Irwin 34 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Ted Irwin designed the boat, as he did every model the company produced during his continuous tenure as chief executive. The marque had already weathered a Chapter 11 reorganization and, when Practical Sailor first examined the 34, had been building fiberglass sailboats for 27 years. The company closed for good in 1992. In all, 305 hulls were built between 1978 and 1985—a moderate but successful output for the era.

Design and Underwater Shape

The 34 comes across as a hybrid of a 1960s beamy CCA centerboarder and a mid-1970s IOR racer, and that lineage shows in the hull. The bow has the distinctive concave curve typical of Irwin’s hand. The sheer is fairly flat, with a molded cove stripe, while the stern sections have the peculiar tuck-up associated with IOR designs.

Below the waterline, the hull is beamy and saucer-shaped. Above it sits a traditional-looking, low trunk cabin. A shallow fence runs aft from the keel to form a skeg ahead of the spade rudder. The hull shape is well matched to the centerboard rather than compromised by it.

The deep fin-keel version drew 5 feet 4 inches, but the centerboard model proved far more popular. Its board retracts into a shallow stub keel. A Dacron rope pennant runs to the deck through a tube that also serves as a grab rail at the forward edge of the galley.

Construction and Deck Details

The hull uses a conventional lay-up of mat and woven roving, while the deck is a balsa-core sandwich. On every boat examined, the basic fiberglass work appeared solid and good.

A removable section of the cockpit sole provides what testers called the best engine access they had seen on a boat of this size. The cockpit drains are large, another uncommon feature among production boats. The companionway is also generous, with only a small step above the sole.

The 34 nevertheless shows evidence of corner-cutting. The hull-to-deck joint was secured only with screws. On one surveyed boat, the deck cleats were held in place with sheet-metal screws. All the boats examined had bow and stern pulpits that were merely screwed down rather than through-bolted. Cheap through-hull valves and missing washers on chainplate bolts were further off-putting details, though they were easy to correct.

Rig, Power, and Handling

The Irwin 34 is a masthead sloop with a large rig, well balanced between mainsail and jib. Testers found it a good sailing boat by Ted Irwin’s standards.

The standard Yanmar 3GMF diesel generally earns good reports from owners, though some feel the boat is a touch underpowered. A 20-horse Yanmar was offered as a desirable option. A few owners also report difficulty backing in a straight line.

Most boats left the factory with solid propellers. Performance-minded sailors will want a folding or feathering propeller to recover sailing ability. With a PHRF rating near 160, the Irwin is slightly slower than contemporaries such as the C&C 34, but it makes good passages.

Many owners consider the boat tender, particularly with the centerboard down. Testers, however, found reasonable stiffness from the beamy hull’s initial stability and suspected that an early reef would suit the boat in heavy air. Cruisers will also find that it sails well under a roller-furling jib alone.

Accommodations and Systems

Below, the Irwin 34 is good production-line work, finished with teak veneer and plastic trim. It has three sound berths: a V-berth double, a quarter berth that is tight at the foot for a tall person, and a settee that can serve as a single. The opposing dinette converts into a small double.

The head is a good size. The galley is arranged in a practical U, with a sound electrical panel at its aft side. The navigation station sits at an angle and has a small but adequate table.

Seven opening ports, along with forward and midship hatches, provide strong ventilation. Tankage is generous for a boat of this size: 30 gallons of fuel, 80 gallons of water, and a large holding tank. The trade-off is minimal stowage below because the tanks occupy the spaces beneath the berths. There are also no privacy doors for the forward cabin.

Original standard equipment was modern and complete, including hot and cold pressure water, a shower, a propane stove, four-inch cushions, and AC/DC systems.

Known Issues

Writing in Practical Sailor, surveyors found badly chafed Dacron centerboard pennants on the used centerboard models they examined; those pennants needed replacement. Owners responding to the publication’s surveys also reported an inordinate run of gelcoat problems, including lifting patches, large voids, and heavy crazing.

On two of the boats reviewed, the teak-and-holly cabin sole had stained and begun to separate into layers. The rig itself is adequate. The only owner-reported rig problem was failure of the mast paint, perhaps because the aluminum had been poorly primed.

Most seriously, the boat has little bilge volume. As a result, any water taken aboard can quickly become a real problem.

The Verdict

For a coastal cruiser who enjoys a project, the Irwin 34 is a handsome, well-thought-out design with a capable interior and a balanced rig. The centerboard version suits shoal wandering, while the removable cockpit sole makes the Yanmar unusually serviceable.

However, the corner-cutting in fasteners and through-hulls, the shallow bilge, and the reported gelcoat and cabin-sole liabilities mean a buyer should budget for correcting the basics before pursuing any offshore ambitions.

Pros