northern 37 sailboat review

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Northern Yachts

• Thread starter dan sundy
• Start date Sep 28, 2006
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Looking for information on Northern Yacht. Interested in the Northern 37, but can not find info on the web. Does anyone have a history of the company and? the designer of the 37?  

Northern Yachts Ltd. Northern Yachts Ltd., was a quality boat builder located in Ajax, ON. Owner was Dennis Fernice. Built the Northern 1/4 Ton, 25, 29, and 37 ketch. Heavy, good off-wind boat. Have two friends who each own one. One chap races(!) his in single-handed long distance races on Lake Ontario. Does very well, too. Believe Fernice is still alive and that he owns and operates a marina at Frenchman's Bay. Shouldn't be too hard to track him down and pepper him with questions.  

Hey Dr. Dan - found this info. May or may not be of help.This is current 2006 information from the Town of Pickering website.Northern Yachts Ltd. 1278 Wharf St. PickeringTel - 905-420-8869established - 1970Cheers,  

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Let's talk motorsailers/pilothouses

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I'm looking for ideas. Here's the parameters: Motorsailer/pilothouse. must have inside helm. Draft less than 5' Under $50K What would you buy and why? go.  

Probably mostly a BC kinda boat, but if you can find a Cooper you might want to take a good look. Have done a delivery in a 32 and believe that they had several models in the mid-30's size range. Solid boat. LB  

What length? not that I personally would want a boat with less than 5' of draft depending upon where I am going. Gulf, Fisher, nauticat are among a few that I know of with what you describe. Jeanneau has a model or two from the mid 80s that might fit your need. I would need to look it up at the owners site to verify/remember the model name. The few I have seen fit the $$ amount, not sure about the rest of the requirements. marty  

blt2ski said: Gulf, Fisher, nauticat are among a few that I know of with what you describe. Click to expand...

Pilothouse sailboats are kind of like "condoms" for sailing. I believe in going commando.  

Which is okay if you're undercanvassed.  

I don't think you'll see many Nauticats for that price.. Most of the pilothouse boats are larger boats, and as such are going to be out of your price range. IIRC, Cape Dory made a small pilot house boat, but it was a pretty rare beastie.  

Okay, here's the list of possibilities that has sorta popped up: Capital yachts Gulf 27 Capital yachts Gulf 32 Fisher 30 Willard Vega Horizon Fales Navigator Anybody have any thoughts on any of these?  

Faster said: In the Cooper line there was a 316, a 353, 416 and 502. Few 50s were built and you'd likely only find a 316 or a rough 353 under 50K. Not bad looking for a pilothouse... even the 316 is nicely drawn, but necessarily a bit bulky at that size. The cockpits are smallish, the deckhouses large and so sightlines are fairly compromised from the outside helm. These are relatively beamy hulls but with narrow ends. Fin keels and skeg rudders IIRC. US yachts bought the molds and briefly produced the US 35 and US 42.. not sure how many (or how few) were built and sold. Another short-lived outfit bought the molds of the 316 and a couple of Northwest 32s were built. The last had to be owner finished, we saw it this past summer and he did a nice job of it. Click to expand...

THere is a Gulf 27, not sure about a 29, and there is a 32 to my knowledge. as there is a 27 and 32 at my marina. Then again, if you can afford a few ie 4 $50K bills, I know of a sceptre for sail here in Edmonds wa. If you can find a Jeanneau Fantasia, they have the feel of a MS< altho not a true pilot house design. Marty  

Small Gulf Motorsailors I thought I wanted one of these for a while when I was shopping so I dug quite a bit into their pedigree. Most likely story I have been able to piece together is the Newport 27 (NOT 28) hull mold was used to make the Gulf 27, and the same hull was extended to make the 29. Newport 27 was an ok little boat but doesn't set the world on fire performance wise, and the Gulf is heavier. Still neat, maybe I'll get one when I'm 80. (and transplant the pilothouse deck onto a faster boat!)  

It was as I recall, and you mention, a newport/cc hull with a pilot house deckhousing on it. There may be a review in Good old boat in the future of a 27, i am recalling a 32 was also done recently. From the fellow that has the 27, there is a reasonably active owners site, or email list too. marty  

jrd22 said: Another great boat is Bilgewaters- I think it's a Truant 33? Click to expand...

You west coasters have a lot more choices then i see here in the east. Thanks for the input. TDW, Neptune help me, I am starting to get seriously intrigued by a Navigator or a Willard. yeah they are kind of an odd duck, but it's an interesting package. What brought this brainfart about was running the numbers from the logbook over the past three seasons. Turns out, we motor as often as we sail, and there is always some great sailing to be had in the spring and fall, providing you have some decent weather protection. Regarding draft, Long Point bay tends to get pretty skinny in the fall. Anybody in our marina who draws more than 5.5- 6' is usually hauling out by the middle of september, because the depth begins to get questionable. Which is too bad, because there was some really really great sailing right up until the end of october this year. I don't race, so speed and handling and pointing ability are not at the top of my priority list. I cruise. I tend to cruise slow. I ain't in no hurry because, as far as i am concerned, like a lot of us, i am already there.  

Heh-heh. Well played, bl!! [cue golfclap]  

And here's mine A 1980 Ta Shing Flying Dutchman Baba 35 Pilot House, designed by Bob Perry; one of about seven in the world. The thing I really like about this pilothouse is how well it integrates into the shape of the boat and the cabin. I think it's one of the best I've seen. As I was buying Perry's book on yacht design, the woman at Armchair Sailor asked, "do you have a boat?" "Yes," I replied. "We pick it up tomorrow. It's a Baba 35 Pilot house." "I hate pilot house boats," she said. I looked at her and smiled... "Well, I didn't buy the boat for you." We got the keys yesterday after a nine month search. Brigadoon has a new home, nestled against the end of Tillicum Marina, on Lake Union. I surprised my broker by wanting to move the boat today, just as a storm system was leaving. We had a dicey moment at the marina but, once we got out into the lake, it was a pretty easy shot to our slip. We took no pictures today. There was too much to do to fumble with a camera. A good friend, who is making a documentary about live aboard folk, did come along and videotape our maiden voyage. Brigadoon now sits against the doc. She's still afloat (we checked after a celebratory dinner at 9 Million in Fremont) last we left her. I'm sure I'll go by and check on her daily. We return Thursday night to settle some more things and plan on camping out on her this weekend. There's much to do. I'll be busy re-bedding chain plate covers, stopping a few small leaks, sorting out the entire boat, building a big todo list, scheduling some engine maintenance, and transitioning to moving aboard the weekend of the 13th of November. It's taken eight long months, looking at possibly a hundred boats, talking to tens of brokers, until we found Brigadoon. Thanks for listening and, as I said to Kerry tonight, "Whew! Done." "No," she replied. "We've just begun." Gosh I love her. The boat isn't bad either. Picasa Web Albums - donn.christianson - Brigadoon  

blackjenner said: Brigadoon has a new home, nestled against the end of Tillicum Marina, on Lake Union. Picasa Web Albums - donn.christianson - Brigadoon Click to expand...

Nice boat, blacky! Congratulations. The far east built boats sure have some lovely woodwork... and a damn lot of it!  

The budget, man, the budget! $50K. Tops. Even at that I may need to sell an organ.  

bljones said: The budget, man, the budget! $50K. Tops. Even at that I may need to sell an organ. Click to expand...

Black - dude, nice Baba!!! She does look super cozy, stout and capable - and there's a lot to be said for that. Perry is definitely the man. Is that a Gibson by the bulkhead? Nice! Now, Dog, baby, I've sailed a tri (a Corsair) at 17 knots - and, granted, it was fun. So I'm not in denial about what multis "can do". I'm talking about the LOOK of the boat. And I'm just saying a tri looks like a freakin' yardsale for hulls. And multis are a little wimpy in the snot. Just ask Tony B.  

Gotta agree with smacky on this one... :laugher :laugher :laugher That thing is hideous.  

Please, Please make it go away!!!!!!!!!!!  

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• Sailboat Guide

1995 Northern 37

• Description

Seller's Description

Northern Yachts were one of the exciting Canadian builders located on the north Shore of Lake Ontario in the 1970’s and 1980’s, competing with the likes of C&C, Hinterholler and CS for manufacturing supremacy. They built high quality hulls, with thick glass layups, and were known for their sturdiness.

This particular hull was purchased after Northern went out of business, and was completed under the supervision of Dennis Furnis, the creator of Northern. As such, she is one of the last few ever built.

Strongly constructed, her hull has had a complete refurbishment with Interprotect barrier coat, and 3 coats of Micron.

Over the past few years, she began a major refit in preparation for travelling south. The primary upgrade is brand new Yanmar 3JH4 engine, matched to a Campbell fixed prop for maximum performance and powers the boat at much higher speed that the original. The upgrade also includes 2 new Isotherm AC.DC front loading refrigerators and an Axiom 9 Plotter.

Equipment: Dimensions: LOA - 36.75 ft Beam - 11 ft Draft - 5.66 ft

Engine: Yanmar 3JH40X1 New 2019 Engine Hours - 50 Horsepower - 40

Electronics: Wind - Clipper AutoPilot - Raymarine P70s Wheel Pilot GPS - Raymarine Axiom 9

Sails: North 135% Furling Genoa North Main Symmetrical Spin with Pole New Harken Furler 2020

Other Features: New Genco Dodger/Bimini 2020 Atkins & Hoyle Davits not installed LED lights Stereo New Port Light Seals Steel Cradle New Isotherm AC/DC dual Refrigerators

Disclaimer The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

This listing is presented by SailboatListings.com . Visit their website for more information or to contact the seller.

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• By Mark Schrader
• Updated: August 5, 2002

Anyone viewing the pleasingly modern lines of a Tartan 37 would find it hard to believe the first production model hit the market in 1976. Remarkably, Charlie Britton, along with a very talented Sparkman & Stephens design team, effectively incorporated many features important to offshore cruising and racing in a 37-foot hull. The only thing that hints at her age is the trademark plaid-upholstered interior.

Sailing performance and quality construction in an aesthetically pleasing package have been keys to Tartan’s success as a builder. The 37 has been the most popular choice for a variety of practical reasons.

The hull is hand-laid and molded as a single unit. It is cored with end-grain balsa, tapered to solid glass in any high-stress areas (engine bed, mast step, shroud terminals, thru-hulls and keel sections). The deck is of the same construction with excellent molded-in non-skid on all flat surfaces; it is joined to the hull with a bedded, mechanically fastened lap joint that has proven to be strong and dry.

The underbody features a skeg-hung rudder, cutaway forefoot and long fin keel (Tartan did offer the 37 with a deep fin of 6’7″ draft, a Scheel keel of 4’7″ draft, and a centerboard of 4’2″ up, 7’9″ down). Two rigs were offered — a standard rig giving bridge clearance of 52’0″ and a so-called “tall” rig at 53’8″ — supported by standard 1×19 stainless steel wire rigging. With sail area of 625 square feet driving a decidedly efficient hull, the Tartan 37 was capable of competitive racing as well as impressive, comfortable 24-hour runs. As with almost any S&S design, the rudder is efficient and the hull tracks well on all points of sail.

Performance sailing to weather is excellent and the cockpit remains fairly dry, but a good dodger mounted on the molded coaming that surrounds the cockpit and extends just aft of the mid-boom traveler is a must for added shelter. Offwind performance ranks up there with the best of them. Plenty of rudder contributes to great control in full-sail reaching or running situations.

The interior is traditional but larger than you would expect with 11’9″ of beam. It features lots of teak veneer and trim with teak-battened, white Formica overhead. An insert makes the V-berth an acceptable dockside double. The head forward with sink includes a shower spigot; the arrangement is tight but functional. The starboard, main-cabin settee works well as a sea berth, and the port settee converts to a double. The double quarterberth aft is a perk you don’t usually find in a boat this size. A great galley is to starboard and a nav station to port, just at the base of the companionway.

Most 37s are powered by the 32-hp Universal 40, although the Universal 50 was originally offered as an option. Even on the early models, the engine hours tend to be low — a testament to the boat’s sailing abilities. The standard 47-gallon fuel tank provides enough range for coastal or inshore motoring.

The Tartan 37 has held its value well. Early ones (1976-1981) list and sell in the low to mid $50,000 range; newer ones (1982-1988) in the $60,000 to $90,000 range. Price differences relate to condition, equipment or year manufactured. A $50,000 to $60,000 early Tartan 37 with little in the way of equipment (or with electronics still needing an upgrade) represents good value and may even appreciate slightly, depending on treatment given and additional gear added.

When considering buying an older boat, one axiom should be held sacred: Buy a good, capable boat, one that’s proven and reliable. The Tartan 37 is one vessel that more than fits the bill.

Tartan 37 Specifications: * LOA: 37’3″ (11.35 m.) * LWL: 29’5″ (8.97 m.) * Beam: 11’9″ (3.58 m.) * Draft (deep fin) 6’7″ (2.0 m.) * Draft (shoal Scheel) 4’7″ (1.4 m.) * Draft (c’bd up/dn) 4’2″/7’9″ (1.3/2.4 m.) * Ballast: 7,500 lbs. (3,402 kgs.) * Disp: 15,500 lbs. (7,031 kgs.) * Sail area: (100%) 625 sq.ft. (58.1 sq.m.) * Mast above water: 52’0″ (15.9 m.) * Ballast/Disp: .48 * Disp/Length: 272 * SA/Disp: 16.1 * Fuel: 47 gal. (178 ltr.) * Water: 90 gal. (340 ltr.) * Holding: 16 gal. (60 ltr.) * Auxiliary: 32-hp Universal 40 diesel * Designer: Sparkman & Stephens

• More: 2001 - 2010 , 31 - 40 ft , Coastal Cruising , keelboat , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , tartan
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Jeanneau NC37 review: Polished performer gets a practical update

The second generation of Jeanneau's NC range sets out to be an even more practical, polished performer – we see if the NC37 delivers

So established has Jeanneau ’s NC range become that it’s easy to forget just what a groundbreaking new model line this was when it was launched almost a decade ago.

Designed by Italian Vittorio Garroni and unveiled in 2010, the first example was the NC11 , NC standing for New Concept.

The idea was a compact practical deck saloon vessel that would be popular in Northern Europe where one-level living and the ability to fully enclose most of the main living area would be very welcome. The boat, and the concept, proved to be a winner.

With almost 400 built, and the NC range extended across four models from 9m through to 14m, it’s time for round two.

Last year Jeanneau brought out the first of a new generation of NC models, the smaller 33, and now it has replaced the boat that started the revolution, that very first NC11, with this NC37.

Jeanneau turned again to Garroni for the styling which, while staying true to the ideals of the original NC11, is a far fresher looking boat.

The pale hull band is narrower and segues to a sharper point at the stem while the window line of the deck saloon curves upward for a softer, more contemporary look.

In common with the NC33, a black tapering stripe arrows forward from the base of that window line to the NC37’s bow, stretching the aesthetic and making it look sleeker and more distinctive.

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At the back of the boat the bathing platform is longer at 1.2m. So although the aft cockpit seat still slides – its default position is extended over the platform – it’s unlikely you’ll need more space.

That seating is a different shape, too – the old boat had a central island of seating with access either side.

The N37 gets a far larger L-shape that extends to the edge of the cockpit on one side (and features a backrest that drops flat to create a sunpad).

Read the full report on the Jeanneau NC37 in the November 2019 edition of Motor Boat & Yachting, out October 10.

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• Sailboat Reviews

A lot of boat for the money, as long as minor points like sailing performance aren't important to you.

An evaluation of the Irwin 37 threatens to expose all our prejudices about boatbuilders and cruising boats. In general we like sturdily built, finely finished, well performing boats that reflect traditional standards (if not design) and lasting value.

Irwin Yachts built boats of mediocre quality and finish and marketed them to buyers looking for as much boat as possible for the price. In every sense of the word, Irwin boats, of which the Irwin 37 is archetypal, are production boats. They were mass produced, carefully priced, simply advertised, and widely sold to a broad spectrum of customers. More than 600 Irwin 37s were sold between the time the boat went into production in 1971 and its demise in 1982.

The last version was designated the Mark V, representing the popular strategy of numbering the steps in the evolution of a design even though the changes may be minor.

From the outset the Irwin 37 was a roomy, appealing cruising boat that was once described as the Chevrolet Belair of the boat market. Her greatest appeal was to the sailor/owner who is not into tradition, sailing performance, elegance, construction details, or investment.

Irwin Yachts was considered to have the most notoriously slipshod quality control among the larger boat builders. No other boats have as poor a reputation for warranty claims, delays in commissioning, missing or incorrect parts, and mislocated hardware as Irwin. Similarly an examination of virtually any Irwin-built boat reveals details that reflect cost savings but are problems; some, in our opinion, serious (gate valves on all through hull fittings) and some trivial (through hull fittings not installed flush with the hull).

Construction

There are no basic industry standards for fiberglass construction; the primary criterion for adequate hull laminate strength seems largely a matter of in-use durability. Some builders, in the absence of such standards, overbuild their products (CSY, for example).

Irwin Yachts, on the other hand, have hulls and decks molded to specifications that are, by industry comparison, light. By our standards the Irwin fiberglass layup is minimal; that is one reason the boats have a low price. Yet basic laminate is not where cost savings are most apparent.

More conspicuous are cosmetic flaws. In two of the later 37s we looked at, there were obvious deep hollows in the bottom. These are evidently the result of pulling a still “green” hull from the mold and setting it in a four-point building cradle. The supports dished the laminate, probably permanently.

For years Irwin Yachts suffered from print through whereby the pattern of the underlying roving in the laminate was visible in the topside gelcoat. This later was considerably reduced with the use of Cormat between the roving and the gelcoat; in the later 37s we examined, print-through was negligible. This print-through remains an unsightly feature of older 37s, especially in the dark paint of the sheerstrake.

In our examination of the 37s we also noted sloppy underwater fairing around the rudder gudgeon and where the “Adapt-A-Draft” keel is attached. These types of flaws, coupled as they are with such details as protruding through hull fittings and squared off trailing edges, produces needless drag for a boat whose performance under sail is already suspect.

The earliest Irwin 37s did not have bowsprits. The result was a hazy gracelessness that was accentuated by obvious unevenness in the sheerline, unrelieved topside expanse, and Clorox-bottle styling, not to mention dimples and gelcoat blemishes. To improve performance with more sail area Irwin added a molded fiberglass bowsprit. Serendipitously the extension did wonders for the aesthetics. Less fortuitously the glass sprit also became a source of warranty claims when, if tightening the rigging caused it to flex, the gelcoat crazed.

The final version of the bowsprit is of welded aluminum. In a mid-production boat we examined, the bobstay is a threaded stainless steel rod with jaw terminals at each end. The newer boats have the rod welded between two plates on each end, a less costly fitting. As the lower end will be continually awash and thus vulnerable to corrosion, we think the welded construction is a mistake. Similarly we are concerned about the stainless steel rudder gudgeon, which has shown evidence of stress corrosion.

The Irwin 37 has a history of warranty claims against defective gelcoat—too thin (or missing), too thick, discolored, crazed, or covering voids. Where this happened in the diamond pattern non-skid deck surfaces that Irwin produced into the early ’80s, inconspicuous repair was well nigh impossible.

The problem drove Irwin dealers and new owners to distraction and fueled much of the scuttlebutt about Irwin’s poor handling of warranty claims. In the last boats Irwin put on a random non-skid pattern, easier to repair. Irwin also went to a better quality gelcoat.

Another common question about Irwin Yachts has been its hull-to-deck joint. Contrary to common industry practice, the joint in the Irwin 37 consists of overlapping flanges joined with a polyester slurry and fastened on about 6″ centers with stainless steel self-tapping screws. Most builders now use a semirigid adhesive and bolts, a technique we favor. We believe this more positive attachment is called for on boats going to sea.

The chainplates of the 37 are stainless steel webs laminated into the topsides during the hull layup. This technique was developed by Irwin and is imitated by a number of builders whose chainplates are at the outer edge of the deck. It seems to be a satisfactory installation and indeed preferable to early Irwin 37s which had the chainplates through-bolted to the topsides.

Handling Under Sail

Virtually everyone from whom we elicited information on the Irwin 37 either dismissed as unimportant or derided her performance under sail. She seems a classic example of the all-too-common cruising boat that does everything better than handle as a sailboat.

A number of owners we talked to do not seem bothered by this shortcoming. We, again with our prejudice, would be.

The Irwin 37 comes standard with a sloop rig; the roller furling genoa was an almost unanimously specified option. A cutter rig (with a club jib) and a ketch rig were two other options. In any configuration she is a boat that seems ideally suited for a couple to sail. The sail area is modest with the ketch carrying about 60 square feet more sail than the sloop, just about enough to compensate for the windage of the mizzen mast. Personally we think the cutter rig is the best answer of the three, the staysail providing a handy headsail in hefty conditions and doing away with the clutter, expense and windage of the mizzen.

Plainly the standard shoal draft keel without a centerboard is inadequate for sailing to windward. If a buyer wants shoal draft, he should consider the centerboard version. The board does thunk in its trunk when down, a harmless if annoying distraction.

Fully raised it remains quiet; what a relief in the middle of the night at anchor.

For optimum performance we recommend the deep keel. Still, do not hope too earnestly for scintillating windward work; for such joy you should consider a host of boats other than the Irwin 37.

Owners have indicated to us their willingness to accept indifferent performance under sail. However, we have heard complaints about the amount of attention the helm needs and some difficulty in steering the boat both under sail and under power (“Steering is stiff and my wife (98 lbs) has difficulty at times.”). We suspect some of this chore is the result of an unbalanced semi-spade rudder being driven by a relatively small diameter steering wheel through an aft-cabin layout that requires considerable routing of the steering linkage.

Handling Under Power

The Irwin 37 has a 40 hp Perkins 4-108 diesel engine driving a three-bladed propeller with 2:1 reduction through the after edge of the keel. That is a combination that bespeaks of performance under auxiliary power. In fact, with the standard shoal keel and that combination for power, the Irwin 37 might reasonably be labeled a motorsailer if that term had not fallen into such disfavor in recent years.

The combination also suggests that the Irwin 37 should appeal to the powerboat owner looking to sail as a way to reduce his fuel consumption without sacrificing the room and amenities of the moderate sized powerboat. Certainly we think it is a worthwhile alternative to the ad hoc conversions of sailboat hulls and rigs to sailing powerboats with their high deckhouses, awkward sail handling systems, and sundry other hermaphroditic compromises.

If performance is not a priority in the design of the Irwin 37, livability is. The Irwin 37 is a coastal cruiser for two couples or a family of four. She has the most practical aft cabin layout we have seen on a stock boat under 40 feet. The layout has remained essentially unchanged since the 37 was introduced and features a spacious aft cabin, a step-down galley, a more-than-adequate walk-through passageway, and a forward cabin that should not make its occupants feel like they are in steerage.

Fundamental to the Irwin Yachts design and marketing philosophy is that the interior should instantly appeal to women. The decor is Production Boat Contemporary: tufted velour cushions, plenty of teak, and “color coordinated” carpeting. We are not impressed with the so-so craftsmanship and unsanded finish of the joinerwork nor with the antiseptic molded hull liner, but these are details that do not immediately affect the illusion of quality, comfort, and spaciousness.

Thus the interior of the 37 minimizes seagoing machismo: there are no handrails, sea berths, navigation sanctum, or sailbag stowage. Below, with the possible exception of the gimballed stove, one can easily forget that under certain circumstances a sailboat may not always be upright or free from motion.

It would be hard to imagine being aboard an Irwin 37 at sea. There is no berth one could sleep in comfortably. The settee berth to port is too narrow and the settee to starboard is too short. One owner remarked that even when the settee berth is to leeward, a nap-taker is rolled out of it during a gentle afternoon sail.

But what the 37 may lack at sea she more than makes up for at bedtime at anchor. Both the athwartships after berth and the forward V-berth are queen-sized with 4″ mattresses. The two cabins are separated by 30 feet of boat and closed doors. Each has a private head.

There are good hanging lockers, lots of drawers, a few scuttles and assorted nooks and crannies. Yet someone forgot to build in places to store dry, warm food. For cold food there are, now get this, one front opening Norcold refrigerator (standard) and two, yes two, large top-opening iceboxes. In fact, both iceboxes are so sizable that their bottoms are difficult to reach. One of them (under the rudimentary chart table) might be better used for dry food storage except that getting at its contents would be at best inconvenient. The alternative is to use the galley icebox as a dry well and rely on the Norcold despite our longtime prejudice against using front opening boxes which depend on electrical power away from a dock. Perhaps this refrigerator is the best giveaway as to what type of cruising the 37 is best suited for.

Two other points about the interior deserve comment, one favorably and one not so. Engine access and sound insulation are among the best we have seen in a production boat, helped by removable panels on the sides of the walk-through. To check the dipstick and heat exchanger water there is no need to move the companionway ladder. In short, if the engine of the 37 seizes from lack of oil or overheats for lack of water, the owner has only himself to blame.

On the other side, the bulkhead-mounted fold-up, drop-leaf cabin table will not survive the first fall against it when a powerboat leaves a wake. It might not even withstand the weight of a rib roast. The first thing we would do after buying an Irwin 37 that still had the stock table is find ourselves a rugged, attractive fixed cabin table. (The next thing we would do is to make the seats comfortable.)

Deck Layout

The Irwin 37 is a handy boat to sail. The sidedecks are wide, the rail rises to a low bulwark forward to give a sense of security and the cockpit coaming has an opening to starboard but is low enough to climb out of anywhere. The bowsprit is designed to carry a 30 lb plow anchor housed in a roller chock.

Hawseholes (of polished aluminum, replacing the line-chafing fiberglass on older boats) are mounted in the bulwark for docklines. Oddly enough neither the hawseholes nor the roller chock give a fair lead to the pair of deck cleats.

The stanchions are mounted through the deck into blocks drilled to fit, a system that we think gives a rugged support. In early 37s the stanchions went into fiberglass tubes glassed under the deck; in later boats they go into wood blocks (saving cost and complexity). In contrast to this sturdy structure, the bow and stern pulpits are screwed on the teak rail cap. We hardly recommend that attachment.

The cockpit is small, accommodating at the most four adults at a time. Yet the seats are long enough to stretch out on and access below is easy. We are not bothered by the absence of a bridgedeck or companionway sill for safety because the cockpit is high and amidships, hence dry. Besides, Irwin’s advertising notwithstanding, we doubt if many owners would consider offshore passages, given all the limitations the 37 would have at sea.

We like the number, design, and placement of the “smoked glass” opening hatches/skylights. Like many designs that have tropical cruising and chartering as part of their destiny, the Irwin 37 has a well-ventilated interior.

On deck stowage is limited to one gigantic locker, the lazarette. The trouble is that for storing fenders, docklines, sheets, snorkeling gear, etc. as well as an odd sail or two, it would leave everything hard to get at. You cannot reach the bottom from the deck and without some owner-installed shelves, hooks, and bins the contents would be in chaos.

Conclusions

Having exposed our prejudices we hasten to add that the more than 600 Irwin 37s sold conclusively prove that many sailors do not share those prejudices.

When new in the early ’80s, the Irwin 37 was about $15,000 less expensive than, say, the Tartan 37 or the Pearson 365. A Hunter 37, by contrast, could be sailed away for about $10,000 less than the Irwin 37.

Ironically, considering the persistent badmouthing of the Irwin 37 around the waterfront, older models have retained their value reasonably well. The reason seems simple: the Irwin 37 offers many buyers what they are looking for in a boat.

And for the dollars the Irwin 37 is a lot of boat. Many owners report looking seriously at smaller boats and settling on the 37 when they (and their wives) see the spacious 37 for the same price as the smaller boat. For that price they get what they see as a summer home afloat. Deep water cruising may be a distant dream but the immediate desire is a comfortable and impressive boat for weekending and two weeks in the Bahamas, the Eastern Shore, or out of Long Island Sound.

For any boat that retains its stock features, we’d plan systematic and regular upgrading. Expect to replace the standard through-hull gate valves with seacocks or ball valves. Divide the humongous lazarette. Run the halyards aft to the cockpit when they need replacing. Build some pitch into the seats of the settees. Rebuild the “navigation station” into handy food storage. Mount a larger diameter steering wheel so you will no longer have to steer standing up or perched on the edge of your seat. Finally, take a sail on a boat meant to sail effectively to windward, just so you’ll see what you are missing.

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I’ve got an Irwin 37 CCKetch ( 1974). Bought it from a consignment yard in terrible shape. None of my stanchions are rail mounted, and my cockpit accommodates 6 adults easily. I have made modifications – moving my chainplates outboard ( alla Pacifico’s seacraft) My sail locker was already partitioned in two parts. The lazarette I like as it is. A man could make his home there. The previous owner sailed her every year ( for 9 years) from Maine to the Bahamas and back. I’ve got the customs stamps to prove that. I’m in Newport RI, and the furthest I’ve ever gone is to Yarmouth NS. A slow trek to be sure, but very comfortable. I’ve got a 100 gal diesel tank, giving me 600 nm range under power at about 6.5 knots. Yes , she ain’t no Shannon. She’s old and slow, and won’t point worth a nickel, but my wife, son, daughter and cat love her. I told her you called her mediocre. Hurt her feelings, but she’ll get over it by tomorrow’s sail.

On a 1982 37′ ketch configuration and we see the issues mentioned but feel her “Ketchup” makes up for it in size comfort and sailability.

I was owner of Irwin 37 MK V for 9 years. The article is written quite one-sided. Maybe the author had a bad day or there was a bad weather period, due to which he was sailing deprived and had to let out the frustration somewhere. Irwin boats still sail and have outlived many other boat types. My boat has always been reliable and has gotten me through all situations.

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Northern 29

The northern 29 is a 29.0ft masthead sloop designed by sparkman & stephens and built in fiberglass by northern yachts ltd. (can) since 1972..

The Northern 29 is a heavy sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has a good righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally very small. There is a very short water supply range.

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