1976 Irwin 44- CSY 44 knock off..Cutter?

[gtwashio]

Greetings,

I acquired a 1976 Irwin 44, center cockpit. I had a new mainsail made by Mac Sails of Stuart and Travis, now running Mac Sails, told me my Irwin was a CSY 44 knock off, but I have a different keel.
Anyhow, I owned and sailed a Hunter Churbini 37 cutter for 13 years before making the switch last year. The 37 was a true cutter with a Yankee headsail that would not get fouled in the staysail structure when tacking.
The 44 has a huge headsail and gets fouled in the staysail so I removed the staysail and stay for the summer.
I single hand this boat, yes I'm crazy, and at times it looks like a Chinese fire drill, but I go sailing a lot.

My question is this ....has anybody with a CSY 44 converted their headsail to a true Yankee so the boat can be sailed as a true cutter? Cause closing the headsail to tack is problematic....Thoughts, please?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, gtwashio.

[CSY Man]

No, the Irwin is not CSY knock off.

[CSY Man]

Irwin’s came before CSY started building the own boats in 1977 or so.
That being, the first CSY 44 was built by Irwing, Hull #1.

[gtwashio]

Thanks for the reply.

I tried joining CSY group but ran into a software issue by trying to use Firefox.

If I am to understand this Irwin built the 44 before CSY built the CSY 44?

It has been difficult to get any information, drawings, specs etc about the Irwin 44 so I was hoping to find data based on the CSY 44

Thanks

Tom

[Montanan]

Reference Irwin 44, six separate page links: Irwin Yachts - Center Cockpit Models


Reference to the sail plan detail included in the list of links above:

http://www.irwinyachts.com/Centercoc...I44cc/I44c.jpg

[Jim Cate]

Doesn't really matter how the original was rigged, and there is nothing stopping you from changing from overlapping genoa to a full hoist yankee to be used as a double head rig in light airs. A good sailmaker cah guide you through the changeover. You might have to relocate some deck hardware, but that's not so hard to accomplish.

As you are a solo sailor, consider a self tacking staysail. I don't care for boomed ones, but there are other options that work without employing a shin breaker!

Jim

[CSY Man]

. It has been difficult to get any information, drawings, specs etc about the Irwin 44 so I was hoping to find data based on the CSY 44

Nah, different boats, different Naval architects, built by different yards..

[Mo Surprises]

I have a CSY 44 w/o with a double headsail roller furling rig (Solent rig) and a boomed staysail. I also single hand primarily. For my latest working jib UK made a 100% fairly high clewed jib. It sticks somewhat on the staysail shroud when tacking but unless it’s really light air it does not need walking around. It’s a great sail from about 10-20kts. Anything less I use the big forward jib or motor and anything more I may roll up the 100% a bit but primarily I depend on the staysail in heavy air. In 25kts or more she sails fine with just the staysail. I rarely sail her as a true cutter because at any angle off the wind the staysail tends to blanket the 100% jib and does not help much with speed. A yankee would likely not be affected by the blanketing like that.

If my staysail was on a furler I’m sure I would use it more but as it is it’s just more work to raise, lower and flake.

These are heavy boats and need all the sail area they can get in light air. My boat is also a shoal draft short rig so yours may differ. So my concern about the yankee would be the reduction in sail area and jib track sheeting angle. Your sailmaker can help with that.

And finally, it also depends on the winds in the region where you sail and how you use the boat. Nothing wrong with your current configuration. For the coastal and Bahamas cruising I do my rig works well for me.

[joeelliott]

I live in Delray FL and would like to know if you need crew?? I'm away for the summer but will be back mid Sept. Joe

[jharding]

I have a cutter rig with my staysail on a roller furler, when sailing I always pull out my staysail, easy to do and easy to tack. then when I tack the genoa slides on the staysail and through the slot no problem after genoa is tight then I let staysail tack over, very easy I single hand most time, even if other people on the boat.

[Scaramanga F25]

In my double head rig, W32, I only needed to slowly let the unreleased foresail get quite backwinded before I released its headsail sheet.

[gtwashio]

Thanks

[dmalcol1]

I haad a 135% Genoa made by Far East Sailmaker the sail has clew high not deck rapped. When unfurled to 100% genoa acts like a yankee and dose not blanket stay sail, sailing as a cutter. Make sure to request luff tape in design to help with shape. When sailing in this configuration the wind is usually 12kn or up if less than 10kn or down wind work 135% genoa is used without stay sail sailing as a sloop. Everything on a boat is a compromise.