Irwin 52 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for an Irwin 52 means looking at one of the most numerous large cruisers ever built, with production from 1976 through 1985 and the Series II update arriving in 1982. These staysail ketches were built by Irwin Yachts in the United States, and both early solid-glass hulls and later Klegecell-cored Series II boats appear for sale. Ex-charter examples are common, so a careful survey is essential.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common layout seen on the brokerage market, though both owner and charter-style plans turn up. Pre-1982 boats share a drop-down galley to starboard, large port nav station, and palatial saloon, with an athwartship double aft and V-berth forward plus a quarter cabin. Series II boats often keep that shell but add island berths in fore and aft cabins. The raised aft deck gives the aft cabin real headroom, and the center-cockpit layout is large enough to sleep on either side.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A hardtop, autopilot, air conditioning, dinghy davits, and chartplotter are commonly fitted to boats on the market, making them turnkey coastal or offshore candidates. Often-seen gear includes an inverter, furling main, bimini, and dodger for sheltered helm and power management. Less common but worth noting as owner upgrades are solar, lithium batteries, freezer, hot water, and washing machine — a frequent owner upgrade being lithium house banks for extended anchoring. The Perkins 4-236 85-horsepower diesel remains the standard powerplant, and its wide parts availability is a real buying point.
What to Inspect
The iron maststep low in the bilge is a known weak point that corrodes over time, and delaminated glassed-over wood floors around the mast are a related concern anchor. Most boats were built during the blister era and will show past repair work below the waterline. Check chainplates for leaks, inspect spars for paint failure, and look for spider cracks or deck delamination. Early models carried deck hardware a bit undersized for a 44,000-pound boat, and original 12- and 110-volt systems should be reviewed for updating, with pre-1982 wiring especially hard to access.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts are typically found in the United States, Grenada, New Caledonia, Greece, Australia, and Italy. For a buyer, the practical checklist is: confirm Series II status for easier retrofit and cored topsides; survey the maststep and mast floors; verify blister history and chainplate sealing; budget to update original electrical systems; and confirm the Perkins service record.
- Prefer Series II hulls for customizable interior and retrofit ease
- Survey bilge maststep and surrounding floors for corrosion or delamination
- Review blister repair history and deck for cracks or delamination
- Plan electrical update, especially on pre-1982 boats with poor wiring access
- Confirm Perkins 4-236 parts and access beneath saloon sole
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Irwin 52. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 1 | $75,000 | — |
| Sep 25 | 2 | $152,288 | +103.1% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $87,920 | -42.3% |
| Jan 26 | 3 | $86,496 | -1.6% |
| Feb 26 | 3 | $119,500 | +38.2% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $115,225 | -3.6% |
| Jul 26 | 10 | $159,000 | +38.0% |
Where they're listed
Irwin 52 listings appear across 6 countries. United States has the most listings with 11 (55.0%), followed by Grenada and New Caledonia.
Country view
20 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $129,900 | 11 | 5 | 55.0% |
| Grenada | $159,000 | 4 | 4 | 20.0% |
| New Caledonia | $87,208 | 2 | 0 | 10.0% |
| Australia | $64,130 | 1 | 0 | 5.0% |
| Greece | $174,676 | 1 | 0 | 5.0% |
| Italy | $217,063 | 1 | 0 | 5.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amel Mango 52 | 53' | $ 179,000 | 33 | 2 |
| Irwin 52You are here | — | $ 130,000 | 21 | 10 |
| Siltala Yachts OY 52 | 51.16' | $ 293,350 | 19 | 4 |
| Cheoy Lee 52 | 51.5' | $ 295,000 | 12 | 8 |
| Irwin 54 | 54' | $ 145,000 | 10 | 3 |
| Morgan Yachts 452 | 45' | $ 39,900 | 9 | 0 |