Island Packets are full keel, beamy cruisers with a loyal following, and Practical Sailor's reviews of them are mostly kind. The things to check are the encapsulated keel, the chainplates and, on the IP 350, the rudder.
The encapsulated keel
Practical Sailor calls Island Packet "probably the most familiar builder today" using an encapsulated ballast keel, where the ballast sits inside the moulded keel shell. As long as the glass and coatings are intact, it needs no special seasonal care. But fibreglass is permeable, and on some boats water finds its way to the ballast. If the ballast is iron, it rusts and expands.
Practical Sailor's chief concern is grounding damage, which can be minor enough to pass for chipped paint. Even superficial gouges in the gelcoat let water into the laminate. Its repair: grind out, fill, then at least four coats of two part epoxy primer as a barrier coat.
Where to look. The bottom of the keel shell and its leading edge for gouges, cracks and old filler; rust streaks running from the keel; and blisters or soft spots on the shell. Moisture readings on the keel shell help, compared against the hull above it.
Chainplates
On the IP 350, introduced in 1997, the chainplates are outboard. Their anchors are stainless angles welded to the underdeck flange and tied to the hull with a fan of fibreglass tape reaching almost to the turn of the bilge. Practical Sailor's advice: pay close attention to any chainplate revisions.
Where to look. Rust weeping, cracked gelcoat or deck movement around each plate, and the tabbing below. Ask for the invoice and the material of any replacement. See chainplate crevice corrosion.
Rudders on the IP 350
The 350's rudder is foam between fibreglass skins on a 2 inch stainless shaft with a steel weldment. Some owners told Practical Sailor the foam had developed voids, deformation or delamination. Island Packet said it now pays more attention to sealing the seam between the rudder halves, checks the foam for voids and measures each rudder in a jig.
Where to look. Moisture readings over the blade, the seam between the halves for cracks and weeping, tapping for voids, and the blade's shape against its twin or a straightedge. See water in the rudder.
What else the reviews say
Island Packet developed its own gelcoat, uses vinylester resin under the waterline and gives a 10 year warranty against blistering, Practical Sailor notes. The recurring complaint in the reviews is slow upwind performance. That comes with the full keel and beam, and it stays out of the report.
What to check on an Island Packet
| Area | What to look for | Source of the concern |
|---|---|---|
| Keel shell | Gouges, cracks, old filler, rust streaks | Practical Sailor on encapsulated keels |
| Ballast inside the shell | Signs of water or swelling iron | Practical Sailor on encapsulated keels |
| Chainplates | Revisions, rust weeping, tabbing below | Practical Sailor, IP 350 review |
| Rudder on the IP 350 | Voids, deformation, delamination of the foam | Owners in Practical Sailor's IP 350 review |
Writing it up
"Keel shell, leading edge at the foot: gouge about 150 mm long through the gelcoat into the laminate, light rust staining below it. Recommend the damage is ground out, dried and filled, and the area barrier coated with two part epoxy before relaunch." On an encapsulated keel, note whether you could see ballast or rust in the damage.