Design and Construction
Ted Irwin laid down the "Classic" 32 in 1970 as a cruiser-racer conceived ahead of the IOR rulebook anchor. The hull is fiberglass, and the keel is lead. Buyers could choose a keel/centerboard version drawing 3 feet 6 inches or a long fin keel drawing 5 feet anchor; later summaries confirm a fin keel of roughly 5 to 5.3 feet dependent on load and a stub/centerboard keel of about 3.5 to 3.8 feet anchor. With a beam of 9.67 feet and a length-to-beam ratio of 3.31, the hull is slimmer than 62% of comparable sailboat designs, while a displacement-length ratio of 329 places her among heavy cruisers, with only 21% of similar designs heavier.
Rig and Sail Plan
The standard sloop rig carried a 242-square-foot mainsail and a 235-square-foot working jib, while the optional yawl substituted a 216-square-foot main and added a 53-square-foot mizzen anchor. Standing and running rig dimensions are well documented: halyards for main, jib, and spinnaker each run 90.6 feet at 3/8-inch diameter, sheets for jib and genoa are 32 feet at 1/2-inch, and the mainsheet is 80 feet at 1/2-inch anchor. The yawl option gave owners a versatile offshore rig without altering the underlying hull.
Performance and Seakeeping
Theoretical hull speed for a displacement hull of this length is 6.7 knots, with calculated max speed under inboard power near 6.0 knots. A capsize screening value of 1.72 meant the formula alone would admit her to ocean races. The Motion Comfort Ratio of 31.7 sits above 86% of similar designs, signaling a comparatively easy motion in a seaway for a boat of her size anchor. Her wetted surface measures about 279 square feet, and immersion runs near 843 pounds per inch.
Accommodations and Power
Owners chose between a 30-horsepower Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engine and a 25-horsepower Volvo MD-2B diesel auxiliary anchor. The centerboard configuration trades a little keel depth for access to shallow marinas, while the fin keel appeals to those wanting a fixed 5-foot bite.
Lineage and Successor
In 1975 Ted Irwin, then in Tampa Bay, passed the molds and tooling to Brooks and Valdes, and Endeavour subsequently acquired them; Dennis Robbins then modified the Irwin 32 into the Endeavour 32, which became the foundation of that company anchor. The two share identical sail plans and the same displacement, making the Irwin 32 the genetic parent of an otherwise separate marque.
The Verdict
The Irwin 32 is a thoughtfully conceived pre-IOR cruiser-racer whose multiple keel and rig options let an owner tailor draft and versatility. Her comfort ratio and heavy-cruiser displacement suggest a stable, forgiving coastal and offshore platform, and her lineage directly spawned the Endeavour 32.
Pros
- Choice of centerboard or fin keel for draft flexibility
- Optional yawl rig alongside the standard sloop
- Comfort ratio exceeds 86% of similar designs
- Direct design parent of the Endeavour 32
Cons
- Gasoline Atomic 4 or modest 25-hp diesel only
- Slimmer beam than most peers (62% broader)
- Original 1970s systems now decades old
