THE BOAT WIKI by Lady K

Island Packet 38

Island Packet

Model specifications and source information

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Production years
1986–1993
Designer
Bob Johnson

Dimensions & rating

LOA
41' 6"
Beam
12' 8"
Displacement
21,500 lb
Draft
Fixed full keel 5' · Centerboard 4'
Keel type
Full keel / Centerboard
Mast step
Keel-stepped↗

The quick verdict

The Island Packet 38 is a heavy, well-built full-keel cutter that owners and reviewers describe as safe and comfortable rather than fast. Expect to check the glassed-in chainplates and aluminum holding tank carefully, since both are common, costly issues on this era. Asking prices for used boats vary widely, from about $58,500 to $151,000 in current listings.

Heavy, solidly built full-keel hull; Voluminous storage and utilitarian layout; Holds its resale value well; Owners often report being very satisfied

Slow, not built for upwind speed; Glassed-in chainplates cannot be inspected easily; Older examples need close condition checks; Glassed-in 304 stainless chainplates, prone to crevice corrosion; Aluminum holding tanks corrode; replacement means tearing up the cabin sole; Deck delamination should be checked on used boats

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Standardized sailing characteristics

Comfort at Sea

31.77

Raw Brewer Motion Comfort Ratio, a comparison of design motion at sea. It does not rate cabin space or guarantee comfort.

Measurements

Rig diagram & sailing measurements

Rig dimension reference
Rig measurement diagram showing I, ISP, J, P, E, PY and EY
General rig reference. PY and EY apply to boats with a mizzen mast.
D/L · DISPLACEMENT TO LENGTH267
CSF1.82
Below 2.0: generally meets the traditional offshore screening guideline (not a seaworthiness rating).
Waterline length33'
Ballast10,000 lb
Air draft51'

Construction & Equipment

Hull & Deck

Hull below waterline
Solid fiberglass (uncored) ↗
Hull above waterline
Solid fiberglass (uncored) ↗
Deck construction
Fiberglass sandwich laminate ↗
Hull-to-deck joint
mechanically fastened · stainless fasteners ↗

Production history

Number built: 188

Original

1986–1993

Full specifications

Every figure links to the page it came from. Anything not shown is not yet confirmed by a published source.

Identity

Builder
Island Packet Yachts sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Designer
Bob Johnson sailboat-cruising.com ↗
goodoldboat.com gives the designer as Robert K. Johnson.
First year built
1986 sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Wikipedia Island Packet Yachts model list gives 1986 as well.
Last year built
1993 sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Wikipedia Island Packet Yachts model list gives 1995 as the end year; builder-side figure used first.
Country built
USA sailboat-cruising.com ↗
goodoldboat.com places the build in Largo, Florida.
Hull type

Hull measurements

Length overall
Length on deck
Waterline length
Beam (widest)
12.67 ft goodoldboat.com ↗
Equals 12'8" as stated on the other page.
Draft (standard keel)
Draft (alternate keel 1: shoal / wing / centerboard up)
4 ft sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Centreboard version, board up.
Draft (alternate keel 2: deep / centerboard down)
7.58 ft sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Centreboard version, board down (7 ft 7 in).
Draft with board / keel / daggerboards raised
4 ft sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Centreboard version only.
Air draft (clearance height)
51 ft goodoldboat.com ↗
Mast height above waterline used as the closest stated value.
Displacement (light / design)
21,500 lb sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Published design displacement; light weight not separately stated.
Ballast weight
Ballast material

Construction

Hull material
Hull cored below waterline
No sailingmagazine.net ↗
Hull described as solid laminate.
Hull cored above waterline
Deck core material
Polycel kevinsworkbench.com ↗
Owner's manual summary. Sailboat-cruising.com says end-grain balsa; the builder's manual is used first.
Hull-to-deck joint
Bolted sailingmagazine.net ↗
Also bonded with adhesives.
Structural grid / pan liner
Molded interior grid structure sailingmagazine.net ↗
Keel type
Full sailingmagazine.net ↗
Long keel; a centreboard option was also offered.
Keel material
Keel attachment
Encapsulated goodoldboat.com ↗
Rudder type
Steering type

Rig and sails

Rig type
Cutter sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Sailing Magazine calls it a cutter-rig sloop.
Mast material
Mast stepping
Sail area (base / working)
734.3 sq ft seasailmakers.com ↗
Converted from 68.22 m². Sailrite page gives a different foretriangle plus main total.
Rig dimension I (foretriangle height)
Rig dimension J (foretriangle base)
Rig dimension P (mainsail luff)
Rig dimension E (mainsail foot)

Engine, propulsion, systems

Original engine make
Fuel capacity
Fresh water capacity

Accommodation

Berths (total)
7 sailboat-cruising.com ↗
Occupancy figure, not a builder-stated berth count.
Heads (count, enclosed or not)
Navigation station
Headroom (saloon)
6.33 ft sailingmagazine.net ↗
6 ft 4 in converted to decimal feet.

Practical ownership

Known issues (sourced to magazines / associations)
Chainplates hidden in hull; deck delamination checks advised sailingmagazine.net ↗
Strengths (sourced)
Solid construction, storage and comfort, seakindly motion sailingmagazine.net ↗
Owners' association link
Https://www.ipyoa.com sailingmagazine.net ↗

Calculated from the figures above

Sail area / displacement ratio
15.2
Calculated: sail area divided by (displacement in lb / 64) to the power 2/3, using the published sail area and displacement above.
Pounds per inch of immersion (estimate)
1494
Estimated, not measured: waterline length x beam x 0.67 (typical waterplane coefficient) x 64 / 12, using the published figures above.

Surveys and Market Value

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