Irwin Yachts 52

BoatsIrwin Yachts 52

See her sail

The Irwin Yachts 52, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Be The Captain

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 48 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 48

CoastalBluewater

At 1.62 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.62

LightHeavy

288 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 288

EasygoingPowered-up

13.3 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 13.3

TenderStiff

29% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 29%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

Heavier than ~96% of boats her size on file
Beamier than ~86% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1519 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Irwin Yachts 52, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Irwin Yachts 52 is a Staysail Ketch designed by Ted Irwin and built by Irwin Yachts from 1976 to 1985, featuring a fin keel with a rudder on a skeg. This 15.8-meter (52-foot) sailboat has a 4.7-meter beam, a 2.1-meter draft, and displaces 24,947 kg.8:24 A Mark II version was introduced in 1982, and the model was succeeded by the Irwin 54 in 1988. The Irwin 52's design emphasizes interior volume and amenities, which can indicate a coastal cruiser rather than a dedicated offshore vessel.4:45 Evaluating a used Irwin 52 for offshore cruising requires a thorough audit of all systems, including refrigeration, plumbing, propane lines, and standing rigging, especially for boats over 40 years old.4:11

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model come up for sale.

1seen for sale

Listed for sale at 150,000, but warned against as a first offshore boat due to potential costs
from Be The Captainseen June 20258:16

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

29.3%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Staysail Ketch

Ratios

SA / displacement

13.3

Displacement / length

288.2

Comfort ratio

48.3

Capsize screening

1.62

Hull speed

8.9 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

2410

Hull

Hull type

Fin with rudder on skeg

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

1976–1985

Units built

250

Designer

Ted Irwin

Builder

Irwin Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Oyster Yachts 49516.10 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA modern Humphreys-designed fractional sloop featuring a high-stability hull with dual rudders for offshore control

SAILING to the Island of the Bulls0:03 from Distant Shores TV

Swan 5115.62 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterThe inaugural German Frers design for Swan, this masthead sloop balances a powerful 17.85 SA/D ratio with offshore comfort

Swan 51 in Cannes0:15 from SEILmagasinet

Pearson Yachts 53016.15 mSame hull family0.3 m longerThe largest yacht ever built by Pearson, this William Shaw-designed staysail ketch balances heavy-displacement comfort

BOAT TOUR of our Pearson 530 Sailing boat0:24 from Sailing Catalpa

Amel Mango 5216.15 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA robust masthead ketch designed for blue-water cruising, featuring a protected skeg-hung rudder and a stable hull form

Amel 52 Yacht Attacked by Orcas (Killer Whales) off the Spanish Coast0:14 from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery

Amel Super Maramu16.00 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 16-metre masthead ketch replacing the Mango 52, featuring a wing keel and a versatile engine range for blue-water travel

Update from BRADY and BLUE! Where did we go?!1:03 from Sailing SV Delos

Baltic Yachts 5115.52 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 15.5-metre cruiser produced through the 1980s, offering a powerful sail-area-to-displacement ratio for its size

From Brittany to Norway - Sailing and Winter Storms0:48 from ArcticStern Ocean Sailing

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Irwin Yachts 52-2A Ted Irwin-designed cutter with a centerboard keel, offering a high comfort ratio for stable long-distance cruising Irwin Yachts 54A 16.46-metre staysail ketch with a 39.9 comfort ratio, built since 1988 for stable, long-range cruising Irwin Yachts 42A 12.8-metre masthead sloop with a 1.37-metre draft, offering a high comfort ratio for stable coastal cruising Irwin Yachts 46A Ted Irwin-designed staysail ketch featuring a keel-centreboard hull for versatile performance in varying depths Irwin Yachts 43-CC MKIIA Ted Irwin-designed center cockpit cutter built for comfortable cruising with a shallow draft and skeg-mounted rudder

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Irwin Yachts 52, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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