Modifications
Orion is no longer the same as a production Irwin 10/4. Our understanding is that her first owner made modifications with the help of Ted Irwin, her designer. I have not confirmed this as a fact, since I was not able to find the original owner. It was information passed on to me from the former owner. We do have some drawings for the changes along with manuals and papers.
She would probably now be classified as a heavy cruiser. Her modifications include the following: - Keel, skeg, rudder and hull
- The keel was lengthened, creating a cut away full keel with 3.8 ft draft
- Increased keel weight to (?) lbs (Unknown amount of additional lead added)
- A large, thick, metallic wing was added to the keel's base
- Skeg lengthened
- Rudder lengthened
- Wheel and steering machinery replaced by tiller
- The hull was also reinforced
- Cockpit
- Widened seating area is 360 degrees of the reduced cockpit well and companionway
- The only thing passing through the cockpit well are the engine controls (water tight)
- Weather boards are now solid (not vented)
- Cockpit well drains have been enlarged
- Lazarettes are all gone except at the stern where they are sealed off from the interior of the boat
- Coaming has been raised along with winches by glassing and large teak boards
- Galvanized stern railing
- Interior
- Original galley sink replaced by a double sink low and close to the hull
- Parque deck added in front of sink for sit-down access to sink
- Propane gas stove installed just fore of sink (starboard bunk is now a seat)
- Any bulkheads toward the stern were removed to allow access to space formerly lazarettes and behind the engine
- Rigging
- Two additional winches were added
- Mast and boom replaced with heavier version
- An inner fore stay was removed at some point
- Fore stay to end of bowsprit is doubled
- Miscellaneous
- Upgraded head model with holding tank
- Reservoir for fresh water added to provide gravity feed to faucet
Layout when purchased
Current Layout
History
We think Orion has had three or more owners before us. The former owner has confirmed that the owner he acquired Orion from lived on board for about seven years. During that period, he met his wife to be at the dock where Orion was moored. He not only sailed Orion to the Bahamas, but was also responsible for the major modifications to her design. Since he worked at the Irwin production plant on Florida's west coast, I am told that he was able to consult with Ted Irwin on the modifications he made. Only the owner previous to us stays in touch, and I believe he is the one that sailed her most extensively. Through him we learned that Orion and he have sailed extensively in the Florida Keys, around the peninsula, to the Bahamas and the Dry Tortugas numerous times, and made one solo voyage to Bermuda and back. He installed Orion's current running lights, having salvaged them from a South African boat named Tina. This was accomplished on the very day it was to be towed out and sunk off the coast of Cape Canaveral to help form an artificial reef. Tina was sailed from South Africa to Florida, and the owner wrote a book about it. Tina, by Bruce Whiteley, 1973 There is actually a second unpublished book, Tina Goes Home, about the adventures that Tina had sailing back to Africa, and my guess is that a number of Atlantic crossings took place. I, myself, plan to read about them, since I recently received this information.We have made some short trips with Orion around the Caloosahatchee River, San Carlos Bay, and Sanibel Island to Cayo Costa. It takes time to get to know your boat when you sail several hundred miles from where you live and work. It is about time for us to go on a longer journey. The only thing holding us back at this time is hurricane damage repair work. Orion survived hurricane Charley just south east of the eye wall. Our guess is that most of the damage was due to the high wind, since the storm surge was much less than predicted. Orion was heeled over extremely during the storm with excessive pressure being placed on the life lines. Unfortunately, they were not loosened before the storm. Her bobstay also parted at the breakwater, but her mast did not come down. After the mast was secured, she experienced high winds from two other monster hurricanes.