# 1969 Irwin 27' sloop



## scurvy (Jul 24, 2006)

Hi everyone.

I have been sailing off and on now for roughly 20 years. I started with a Catalina 34' then a Sabre 28 mk1 and then an Albin Vega 27'. I sold my last boat about 4 years ago and swore I would never own another until it was time to retire...(ever hear that one before?).

Recently, I came upon a situation where a friend of mine would like to give me his 1969 Irwin 27. I know little about them, she is bare bones but seems built like a tank. High cabin top with almost an Alberg look to her minus the sweeping stern. 

Her sails are ok...no real appointments below...no electronics, stove...very minimalist and stoic. She is powered by a 9.9 outboard ( not aware of any inboard). Porta potty, and ground tackle. Her rigging and lines are a year old. 

One issue he has with her right now is the replacement centerboard. He had one designed by a local woodworker to specs but once in place discovered that the wood they used did not provide enough ballast and is too buoyant and will not drop down. 

Should I move forward with this old girl, might any of you have any suggestions on how to cure this centerboard issue? Just bolting steel plates to her is not an option (as was already suggested in another forum). The cb still has to fit back up into the trunk.

As always...thank you in advance for your help, suggestions and any information you might have on this particular model is appreciated! 

Chris


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## Skipper Jer (Aug 26, 2008)

I'd give thought to routing out a big hole in the bottom of the center board, filling it with either lead or steel plates then glass over it. The hole would go from one side of the board to the other. Also check to see if they put some sort of bushing on the board where the bolt passes through. 

Good luck.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

Along CaptainMeme's line of thought, route out a large rectangle on either side of the board, melt lead into the cavity and glass over it. Do this on each side. 

If you can't do the lead, then you could at least bolt steel or iron plates into those cavities and glass up the whole assembly.

I'm envisioning a thin core of wood remaining on either side of the routed out area. Perhaps even simpler would be to simply cut out a large, rectangular area out of the board and fill it with some kind of ballast, fair it, and seal it up.

Or re-make the damn thing out of metal.


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## scurvy (Jul 24, 2006)

Captainmeme said:


> I'd give thought to routing out a big hole in the bottom of the center board, filling it with either lead or steel plates then glass over it. The hole would go from one side of the board to the other. Also check to see if they put some sort of bushing on the board where the bolt passes through.
> 
> Good luck.


I had thought of routing out the two sides on the bottom and bolting on two pieces of lead or steel...this sounds interesting.

thanks Capt!


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## scurvy (Jul 24, 2006)

BubbleheadMd said:


> Along CaptainMeme's line of thought, route out a large rectangle on either side of the board, melt lead into the cavity and glass over it. Do this on each side.
> 
> If you can't do the lead, then you could at least bolt steel or iron plates into those cavities and glass up the whole assembly.
> 
> ...


Moulten lead sounds interesting. I would definitely want to glass over the whole thing but am worried that I may make it too wide or thick to pass back into the trunk. I have not seen the work done yet, so that will be a telling moment for sure...but keep the ideas coming...I like it!


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## scurvy (Jul 24, 2006)

Does anyone know anything about these boats? Hard to find any information on them really.


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## haggerty60 (Mar 9, 2010)

hey scurvy, 1eyed pirate here. I own a 1967 27ft irwin. mine is very nice with a lot of teak on deck and down below. the centerboard is only about seventy pounds. I hardly ever use it. the old girl sails just fine without it. look up Irwin yachts. there is a little there about the centerboard. I live on and sail all over the great lakes all summer on it, any weather any waves I love the boat. stormy seas and fair winds.


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## scurvy (Jul 24, 2006)

haggerty60 said:


> hey scurvy, 1eyed pirate here. I own a 1967 27ft irwin. mine is very nice with a lot of teak on deck and down below. the centerboard is only about seventy pounds. I hardly ever use it. the old girl sails just fine without it. look up Irwin yachts. there is a little there about the centerboard. I live on and sail all over the great lakes all summer on it, any weather any waves I love the boat. stormy seas and fair winds.


Sounds great! Still having trouble finding specs on the CB, but I will keep trying. The Owner tells me she won't point at all and she won't tack without a fight. lol


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Specs for Irwin 27': IRWIN 27 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

I have a somewhat similar boat, a Tartan 27' from 1967. Both are centerboard designed 'full keel' boats. Here is the T27 spec: TARTAN 27 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

They are similar boats in that they both are center board designs, are close in displacement, have a similar shape hull and sail plan but they differ somewhat in max. and min. draft (keel and centerboard depth). My T27 has a deeper, more pronounced fixed keel and a somewhat shorter centerboard. It sails fine without the CB in light winds but I'd not want to be without it for heading to windward.
With the Irwin 27's fixed keel depth given as 2.7' I'd bet you'll want your CB ready to use too.

The I 27 max draft is given as 7.83' and min draft as 2.7' which means that the CB has to be able to extend down 5.1' from the bottom of the hull (straight down I presume). That means that the CB is likely around 6' in total length. I think that wood is not a good choice of material for use in an application like this where the CB needs to be negatively buoyant, or sink and stay sunk.

The centerboard on my T27 has a metal frame and metal plates surrounded by FRP and weighs about 100#s and only extends down around 2.5' from our hull when extended. You definitely need to either add a lot of weight to your CB or start over with a steel frame and FRP over it.

The I 27 looks like it would be a blast on any reach with less underwater surface area (wetted area).


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## scurvy (Jul 24, 2006)

Thanks Caleb!

WE looked at a Tartan 27' on Lake Winnipesaukee. They are very nice boats indeed. Ended up with the Vega as she was a great price and another sea worthy design.

I may have to start from scratch then and just use the dimensions of the current CB. Sailing...if it were easy they would call it power boating!


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Thanks Scurvy.
Was on my T27 for a quick overnight last night with a buddy on the Hudson River near the Tappan Zee Bridge. The river water was still quite warm so even if the ambient air temperature was near 48F on land it felt more like 58F on the river which is around 68F. Days and nights spent on the boat make me completely forget how much money I spend on her and makes it all worthwhile. 

I'll guess that you will be mostly lake sailing with your I 27'? 

I've never actually sailed on an Irwin 27' so I am only guessing as to it's handling characteristics based upon having sailed on smaller and much bigger boats than my current boat which I consider to be a close but distant cousin of yours.


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## scurvy (Jul 24, 2006)

Hi CalebD!

No, I will be sailing Primarily along the Maine and New Hampshire coastline. She will be kept in Portland and we will take day trips and overnights along the many Islands alnog the way. We had the Vega in Falmouth Foreside, the Sabre in Northport and a 34' Catalina in Bristol, RI. But I grew up on Lake Winnipesaukee and it was there that I fell in love with sailing and windsurfing


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## haggerty60 (Mar 9, 2010)

scurvy. look up irwin yachts on google. enter page about centerboards and rudders. there is alink for 25 to 28 ft boats. they have biue print of centerboard and how it is put in the hull. excellent print. good luck. ps it does sail without it but will point a little with it. I can not tell much differnce in healling.


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

I think this is the link that haggerty60 mentioned: Untitled Document


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## Macushla (10 mo ago)

I had an Rwin 27 that had its centerboard jammed in the trunk it was 1/2 "thick stainless with a groove acro6its head to accept the cable. Mine had been bent about 15 degrees from flat probably by the prior owner forgetting to raise it then having the tide go out. The local fuel oil delivery company let me lay it on their concrete apron for a few days. When I got it back the board was flat and straight. I nico-pressed a new cable onto it and attached it to the through hull shaft. And it worked flawlessly. 
All the best. 
Pater


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