irwin 27 sailboat review

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Irwin Citation 34

A mainstream coastal cruiser from an economy builder still managing to survive..

Irwin Yachts has been in operation for 27 years, one of the true old-timers in the fiberglass sail boat business. When we talked to them regarding the Irwin 34, they had just weathered the roughest storm of their history, having settled with their creditors and recovered from Chapter 11, when many other companies in similar situations were folding.

Irwin’s recovery was marked by the start of a new production 50-foot cruiser. The new boat, like all the boats throughout the company’s history, was designed by Ted Irwin, who has served continuously as CEO of the company as well as chief designer. In this respect, Irwin is like Catalina Yachts, whose CEO and chief designer Frank Butler is second only to Irwin in business longevity.

Like Catalina, Irwin has generally aimed at the economy end of the sailboat spectrum. However, unlike Catalina, Irwin Yachts has built a great variety of sailboats, 47 different models before their latest 50-footer—all sailboats, all larger than 20′, from all-out race machines to full-tilt cruisers. Among American companies, only Pearson comes close to Irwin in the variety of cruising sailboats produced over the last quarter of a century.

The Irwin 34 is in many respects a typical Irwin boat. It was originally called the “Citation 34,” which was meant to indicate that it was more of a plush cruiser than the race-oriented Irwins at the time, but more of a racer than the larger cruisers.

According to the company, 305 Irwin 34s were built in the production run, from 1978 to 1985, a moderate but successful model for the era. Near the end of its production, the boat was advertised as the Irwin 34 rather than the Citation 34. There were no major changes in the boat from beginning to end, just the details and equipment that are typical of any long production run.

Owners report mixed feelings in dealing with the company. Irwin dealers got good marks, though there are a few complaints about “incompetents and crooks.” The main objection over the years has been about slow response from the company, especially regarding warranty claims on new boats and getting basic information on older models. However, long term owners report that the company seems to have ups and downs in customer service.

Design and Construction

In design, the 34 looks like a cross between the old 1960s beamy CCA centerboarder and the mid-70s IOR racer, a combination that results in a moderate design and hence a healthy coastal cruiser. The bow has a distinctive concave curve, typical of many Irwin designs, and a flattish sheer, with a molded-in cove stripe to make the sheerline appear a bit higher in the bow. The stern sections have the peculiar tuckup typical of IOR boats of the era. The trunk cabin is traditional looking and fairly low. Overall, we think the boat is an attractive example of the modern racercruiser.

Underwater, the hull is beamy and saucer shaped. The centerline of the hull aft of the keel forms a shallow fence which runs back to form a skeg in front of the spade rudder. Though the boat was available with a deep fin keel, drawing 5′ 4″, the centerboard model was far more popular. Company literatureadvertises a shoal draft keel as standard, with the fin and centerboard as options, but we have never seen a shoal-draft model and none of the owners in our surveys had the shoal-draft version. Brochures show the shallow-draft keel as identical in outline to the centerboard model but with no board installed.

The centerboard lifts into a shallow stub keel, and the pennant is a Dacron rope; it runs to the deck through a tube which forms a grab rail at the front edge of the galley. We examined three used 34s, and the two centerboard models each had badly chafed centerboard pennants needing replacement.

Other than the chafe problem, the centerboard version of the boat is probably to be preferred if you have a choice. Unlike some boats which are designed for a fin and compromised with a centerboard, the hull shape looks well matched to the board, and few designers have as much experience with centerboards as Ted Irwin.

The hull is a conventional lay-up of mat and woven roving. The deck is a conventional balsa core sandwich.

The three boats we examined all had decent gelcoat and exterior finish, but owners in our surveys report an inordinate incidence of gelcoat problems, including patches coming off, large voids, and excessive crazing. One boat we looked at had quite a few repaired spots in the deck molding, and we suspect most of the gelcoat problems were new boat problems. Once fixed, they should not be a major concern for the used boat buyer.

With regard to other elements of construction, quality is on the poor side. In fact, the three boats we examined were serious contenders in our own used-boat search but were finally rejected because we didn’t like many details of the way the boats were built. For example, two of the boats we looked at clearly had a history of deck leaks at the portlights and a variety of fittings. The interior is generally well finished with teak-faced plywood and an interior liner, but the ceiling and liner made it very difficult to get at the inside of the hull and deck to trace or fix the leaks. It was clear that the previous owners had little luck in stopping the leaks. Further, the hull-to-deck joint is fastened with sheet metal screws rather than bolts. The screws are installed both vertically, from the top of the aluminum toe rail, and horizontally, from the side of the toe rail. Through-bolting is preferable.

More importantly, on the boat we were most interested in, it was evident that the hull-to-deck joint was leaking, at best a nuisance, at worst a major repair job. Though we couldn’t examine most of the joint because of the interior joinerwork, we did find one spot where the deck molding actually did not overlap the hull flange. You could see the underside of the toerail from inside the boat.

On one boat, the deck cleats were fastened only with sheet metal screws, and on all the boats, the bow and stern pulpits were only screwed down rather than through-bolted.

There were several details—cheap through-hull valves, no washers on chainplate bolts—which were relatively easy to correct, but they put us off the boat. Obviously, Irwin believes these construction details are adequate, but we consider them very minimal or problematic—something we would feel compelled to correct.

In contrast to the details, the basic fiberglass work seemed solid and good on all the boats we examined.

The interior of the 34 is generally well done, good production-line work with teak veneer and plastic. Some of the details of the cabinetry were a little sloppy on the boats we examined, but all in all the interior of the boat, when new, was undoubtedly a strong selling point.

There are three good berths—a V-berth double and a quarter berth. The quarter berth will be just a little tight, especially at the foot, for a large, tall man. The settee is usable as a single berth (it’s a very comfortable settee), and the dinette opposite is convertible to a small double. The head is of good size, and the galley is well arranged in a sort of wraparound U. There’s a good electrical panel at the aft side of the galley. The nav station is set at an angle, with the table a bit small though adequate.

The Irwin 34 came with seven opening ports as well as forward and midship hatches, so ventilation should be good.

Stowage below is minimal, since tankage occupies space below the berths—a shortcoming of the modern hull shape. Tankage is adequate on the boat—30 gallons fuel, 80 gallons water, and a big holding tank for the head—a rarity on production boats of this size.

There’s little bilge in the boat, which can cause problems when you take water inside the hull. This showed up in the discolored and delaminated teak/holly plywood on the cabin sole of two of the boats at which we looked.

Original standard equipment is quite complete and modern—hot/cold pressure water, shower, propane stove, 4″ cushions, AC and DC electrical systems, and so on, meaning that little upgrading should be necessary, assuming the boat has been well kept.

Overall, the interior seems very desirable for a couple cruising or a couple with one or two children. There are no privacy doors for the forward cabin, so two couples will have to be (or become) intimate while cruising.

The deck is conventional but well done for working the boat. There’s a deck-opening anchor locker forward, wide side decks, and a good big cockpit with a small ice/beer locker, two lazarettes, and a propane tank locker.

A wheel was standard on the boat. A nice feature is that a portion of the cockpit sole is removable for superior engine access, the best we have seen on a boat this size. Cockpit drains are also large, another rarity on production boats.

The companionway opening is large, with just a small lip/step above the cockpit sole. While not desirable in an offshore boat, this is okay in a coastal cruiser and makes for easy access to the interior. Most owners will want to arrange a way to secure the lowest companionway drop board, so it can be left in place during rough conditions.

The mainsheet traveler is on the cabin top, just ahead of the companionway. While this is a convenient location, the boats we looked at had exceptionally unsightly dodgers because the multi-part mainsheet was somewhat in the way.

Performance

The boat came with a Yanmar 15, which generally gets good reports from owners, though some think the boat is a bit underpowered. A 20-hp Yanmar was available as an option, and this would be desirable if a buyer were choosing between otherwise similar boats; the 20-hp model would be smoother running as well as more powerful.

The boat we sailed handled adequately under power, though some owners report it difficult to back up straight. Most of the 34s had solid props, and the performance-oriented sailor will want to upgrade to a folding or feathering prop so the boat’s sailing ability isn’t hurt.

The boat has a big rig, well balanced between mainsail and jib, and as you can expect from Ted Irwin’s design board, it is a good sailing boat. With a PHRF rating around 160, it is slightly slower than other cruiser/racers of that era, like the C & C 34, but it will make good passages, especially off the wind.

Many owners report that they consider the boat quite tender, especially the centerboard model, but we found the boat to be reasonably stiff, with lots of initial stability from the beamy hull. We didn’t sail the boat in heavy air, but we suspect an early reef would be desirable. Cruisers will find that it works well to sail the boat under roller-furling jib alone.

Early boats may have the DynaFurl roller which came as an option from Irwin, and buyers may want to factor in a replacement in their price figuring. The boats are generally of an age where the original sails are still aboard and, for all practical purposes, best used as drop cloths. Though the boat was advertised as a “club racer,” we saw no used 34s with spinnakers or any spinnaker gear, so a chute and related gear may also have to be purchased to complete a sail inventory.

Standard winches on the boat were minimal, and an upgrade will be desirable if the original owner didn’t buy the optional package when the boat was new.

The rig is adequate, the only problem reported by owners being paint problems on the mast, perhaps from a poor priming job on the aluminum. The mast of one boat we looked at had been re-painted.

Conclusions

It is an excellent design, a wholesome all-around racer/cruiser with shallow draft that would serve a family’s needs as a coastal cruiser, at a reasonable cost.

Unfortunately, the Irwin 34 suffers from some corner-cutting: details of construction which are cheap or shoddy, such as using only screws to secure the hull-to-deck joint.

Realistically, those details should not hamper the boat’s use in normal conditions as a coastal cruiser, but are substandard compared to many other boats available. We generally would not recommend the boat to anyone contemplating ocean passages, unless considerable basic upgrading had been completed.

But for a coastal cruiser, for an owner who likes to do some upgrading, the boat is a handsome, well thought-out design, with a good interior, well equipped. In today’s market, it offers a lot of basic boat, especially if bought at the right price.

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Did the Irwin 27 have something glued . . .

• Add to quote

to the inside of the hull? I am thinking about buying a 27'' Irwin. It looks like something was glued to the inside of the hull (carpet maybe). If it was carpet would anybody know what kind? Does anyone have an opinion of this boat? How can I get in touch with Irwin Yacht Co.? thanks, Yeto  

Boats of that era often had carpet or vinyl glued to the topsides. Most times it was a high grade automotive type carpet or else a foamed backed vinyl. I can''t recall what Irwin used on their boats. Irwin is no longer in business. Their boats varied pretty widely in sailing ability and most were pretty mediocre or worse in terms of build quality. Some of the Irwins were aimed at being race boats and were pretty competitive for thier day. Jeff  

The Irwin 27 is a great boat! I have never seen one with carpet glued to it but that is a fairly normal thing. My Irwin sails great and is tough as nails! It survived Ike with only a few scratches even though it ended up miles away and about 100 yards up a hill from the water.  

Irwin 27 IMHO what Jeff H said is not true of the early Irwins and certainly not true of my 1968. I sold, rigged and sailed many models as a manager of a dealership and generally the overall quality didn't decline until the price of oil went up.  

Irwin 27 any good info on the Irwin 27 ? I just got a 1968 & started putting some time & a little $$ in it but haven't sailed it yet.  

Irwin 27 Yeto. I have a Irwin 27 hull# 7. Great boat, VERY WELL BUILT.TAKES TEN FOOT LAKE MICHIGAN SEAS LIKE A CADILLAC. I THINK MY BOAT HAS HAD A LOT OF INTERIOR WOOD ADDED. THERE IS THIN CARPET IN THE V-BERTH. ITS COMMING OUT. AGAIN THEY SAIL GREAT! I LIVE ON MINE ALL SUMMER AND SINGLEHAND. PAINTED TOPSIDES AND DECK. IF I CAN HELP WITH ANYTHING I WILL.  

Irwin 27 My hull #is 1347 . I didn't know there where that many. It's very encouraging to here they are well built & take the seas well. I have started to sand the decks for some new paint & have the A4 running well. She was a lake boat (Lake Ontario) so I don't see any salt water problems. Any problems with the centerboard cables or pulleys or leaking? I haven't really got a chance to check it out but that cable has to come threw the hull somehow. Thanks Gary  

irwin 27 gcargen: My centerboard winch is on the floor in frount of the engin.The cable runs under the floor to a pully and back to a brass rod. The rod goes in and out dropping the centerboard,there is apacking on the rod,no leaks.I have seen the winches at the back cockpit and in front of it go figer. I had some window leaks I fixed. Did my none skid in kiwi grip great stuff.Just inspect everything,fix whatever and sail her .  

I have found the centerboard is stuck up in the slot. the cable going thru the hull is lose but it wont come down. I can see up into the slot & it's rusted & split out. Any Ideas on how to get it out? was it originaly just steel or is mine a replacement. When I get it out & clean it up should I just paint it or glass it? Any thoughts?  

gcargen: You may be able to get ahold of centerboard with a neadle nose vicegrip. work it up and to free it. Maybe run a thin flat knife like rod along each side to free it up. Good luck, waiting for spring.  

any info available on Irwin 28.5 ,bought 74 model , sound hull needs motor and sails everything else is there,is it worth the effort and investment  

Your discussion thread started in 2003. I think you will have to make the decision about the effort. Not sure what you mean by investment. If you mean for Resale or for your sailing adventure ? If you think its worth the time, work and money, then the whole project sounds worthwhile for you. I'm guessing you bought it cheaper than buying a sailboat that is ready to sail now.  

Re: Irwin 27 My centerboard has a slow leak when it is in the lowered position and I am clueless on how to fix the problem.  

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