluewater on but if you go below on it you'll think you're on a boat half the size of the Irwin 44. So...it is really up to you which direction to head. I would also say, that even making passage to the Caribe...80% of your time will be spent at anchor. You want to make sure the boat can handle the other 20 % but the 80% is important to marital bliss!! We have friends that bought a Pacific Seacraft 37 based on its stellar reputation for construction and seaworthiness and they thought that was important when starting out to cruise. Now they wish they'd bought a Catalina 42 for less $$ after 5 years of living aboard and being cramped and never NEEDING the seaworthiness they paid for on the coast and in the Bahamas. BTW...if the Caribe is in your plans...read VanSant's "Passages South"...Good Luck!
44 Irwin ???
Hi All I am a Kiwi and have been interested in the Irwin 44 for a long time I have never had the chance to talk to a Irwin owner as yet, The reason for my interest is I am comming over to the states to buy a boat and start my world cruise from there, A lot of people !! not a lot,, everyone from different fourms have warned me off the 44 Irwin saying that it a pig to sail will not point into the wind due to some problem with the keel, I even had a email from one lady who spent a summer in the Caribbean on one and said the owner was so disappointed with the preformance of the boat it was up for sale even before the end of there trip. The Irwin is now sold and they have bought a 44 Gulfstar., I am interested in other peoples veiws Graham
Hi All I am a Kiwi and have been interested in the Irwin 44 for a long time I have never had the chance to talk to a Irwin owner as yet, The reason for my interest is I am comming over to the states to buy a boat and start my world cruise from there, A lot of people !! not a lot,, everyone from different fourms have warned me off the 44 Irwin saying that it a pig to sail will not point into the wind due to some problem with the keel, I even had a email from one lady who spent a summer in the Caribbean on one and said the owner was so disappointed with the preformance of the boat it was up for sale even before the end of there trip. The Irwin is now sold and they have bought a 44 Gulfstar., I am interested in other peoples veiws Graham
44 Irwin
Thanks for all the replys, Ron G. Go to cruiser log sailing fourm page 5, I asked the Question regarding sailing up wind ,I had a reply from a seinor member Jack tyler, He's from ST. Petersburg Florida where the Irwins were made and appeared to be up to date with the data regarding the construction of the 44 Irwin He also MP'ed with more details regarding the construction. The 44 Gulf star appears to look like the same boat up top and down below but from the reports I have got up to date it's built like a brick shit house Ideal for blue water, I have talked to one owner here in NZ and he sailed it from New York handled like A DREAM, WORTH A LOOK AT . Graham
Thanks for all the replys, Ron G. Go to cruiser log sailing fourm page 5, I asked the Question regarding sailing up wind ,I had a reply from a seinor member Jack tyler, He's from ST. Petersburg Florida where the Irwins were made and appeared to be up to date with the data regarding the construction of the 44 Irwin He also MP'ed with more details regarding the construction. The 44 Gulf star appears to look like the same boat up top and down below but from the reports I have got up to date it's built like a brick shit house Ideal for blue water, I have talked to one owner here in NZ and he sailed it from New York handled like A DREAM, WORTH A LOOK AT . Graham
Irwin
We had a 34' Irwin Citation but only owned it while it was on the hard. My negative--parts were very hard to find for this boat and they had to be Irwin parts and they were expensive. She had a beautiful layout and the cockpit had so much room. Have you looked at the Endeavor's? Same manufacturer--Teddy Irwin ~B/Seadance
We had a 34' Irwin Citation but only owned it while it was on the hard. My negative--parts were very hard to find for this boat and they had to be Irwin parts and they were expensive. She had a beautiful layout and the cockpit had so much room. Have you looked at the Endeavor's? Same manufacturer--Teddy Irwin ~B/Seadance
Irwin 46
I want to thank all of you for your feedback. It was greatly appreciated. In my research of the Irwins, I found out the 46`s, 43`s and some of the 38`s were heavier built boats intended more for blue water. The Endeavor from what I am told, used the same hull mold as some of the Irwins, (this is based on verbal input from an individual that used to sell s/v). I did end up getting an Irwin 46 and it is taking some getting used to! I used to have an Irwin 34 Citation and loved it. Talk about different boats! Different in the sense of their design functions. Both have what I consider a great layout for room but when it comes to handling, the Irwin 34 was Soooo much easier. Thanks again, Ron
I want to thank all of you for your feedback. It was greatly appreciated. In my research of the Irwins, I found out the 46`s, 43`s and some of the 38`s were heavier built boats intended more for blue water. The Endeavor from what I am told, used the same hull mold as some of the Irwins, (this is based on verbal input from an individual that used to sell s/v). I did end up getting an Irwin 46 and it is taking some getting used to! I used to have an Irwin 34 Citation and loved it. Talk about different boats! Different in the sense of their design functions. Both have what I consider a great layout for room but when it comes to handling, the Irwin 34 was Soooo much easier. Thanks again, Ron
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