Design and Construction
The Irwin 25 is built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim, and the hull itself is solid fiberglass. The keel is lead, and the boat was offered with different keel alternatives: a stub or centerboard keel described as a fixed stub keel with a retractable centerboard, and separately a fin keel. With the centerboard up the stub-keel version draws roughly 2.66 to 2.96 feet depending on load, while the fin-keel version sits at about 4.0 to 4.3 feet, making either variant able to tuck into shallow marinas built with different keel alternatives. She carries a spooned, raked stem and a raised counter with a plumb transom, and steering is by an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller.
Her proportions place her among heavy cruisers for her length: the displacement-to-length ratio is 280, the ballast ratio is 41 percent, and the beam-to-length ratio is 3.16. Owners comparing her to the Morgan 24/25 note she carries the same displacement but a bit more ballast, with a foot shorter waterline yet a longer length on deck because her overhangs are not as chopped off, and below the waterline she shares many similarities including a high aspect ratio centerboard same displacement but a bit more ballast.
Rig and Handling
The Irwin 25 is a masthead sloop, and by one database comparison she carries more sail rig than 21 percent of comparable sailboats. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 16.6 with the reference sail and 19.4 with a 135 percent genoa, a moderate figure for a boat of her weight. The theoretical hull speed is 6.1 knots, and the capsize screening value is 1.83 with a motion comfort ratio of 23.7. On the race course she carries a PHRF average handicap of 228, and one owner reported her PHRF is a scant three seconds per mile higher than the Morgan 24/25. The wetted surface is about 226 square feet, and the immersion rate is 572 pounds per inch.
Accommodations
Below, the Irwin 25 sleeps four to six people. The bow cabin holds a double V-berth, and the main cabin has two straight settees, one of which converts to a double with the drop-down dinette table. An aft quarter berth sits on the port side. The galley is on the starboard side abeam the companionway ladder and is equipped with a fold-down two-burner stove, an icebox, and a sink. The enclosed head is just aft of the bow cabin on the port side. Buyers could choose between settee berths with a portside quarter berth or a dinette arrangement, and the doghouse adds an inch of headroom over the comparable Morgan.
Known Issues
The weak point on these boats is the centerboard and its pendant. Owners report that centerboards and pendants on these boats are prone to problems, a recurring concern on a design that relies on a retractable board in a stub-keel trunk for shallow-water capability.
The Verdict
The Irwin 25 is a small, solidly built cruiser-racer with a clever trailerable package and a shoal-draft centerboard option that extends her cruising grounds. Her accommodations are generous for 25 feet and backed by an active class club, the Irwin Yacht Owners, though the retractable board demands inspection and care.
Pros
- Trailerable with shoal-draft centerboard and fin-keel options
- Sleeps four to six with convertible dinette and aft quarter berth
- Active class club support (Irwin Yacht Owners)
Cons
- Centerboards and pendants prone to problems
- Short waterline and modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limit pace
