advise appreciated

[andreavanduyn]

kelly peterson was new to us; thanks for the advise as they look good /also price wise

what is difference between the 13 and 14 meter is not quite clear to us yet; anybody knows these yachts?

[camaraderie]

Sean...as to the name, it matters little since it is so often mis-spelled but since I owned a Hirsch/Irwin 44 with the little gold Hirsch plate on the side I learned to properly spell the name. I even spelled it that way on my website when I described the boat some years ago. This is where the boat will be described
Further...here's a couple who chartered from the company's log..Walker and Nancy's BVI Bareboat History
Finally..go to the Gulfstar Owners Club...
Go to Gulf Star Owner's Club click on "library" then "models and totals" and you will see Hirsch spelled properly.

Spelling aside...the boat was constructed for the charter business like mine was. My point was not to dis the boat as a liveaboard cruiser...only to note that the reason the price is so much lower than similar aged center cockpit Water boats">BLUE WATER boats...is because of the construction. In heavy seas one can expect a significant amount of hull flex, and mast pumping and hull joint and port leaks are common. You are right...it is no worse than a lot of boats that are taken across oceans. All depends how much risk you like. We will have to disagree on this Sean...but think it is rather uncivil of you to suggest someone disregard my advice. I think the price and the venue they were built for may suggest more to Eric about whose opinion is more valid.

ERIC....I have two friends with Gulfstar 50's that have made numerous passages offshore to the islands without significant issues. These are solid boats for offshore work.

Mid-1980's Hylas44's and Tayana42CC should sell for in and around $150k and there are several T42 listings in that range now. I thought that price range was not too far off the 100k or so for a Hirsch...for real blue water boats. As far as I know, only the Whitby42's are bluewater CC boats in and around the 100k range...BUT...unless the owner specified bolt fastenings...the standard was a pop rivited hull deck joint. If looking for one of these...hold out for the bolted!

The oft cited (but admittedly incomplete) Mahina Expeditions BlueWater boat list does not include any Gulfstars but DOES include the Brewer and Whitby42's, the Norseman 447, and some of the older Amels...as the only affordable CC boats that can be found in the 100-150 price range.
Good luck on your search.

[andreavanduyn]

thank you very much Camaradie

[sailorboy1]

This is old, but still came up on my research. So Camaraderie what boat did you really have; a Irwin 44 or a Gulfstar 45? On your site it looks like a GS45, but you posted bunch of irwin 44 info on it.

[camaraderie]

It was a Hirsch/Irwin 44 as I stated above and it is almost identical to the Irwin44 bt had a fin keel with a draft of 5'4" instead of the wing shown on the brochure for the Irwin44. Interior was exactly the same . The orgininal hull graphics were different as well but it said Irwin on the hull and had the Hirsch gold plate on the cockpit riser.