Irwin 38
Description
The Irwin 38 is a fiberglass center-cockpit cruising sailboat designed by naval architect Ted Irwin and built by Irwin Yachts from 1971 to 1989. Primarily offered as a ketch or sloop rig (with cutter options), it was engineered for coastal and moderate offshore cruising, emphasizing spacious interiors, family-friendly livability, and ease of handling over high performance. With a moderate displacement hull and options for fixed fin keel, wing keel, or keel/centerboard, it's versatile for shallow-water access (e.g., Bahamas) while providing stability for East Coast or Caribbean passages. The design evolved through marks (Mk I-V), with later versions like the Mk II (1984+) adding refinements such as a deeper forefoot for better upwind performance. Approximately 200-300 hulls were produced across variants, making it one of Irwin's more popular mid-size cruisers, though its lighter construction prioritizes volume over rugged bluewater capability without upgrades.
Construction Details
| Designer | Ted Irwin |
|---|---|
| Builder | Irwin Yachts |
| Length | 38.000 ft |
| LOA | 28.420 ft |
| LWL | 23.000 ft |
| Beam | 9.000 ft |
| Max Draft | 4.500 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 49.75 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 17.25 ft |
| p | 42.75 ft |
| e | 16 ft |
| p2 | 28.25 ft |
| e2 | 9.75 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49.75 ft | 17.25 ft | 42.75 ft | 16 ft | 28.25 ft | 9.75 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 42.75 ft - (13030 mm) |
| Foot | * 16 ft - (4877 mm) |
| Leech | * 44.96 ft - (13704 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.04 ° |
| Diagonal | * 45.13 ft - (13756 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | 341.65 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 42.12 ft - (12838 mm) |
| Foot | * 23.17 ft - (7062 mm) |
| Leech | * 36.08 ft - (10997 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 19.84 ft - (6047 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 417.68 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 50.02 ft - (15246 mm) |
| Foot | * 28.14 ft - (8577 mm) |
| Leech | * 46.78 ft - (14259 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 25.88 ft - (7888 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 647.25 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 50.02 ft - (15246 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 31.05 ft - (9464 mm) |
| Foot | * 31.05 ft - (9464 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 1320.15 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.