Irwin 30 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Irwin 30 means looking at a Ted Irwin-designed fiberglass sloop that Irwin Yacht & Marine Corp. built with a surprising number of underwater configurations. The model carries a 1976 production start, a 30-foot length overall, and a masthead-sloop rig, but the keel under any individual boat may be a stub-centerboard, a shallow fin, or a deeper fin — and that single fact drives much of how you evaluate a specific listing. These boats are found in the United States.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Irwin 30 was offered with three keel configurations rather than one standard bottom. The stub-and-centerboard keel gives a retractable board inside a fixed stub, suited to coastal and inland mixing with a loaded draft near 4.3 to 4.6 feet. One fin keel draws 3.9 to 4.2 feet; another fin option draws about 5.0 to 5.3 feet. Because the deck and interior are shared across these versions, the only layout-level difference a buyer sees is draft and centerboard trunk space, so confirm the appendage before assuming marina fit.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A buyer should evaluate each boat on its own installed gear rather than expect a standard package. The rig specs — 91.8-foot, 3/8-inch halyards and 1/2-inch sheets up to 75 feet long — tell you what replacement line lengths to carry, but no specific electronics, canvas, or power upgrades are attributed to the fleet.
What to Inspect
Inspection centers on confirming which keel a given hull carries and its condition. Verify the centerboard trunk and pivot on stub-keel boats for free movement and absence of ground-in grit, since a retracted board that binds limits the shallow-draft advantage. On fin-keel examples, measure actual draft against the stated 3.9–4.2 or 5.0–5.3 foot range to catch aftermarket ballast or keel repairs. A standard marine survey covers the hull and rig.
Buyer's Takeaway
For a shopper, the practical shortlist is:
- Confirm the specific keel type and measure draft at the viewing
- Work the centerboard on stub-keel models for free travel
- Carry 3/8-inch halyard and 1/2-inch sheet lengths per the rig table
- Use a standard marine survey on any candidate
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Irwin 30. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 30 (Mauric) | 29.36' | $ 79,787 | 44 | 13 |
| Pearson 30 | 29.79' | $ 7,000 | 20 | 8 |