Design and Construction
The Irwin 38-1 is a monohull with a keel and centerboard, paired with a spade rudder. Its solid-fiberglass hull displaces 15,400 pounds and carries 6,500 pounds of lead ballast.
The ballast-to-displacement ratio is 42.21 percent, while the displacement-to-length figure is 330.58. Together, those numbers characterize the boat as a heavy, volume-oriented cruiser rather than a lightweight racer.
With the centerboard raised, draft is 3.75 feet, allowing shallow-water gunkholing. Lowering the board increases draft to 9.58 feet for offshore stability. That range helps define the design’s bluewater-and-harbor brief.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The masthead sloop rig carries a 100 percent sail area of 610 square feet: a 270-square-foot mainsail and a 339.38-square-foot foresail. The rig dimensions are 45.25 feet for I and 15 feet for J.
With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.83, the review record describes the Irwin 38-1 as a heavy sailboat that is slightly under powered. Its 15,400-pound displacement is carried on a 27.5-foot waterline, with a hull speed of 7.03 knots. The result is limited light-air acceleration rather than lightweight performance.
The same assessment rates the boat as very stable and stiff, with excellent righting capability if capsized. A capsize screening value of 1.69 places it among conservative offshore profiles, while the 33.97 comfort ratio reinforces the picture of a steady, accommodating sea boat best suited to bluewater cruising.
Accommodations and Systems
A 10.5-foot beam and 80-gallon water capacity support extended living aboard. Even so, the original specification identifies short water-supply range as a known limitation.
The boat has a single engine and a 30-gallon fuel capacity. That fuel capacity was originally small, consistent with a cruiser designed around sailing rather than motoring.
Original Tankage Limitations
The boat’s principal shortcomings lie in its original tankage philosophy rather than in structural defects. Fuel capacity is limited to 30 gallons, and the water-supply range is short despite the stated 80-gallon capacity.
Both limitations reflect period cruising assumptions that owners would rarely run the auxiliary engine or remain at anchor for long without resupplying. Shoppers and owners should regard them as design-era constraints, not evidence of failure.
The Verdict
The Irwin 38-1 is a Ted Irwin cruiser with unmistakably conservative priorities. It is heavy, stiff, and forgiving if knocked down, while its centerboard extends its cruising range from thin coastal shelves to the open ocean.
It isn’t a lightweight performer, and the original tankage was never generous. Still, its righting ability and substantial ballast make it a credible passage-maker for sailors who value steadiness over speed.
Pros
- Excellent righting capability, with very stiff and stable hull behavior
- Centerboard keel provides 3.75 ft shallow draft and 9.58 ft deep draft
- Conservative capsize-screening and comfort ratios for bluewater use
Cons
- Slightly under powered for its displacement
- Originally small 30-gallon fuel capacity
- Short water-supply range in the factory specification
