Irwin 40 Citation Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for an Irwin 40 Citation means looking at a late-1970s Ted Irwin design built by Irwin Yacht & Marine Corp., a fiberglass sloop of about 40 feet with either a fin or stub/centerboard keel. These boats turn up in the United States and New Caledonia, and the better examples have been upgraded for long-term living aboard.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Citation was offered with different keel alternatives, and the stub/centerboard version is the one to watch if you prize getting into shallow anchorages: its board retracts to roughly 4.3 to 4.6 feet loaded. The fin-keel hull is the more common configuration and handles tightly in marinas but tracks less steadily than a longer keel would. Either way the boat carries 90 gallons of water and 40 of diesel, figures that suit extended coastal cruising rather than minimalist racing.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Well-found used Irwin 40 Citations commonly carry a watermaker and a cockpit shower, with solar panels and a wind generator paired to an inverter for off-grid power. Air conditioning and cabin heating appear on boats rigged for comfort in varied climates, while radar, AIS, and autopilot meet the navigation and watch-keeping needs of distance cruisers. A furling main and a swim platform are typical additions that simplify sail handling and boarding.
What to Inspect
If the stub/centerboard keel is fitted, pay close attention to the centerboard trunk and pivot, since that mechanism is the one design feature absent from the simpler fin-keel hull. A standard fiberglass and rigging survey remains the prudent course on any example.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Irwin 40 Citations are found in the United States and New Caledonia. For a shopper, the short list is:
- Decide fin keel (maneuverability) versus stub/centerboard (shoal draft)
- Verify centerboard operation on shoal-draft examples
- Confirm energy upgrades (solar, wind, inverter) match your plans
- Check furling main and autopilot for offshore readiness
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Irwin 40 Citation. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | 2 | $35,000 | — |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $34,000 | -2.9% |
Where they're listed
Irwin 40 Citation listings appear across 1 country. New Caledonia has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Caledonia | $34,000 | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islander 40 | 39.54' | $ 28,750 | 14 | 5 |
| C&C 40-2 | 39.58' | $ 25,000 | 11 | 5 |
| Irwin 40 CitationYou are here | — | $ 34,000 | 1 | 1 |