Design and Construction
The hull is solid fiberglass, and the deck follows in solid glass as well. What gives the 43-CC Mk II her seakeeping signature is the union of a deep forefoot with a shallow fin keel containing the centerboard; a deeper keel without the board was also offered. Owners describe solid construction and a real sense of safety from high bulwarks, while the wide side decks and large, open foredeck make movement easy, with shrouds that run into the cap rail so crew can travel the perimeter without obstruction. The center cockpit sits well abaft the trunk cabin and relatively low, and occupants report a gentle motion there even in high seas.
Rig and Handling
On deck the boat carries a high-aspect cutter rig with twin headstays, though a sloop-rigged version was also built. Owners found she takes any combination of sails well, and the centerboard’s value is practical rather than theoretical: by moving the center of lateral resistance fore and aft, the crew can counter the center of effort of the sails and balance her. Writing in boats.com, one owner described the flared bow as rising to the seas to help keep the deck dry anchor, and while she hobbyhorses a bit in rough seas, owners note she never pounds because of that deep forefoot. As a sea boat she is regarded as stiff and quite stable.
Performance Under Power and Sail
The original engine is a 56-hp Perkins 4-154 Series 200 diesel, and one owner reported it problem-free over more than 2,000 hours. That same owner cited a cruising speed of 7.1 knots at 2,800 rpm and fuel use around 1.7 gallons per hour, and described the boat as motoring very well. Under sail the capsize screening value is 1.83 and the Motion Comfort Ratio 32.1, with a displacement-length ratio of 259 that places her among moderate racers and a sail-area/displacement ratio of 18.64 — numbers consistent with a boat built to cross oceans without punishing the crew.
Accommodations
The layout begins at the stern with a large aft master cabin and en-suite head that includes a separate shower compartment, a configuration owners confirm as a big aft cabin with its own head. Moving forward, over/under berths lie to port alongside the cockpit companionway, while the saloon offers seating to starboard and an L-shaped settee and dining area to port. The galley is down to starboard beside the companionway; owners praised a good separate galley. Forward, a closed-off cabin behind the saloon bulkhead holds a V-berth with its own adjacent head and shower. In all, owners counted three sleeping areas plus the forward and quarter berth bunks, with teenagers bunking forward and in the quarter berths on one account.
The Verdict
The Irwin 43-CC Mk II is a thoughtfully evolved center-cockpit cruiser whose below-water geometry — deep forefoot, shallow fin, centerboard — delivers dry decks and stable motion without pounding. Her accommodations are generous and divided for privacy, and the cutter rig with movable lateral resistance suits short-handed bluewater work. The known record is largely one of owner satisfaction rather than defect.
Pros
- Stiff, stable sea boat with dry decks from the flared bow
- Centerboard permits balancing sail effort by shifting lateral resistance
- Three sleeping zones plus aft master and forward cabins, each with private head/shower
- Original Perkins diesel reported trouble-free beyond 2,000 hours
Cons
- Hobbyhorses in rough seas, though without pounding
- Deeper fixed-keel alternative means two quite different helm characters on the used market
