Irwin 43 - 3
Description
The Irwin 43 Mk III is a fiberglass center-cockpit cruising sailboat designed by naval architect Ted Irwin and built by Irwin Yachts from 1986 to 1991. As the final evolution of the Irwin 43 series (which began with the Mk I in 1971), the Mk III incorporates refinements like an enhanced aft cabin layout, improved ventilation and lighting, and a high-aspect cutter rig for better upwind performance and ease of handling. Primarily offered as a ketch or cutter sloop (with yawl options), it's engineered for coastal and moderate blue water cruising, prioritizing spacious interiors, stability, and liveaboard comfort for couples or small families. With a moderate displacement hull and options for fixed keel or keel/centerboard, it's versatile for shallow-water access (e.g., Bahamas) while providing seaworthiness for East Coast or Caribbean passages. Approximately 50-100 Mk III hulls were produced.
Construction Details
| Designer | Ted Irwin |
|---|---|
| Builder | Irwin Yachts |
| Length | 43.000 ft |
| LOA | 45.500 ft |
| LWL | 35.500 ft |
| Beam | 13.580 ft |
| Displacement | 26000 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.920 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 19 ft |
| p | 44.50 ft |
| e | 15.50 ft |
| p2 | 28.75 ft |
| e2 | 9.33 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft | 19 ft | 44.50 ft | 15.50 ft | 28.75 ft | 9.33 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 44.5 ft - (13564 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.5 ft - (4724 mm) |
| Leech | * 46.33 ft - (14121 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 46.61 ft - (14207 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 354.29 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 42.79 ft - (13042 mm) |
| Foot | * 26 ft - (7925 mm) |
| Leech | * 36.07 ft - (10994 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 21.85 ft - (6660 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 467.49 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 50.81 ft - (15487 mm) |
| Foot | * 31.4 ft - (9571 mm) |
| Leech | * 47.2 ft - (14387 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 28.5 ft - (8687 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.02 ° |
| Area | * 723.99 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 50.81 ft - (15487 mm) |
| Foot | * 31.35 ft - (9555 mm) |
| Leech | * 46.75 ft - (14249 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1195 ft² |
| Sail Type | MIZZEN |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 28.75 ft - (8763 mm) |
| Foot | * 9.33 ft - (2844 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 29.63 ft - (9031 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 87.97 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 29.91 ft - (9117 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4 in - (102 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 136.72 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.