Irwin 28 -3
Description
The Irwin 28 Mk III is a fiberglass masthead sloop designed by naval architect Ted Irwin and built by Irwin Yachts in St. Petersburg, Florida, from approximately 1975 to 1977. As the third iteration of the Irwin 28 series (Mk I-IV, launched in 1970), the Mk III introduced improvements over earlier models, including better interior ventilation, updated deck hardware, and slight rig tweaks for enhanced performance. Designed for affordable coastal and day sailing, it targets novice sailors and small families, offering a spacious interior for its 28-foot size, ideal for weekend trips or short coastal hops (e.g., Chesapeake Bay, Florida Keys). With options for fixed fin keel or keel/centerboard, it’s versatile for shallow waters but not suited for blue water without significant upgrades due to its light construction. Approximately 50-75 Mk III hulls were produced, part of the ~200-300 total Irwin 28 units, making it relatively rare.
Construction Details
| Designer | Ted Irwin |
|---|---|
| Builder | Irwin Yachts |
| Length | 28.000 ft |
| LOA | 28.500 ft |
| LWL | 23.000 ft |
| Beam | 9.000 ft |
| Displacement | 7800 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.500 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 37 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 12 ft |
| p | 31.67 ft |
| e | 9.75 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 ft | 12 ft | 31.67 ft | 9.75 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 31.67 ft - (9653 mm) |
| Foot | * 9.75 ft - (2972 mm) |
| Leech | * 32.61 ft - (9940 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 32.81 ft - (10000 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area | * 159.49 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 31.12 ft - (9485 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.93 ft - (4855 mm) |
| Leech | * 26.96 ft - (8217 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.8 ft - (4206 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 214.71 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 36.95 ft - (11262 mm) |
| Foot | * 19.41 ft - (5916 mm) |
| Leech | * 34.72 ft - (10583 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18 ft - (5486 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | * 332.56 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 36.95 ft - (11262 mm) |
| Foot | * 19.8 ft - (6035 mm) |
| Leech | * 33.99 ft - (10360 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 549 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 36.95 ft - (11262 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 21.6 ft - (6584 mm) |
| Foot | * 21.6 ft - (6584 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 678 ft² |
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.