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Irwin 52 4
Designer: Ted Irwin  ·  Builder: Irwin Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1988
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About the Irwin 52 4

Built by Irwin Yachts in 1988, this 52-footer represents Ted Irwin's approach to comfortable cruising sailboats during the late 1980s production era. The cutter rig configuration provides excellent sail handling flexibility, allowing crews to reduce sail area progressively in deteriorating conditions while maintaining balanced helm characteristics. With a displacement of 46,500 pounds and a comfort ratio of 40.86, this design prioritizes seaworthiness and motion comfort over pure performance. The substantial beam of 15.33 feet creates generous interior volume, while the fin keel with rudder on skeg arrangement offers a good compromise between tracking ability and maneuverability. The capsize screening formula of 1.71 indicates solid stability margins suitable for offshore passages. The fiberglass construction reflects typical production boat building methods of the era, emphasizing durability and ease of maintenance. Her sail area to displacement ratio of 17.65 suggests moderate sailing performance, making this vessel well-suited for coastal cruising and offshore passages where comfort takes precedence over speed. The hull speed of 8.89 knots provides respectable passage-making ability for extended cruising adventures, while the draft of 5.50 feet opens up most cruising destinations without severe limitations.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 52.00 ft / 15.85 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 44.00 ft / 13.41 m
Beam 15.33 ft / 4.67 m
Max Draft 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
Displacement 46,500.00 lb / 21,092 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 1,420.00 ft² / 131.92 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Ted Irwin
Builder Irwin Yachts (USA)
First Built 1988
Associations Irwin Facebook Group
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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
 105
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
 17.65
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 243.7
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
 40.86
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
 1.71
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. 8.89 kn
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
 2.3
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. 2,410.13 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 17.64
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 66.83 ft / 20.37 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 24.97 ft / 7.61 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 56.42 ft / 17.20 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 20.75 ft / 6.32 m
SA Fore 834.37 ft² / 77.52 m²
SA Main 585.36 ft² / 54.38 m²
SA Total (100%) 1,419.73 ft² / 131.90 m²
Est. Forestay Length 71.34 ft / 21.74 m
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