Irwin Free Spirit 21
Description
The Irwin Free Spirit 21 (built 1977–1979, ~150 hulls) was a compact, swing-keel daysailer/weekender designed by Ted Irwin as an affordable, trailerable “big little boat” that combined surprising interior space with nimble performance. With an LOA of 21′0″, beam 7′10″, and a light displacement of just 1,850 lbs (700 lbs ballast in the swing keel), it draws only 1′2″ board-up or 4′6″ down, making it easily launched and beachable. The masthead sloop rig carries 195 sq ft of sail (SA/D ≈ 19.5), giving it genuinely quick and responsive handling—many owners report planing in 15+ knots—while the high freeboard and small cuddy cabin offer a V-berth for two, sitting headroom, and space for a portable head and tiny galley.
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 24 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 8 ft |
| p | 24.50 ft |
| e | 8.60 ft |
| p2 | 40.50 ft |
| e2 | 14 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 ft | 8 ft | 24.50 ft | 8.60 ft | 40.50 ft | 14 ft | - | - |
Sails
Irwin Free Spirit 21 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 24.5 ft - (7468 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 8.5 ft - (2591 mm) |
| Leech | * 25.54 ft - (7785 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 87.99 ° |
| Diagonal | * 25.65 ft - (7818 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4 in - (102 mm) |
| Area | 104 ft² |
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Irwin Free Spirit 21 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 20.62 ft - (6285 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 10.63 ft - (3240 mm) |
| Leech | * 17.84 ft - (5438 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.2 ft - (2804 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 94.81 ft² |
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Irwin Free Spirit 21 - GENOA
| Luff | * 24.48 ft - (7462 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 12.95 ft - (3947 mm) |
| Leech | * 22.99 ft - (7007 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12 ft - (3658 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 146.87 ft² |
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Irwin Free Spirit 21 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 24.48 ft - (7462 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 14.4 ft - (4389 mm) |
| Foot | * 14.4 ft - (4389 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 299.64 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.