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Irwin 45
Designer: Ted Irwin  ·  Builder: Irwin Yachts  ·  First built: 1970
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About the Irwin 45

Launched during Irwin Yachts' productive years in the 1980s, this substantial cruising sailboat represents the Florida builder's commitment to creating comfortable, seaworthy vessels for serious coastal and offshore sailing. Ted Irwin's design philosophy emphasized practical cruising features over racing performance, making this model particularly appealing to sailors seeking a capable long-distance cruiser. The 45-footer showcases the builder's characteristic approach to bluewater sailing, with a moderate displacement hull form that balances comfort with reasonable performance under sail. Irwin Yachts built a solid reputation for constructing boats that could handle extended passages while providing the interior volume and amenities that make life aboard enjoyable for extended periods. Built with solid fiberglass construction and designed for the charter trade as well as private ownership, these boats typically feature spacious interiors with multiple cabin configurations. The design prioritizes ease of handling and reliability over cutting-edge performance, making it well-suited for couples or families planning coastal cruising or offshore passages. While not the fastest boats in their size range, they offer the kind of dependable sailing characteristics that have made many Irwin models enduring favorites among practical cruising sailors.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 45.00 ft / 13.72 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 32.00 ft / 9.75 m
Beam 11.50 ft / 3.51 m
Max Draft 6.50 ft / 1.98 m
Displacement 23,000.00 lb / 10,433 kg
Ballast 10,000.00 lb / 4,536 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 882.00 ft² / 81.94 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Ted Irwin
Builder Irwin Yachts
First Built 1970
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
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
17.52
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
38.28
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
1.62
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. 7.58
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
How It Compares

vs. Caliber 45, Formosa 46, Freedom 45 Cc, Hunter 45 Legend, Morgan 452

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Irwin 45 ★
45.0 ft
Caliber 45
45.0 ft
Formosa 46
45.0 ft
Freedom 45 Cc
45.0 ft
Hunter 45 Legend
45.0 ft
Morgan 452
45.0 ft
LWL
Irwin 45 ★
32.0 ft
Caliber 45
35.8 ft
Formosa 46
39.6 ft
Freedom 45 Cc
34.4 ft
Hunter 45 Legend
38.6 ft
Morgan 452
39.3 ft
Beam
Irwin 45 ★
11.5 ft
Caliber 45
13.3 ft
Formosa 46
12.9 ft
Freedom 45 Cc
13.5 ft
Hunter 45 Legend
14.3 ft
Morgan 452
13.5 ft
Displacement
Irwin 45 ★
23 lbs
Caliber 45
29 lbs
Formosa 46
33 lbs
Freedom 45 Cc
22 lbs
Hunter 45 Legend
23 lbs
Morgan 452
30 lbs
Ballast
Irwin 45 ★
10 lbs
Caliber 45
12 lbs
Formosa 46
10 lbs
Freedom 45 Cc
9 lbs
Hunter 45 Legend
9 lbs
Morgan 452
8 lbs
Sail Area
Irwin 45 ★
882 sq ft
Caliber 45
940 sq ft
Formosa 46
911 sq ft
Freedom 45 Cc
Hunter 45 Legend
900 sq ft
Morgan 452
734 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Irwin 45 ★
Caliber 45
Formosa 46
128 s/nm
Freedom 45 Cc
99 s/nm
Hunter 45 Legend
83 s/nm
Morgan 452
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Irwin 45 ★
17.5
Caliber 45
16.0
Formosa 46
14.2
Freedom 45 Cc
Hunter 45 Legend
17.8
Morgan 452
12.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Irwin 45 ★
Caliber 45
41.4 %
Formosa 46
Freedom 45 Cc
41.3 %
Hunter 45 Legend
40.0 %
Morgan 452
27.7 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Irwin 45 ★
38.3
Caliber 45
36.9
Formosa 46
41.0
Freedom 45 Cc
Hunter 45 Legend
25.3
Morgan 452
35.4
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Irwin 45 ★
1.62
Caliber 45
1.74
Formosa 46
1.61
Freedom 45 Cc
Hunter 45 Legend
2.01
Morgan 452
1.74
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Irwin 45 ★
Caliber 45
281
Formosa 46
Freedom 45 Cc
252
Hunter 45 Legend
178
Morgan 452
221
Hull Speed
Irwin 45 ★
7.6 kts
Caliber 45
8.0 kts
Formosa 46
8.4 kts
Freedom 45 Cc
Hunter 45 Legend
8.3 kts
Morgan 452
8.4 kts
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