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Irwin 44
Designer: John R. Van Ost  ·  Builder: Irwin Yachts  ·  First built: 1987
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About the Irwin 44

Built during the 1980s as part of Irwin Yachts' popular production line, this 44-footer represents the Florida builder's commitment to creating affordable cruising sailboats for the growing recreational sailing market. Irwin developed a strong reputation for offering good value in their size ranges, making sailing accessible to middle-class sailors seeking capable coastal cruisers. The design emphasizes interior volume and comfort over pure sailing performance, typical of Irwin's philosophy during this era. These boats featured relatively shallow draft and moderate displacement, making them well-suited for exploring the shallow waters of the Bahamas and coastal cruising along the Eastern seaboard. The spacious cockpit and easy-to-handle sail plan made them popular among couples and small families. While not built for offshore passages or competitive racing, the Irwin 44 serves as a capable coastal cruiser with enough room below for extended adventures. The boat's straightforward systems and reasonable maintenance requirements have helped many examples remain active decades after construction. Prospective buyers should expect typical production boat construction methods of the period, with gel coat and hardware showing age-appropriate wear on older examples.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 43.50 ft / 13.26 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 35.67 ft / 10.87 m
Beam 13.33 ft / 4.06 m
Max Draft 4.92 ft / 1.50 m
Displacement 25,000.00 lb / 11,340 kg
Ballast 8,000.00 lb / 3,629 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 832.00 ft² / 77.30 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer John R. Van Ost
Builder Irwin Yachts
First Built 1987
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
141
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
15.63
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
32.29
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
1.83
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 8.0
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
2.08
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1.0
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 50.0
J (Foretriangle Base) 19.5
P (Mainsail Luff) 44.5
E (Mainsail Foot) 15.5
SA Fore 487.5
SA Main 344.88
How It Compares

vs. Bristol 433, Cal 44, First 435 Beneteau, Oceanis 430 Beneteau, Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Irwin 44 ★
43.5 ft
Bristol 433
43.3 ft
Cal 44
43.5 ft
First 435 Beneteau
43.5 ft
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
43.6 ft
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
43.8 ft
LWL
Irwin 44 ★
35.7 ft
Bristol 433
33.3 ft
Cal 44
36.3 ft
First 435 Beneteau
36.1 ft
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
37.4 ft
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
34.8 ft
Beam
Irwin 44 ★
13.3 ft
Bristol 433
12.9 ft
Cal 44
13.5 ft
First 435 Beneteau
13.1 ft
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
14.1 ft
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
13.9 ft
Displacement
Irwin 44 ★
25 lbs
Bristol 433
26 lbs
Cal 44
25 lbs
First 435 Beneteau
23 lbs
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
22 lbs
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
22 lbs
Ballast
Irwin 44 ★
8 lbs
Bristol 433
10 lbs
Cal 44
10 lbs
First 435 Beneteau
9 lbs
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
8 lbs
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
8 lbs
Sail Area
Irwin 44 ★
832 sq ft
Bristol 433
844 sq ft
Cal 44
860 sq ft
First 435 Beneteau
859 sq ft
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
861 sq ft
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
780 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Irwin 44 ★
141 s/nm
Bristol 433
Cal 44
123 s/nm
First 435 Beneteau
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Irwin 44 ★
15.6
Bristol 433
15.2
Cal 44
16.0
First 435 Beneteau
16.7
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
17.0
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
15.9
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Irwin 44 ★
Bristol 433
Cal 44
40.7 %
First 435 Beneteau
38.9 %
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
35.6 %
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
37.0 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Irwin 44 ★
32.3
Bristol 433
37.4
Cal 44
31.8
First 435 Beneteau
31.3
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
26.4
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
27.3
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Irwin 44 ★
1.83
Bristol 433
1.74
Cal 44
1.84
First 435 Beneteau
1.82
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
1.99
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
1.99
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Irwin 44 ★
Bristol 433
Cal 44
237
First 435 Beneteau
226
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
195
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
234
Hull Speed
Irwin 44 ★
8.0 kts
Bristol 433
7.7 kts
Cal 44
8.1 kts
First 435 Beneteau
8.1 kts
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
8.2 kts
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
7.9 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Irwin 44 ★
2.1
Bristol 433
1.5
Cal 44
2.2
First 435 Beneteau
2.4
Oceanis 430 Beneteau
Sun Odyssey 44 Jeanneau
2.2
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