About to buy an Irwin

[JayMan]

Greetings all!
My wife and I are new to the forum, looking forward to getting acquainted with everyone!
We are new to sailing and are about to buy a 1986 Irwin 43 Mk I. We are planning on moving aboard in January and sailing of together.
We have a lot to learn and a lot to get done!
Jay

[Adelie]

Welcome to CruisersForum!

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

[dkenny64]

I hope you enjoy it. we have an '86 Irwin 43 and love it.
where are you located?


=dkenny64

[JayMan]

We live near lake Tahoe but the boat, if we buy it, will live in a marina in the California Bay Area.
What sort of sailing are you doing on your Irwin? My wife and I want to live aboard and sail to the Caribbean but it seems like everyone has something negative to say about the Irwin's.
Jay

[dkenny64]

then can say what they say.. there is no perfect boat..
we are in NC. have gone to cheseapeak and places in SC..
we're looking to lots more sailing this fall and next spring
former owners took ours to Bahamas every year..


How is your rigged? sloop/cutter/ketch?
we can take this offline if you'd like.


I've made lots of changes upgrades.


also if you do Facebook. there is Irwin group.. they are a hugh source in info.


-dkenny64

[MGRodems]

We have an Irwin 43 MKIII 1988. Have sailed it over 4,000 nm over the past 3 seasons. Started on Great Lakes, went through canal to NY and up to Maine and then down to Chesapeake. Added solar, inverter, staysail and much more. Great coastal cruiser. Going south on ICW to FL and the Bahamas later this year.

[stormalong]

Jay, You say nothing about your sailing experience or your mechanical skills. Adding that information would help forum participants to give you advice.

Boats are very maintenance intensive. They are not like a car that you buy and drive away. A 1986 boat from any builder needs a very close examination (survey). A lot depends on how well it has been maintained and if it has been upgraded. Also, a boat of that age will have difficulty obtaining insurance.

To get to the Caribbean you will need to either go through the Panama Canal or do three quarters of a circumnavigation. It might be a better idea to purchase on the east coast of the US or even a boat already in the Caribbean.