"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
ps.com...
I wonder if Doug has ever seen a *good Irwin.*



I believe that is an oxymoron.


FYI, there are some BAD Irwins out there and some very good ones. I've
brokered both.

Even the larger Irwins--those in the 50'+ range--have serious construction
issues. Ted Irwin didn't build these boats with the same philosophy as the
higher-end builders, and it shows. If you've brokered "good" Irwins, I'd
suggest you were looking more at condition than quality of construction.

Both ericson and Irwin are known for bad decks.

So are C&C, Tartan, Catalina, Hunter, and myriad others. Any boat with a
wood core of any type in the deck layup faces that problem. Irwins, unlike
Ericsons, made some things horribly cheaply, such as locker access covers
on the side decks. Some are so thin that just stepping on them makes them
crack, and a heavy individual will go right through them. You won't find
that on an Ericson.

In fact
I've never seen an older Ericson with dry decks.

I've never seen any older boat with a wood core in the deck remain dry; not
even the end-grain balsa cores. A friend's Tartan 34 is so wet over the
forepeak that it squishes when walked upon. Irwins are no worse than others
in this regard, but the glasswork and layup quality just isn't in the same
league as more expensive boats.

Max