Island Packet Closing doors

[Celestialsailor]

I'm surprised you even have to ask that question on this forum.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Personally I would be even more amazed than you if I got these results out of your boat however rather than amazed I would tend to use the word...unbelievable! !

I have heard that the 44 was their best sailing boat. Edit, found the PHRF rating, 140. Ugh.

[missourisailor]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

I have heard that the 44 was their best sailing boat.

My numbers show that the 27 was their best seller. Followed by the 31 and 38 respectively.

The 44 was nearer to the bottom.

NEVER MIND!!!
I miss read your post.
Thought you said "selling" instead of "sailing".

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by reed1v

The Hinckley people will be distressed hearing someone calling the IP a close alternative. The IP boats are light weight and tender for their size. Motion comfort is none existence in a seaway. There are a bunch of them up here in Maine that have been for sale and unsold for years. Too much freeboard, ugly transom, and funny cockpits. Now down below is great, better than a mobile home.

Their 44 weighs 27,000 lbs, my 43 weighs 24,000 pounds. So I would not consider them to be lightweight. The reason they are tender is that their ballast is not lead and is located fairly high. They used to use a concrete and iron mixture in their keels. I think at some point they started using lead but they just tossed big chunks in the keel void and poured concrete, epoxy or whatever to enclose the weights.

[Greene]

"Let's kick that man while he is down!"

I understand IP continues to sell "old" designs and holds on tightly to some odd construction ideas which along with the economic climate is aiding in their potential demise. But, as a couple of beginning cruisers (on a mini-budget) we owe IP a lot of gratitude. They have made some rock solid little cruising boats that age well and allow people such as us to live and cruise aboard a safe, reliable platform. Is the IP styling everybody's cup of tea? No, but they have appealed to many sailors including us aboard our little IP 31. Slow, steady and comfortable works for us. Would we like the submarine ability, helicopter rotor attachment, cappuccino holding tanks, telescoping mast and all the other whiz-bang options available in new designs? Heck yeah, but we can't afford them or need them. Give us a 30 year old IP and we'll anchor in the same beautiful bay watching the same brilliant sunset.

Kick them while they are down if you will, but we will be sorry to see another option for sailors disappear.

Mike and Brenda

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

Their 44 weighs 27,000 lbs, my 43 weighs 24,000 pounds. So I would not consider them to be lightweight. The reason they are tender is that their ballast is not lead and is located fairly high. They used to use a concrete and iron mixture in their keels. I think at some point they started using lead but they just tossed big chunks in the keel void and poured concrete, epoxy or whatever to enclose the weights.

Which explains why they seem to sail on their sides and heel over in their slips.

[Tayana42]

I can't understand where all this vitriol is coming from. I don't own an Island Packet and never have but I have always admired them. I like the esthetics that look more like traditional work boats and less like flying saucers. And I like their reputation as stoutly built quality boats. The IP is on my short list if I ever decide to move up. I now have a great boat (Tayana) built to high standards and I could not consider buying a boat of lesser quality.


S/V B'Shert

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Which explains why they seem to sail on their sides and heel over in their slips.

Maybe next time you lather on the crap, use a wider spreading knife.

[Eder]

Not a clue comes to mind.

[MikePz]

I also sail an IP31. This is my 5th sailboat , 23 Hunter, 25 O'Day, Catalina 30, IP 26 MK II. IP 31. I loved to sail all of them, now I'm enjoying the 31, tough, comfortable , and can sail in weather when others stay at the dock. Everybody has an opinion, so to those who own or have owned IP's, let us know what you think about them, good or bad...Thanks and keep on sailing!!!

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Maybe next time you lather on the crap, use a wider spreading knife.

Compare the IP to the Pacific Seacraft, just vastly different boats selling for the same price. The PS is so superior to the IP its not even funny. Go ahead. Look it up on : https://web.archive.org/web/20140328.../sailcalc.html

So how you coming along in Mexico?

[clockwork orange]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

I have heard that the 44 was their best sailing boat. Edit, found the PHRF rating, 140. Ugh.

Ugh indeed.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Compare the IP to the Pacific Seacraft, just vastly different boats selling for the same price. The PS is so superior to the IP its not even funny. Go ahead. Look it up on : https://web.archive.org/web/20140328.../sailcalc.html

So how you coming along in Mexico?

OK, lets do a quick compare.

IP38 33 ft waterline, 21500#
PS 37 27.75 WL, 16000#
IP45: 38 ft waterline, 32000#
PS 45: 33.5 WL, 27500#
IP 31: 27.75 WL, 11000#
Pac Seacraft 31: 24.2 WL, 11000#

Bottom line, all 3 IP boats have significantly longer waterlines which allows more payload to be carried and faster speed. I've always felt the PS line is even more outdated than even the IP's.

[Ribbit]

Dad bought a set of 6 oak dining room chairs from Ikea, and they weren't very good after 2 years.

Price up front was cheap, price per year was very expensive.

I don't have an axe to grind either way (if it floats, I like it), now for the 'but'.

I've been involved in the construction industry a fait bit (started as a Civil and Structural Engineering QS/Surveyor), and as such, most of the 'modern' wonders of the boating industry, remind me of Prefabs. We had a lot of them in Britain after the war (most torn down in the 1970's, after they stood up more than 3 times their design life). Even though the people living in them loved them, they were pulled down as 'eyesores'. Not modern enough for people who had to look at them (yet look at 1960's 'styles' now eh?).

I was a fan of 'Prefabs' from the time I saw Buckminster Fuller's work in the field (from the 1920's on).

To me though, these modern 'Prefabs' completely miss the point of the system. Instead, it's all about glitz and marketing, with a layer of "Oooooh! SHINY!" laid on top, and "This years colours are so out of style, you MUST buy next years!"

IF (big if) the Market was functioning properly, these 'Prefab' boats should be as cheap as chips to buy, and getting vast numbers involved in boating.

Instead they are doing the opposite, and you do have to wonder why.

If that makes me a 'grandad' I could really care less.

Because being a 'grandad', obviously means I am not being suckered into allowing some smooth talking sales schmuck, to burrow their way into my wallet (they aren't going to get their cut out of subprime boat loans either!).

So I'll pass, thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-JKWDC6fDs

Been there. Done that. Got the T Shirt.

[Island Time O25]

I was thinking the same thing. That considering the conveyor belt nature of today's production run, including the automation involved in the mold/plug production, the modern white plastic no frills boat should be sold by weight with maybe some additional price adjustment for custom cushions, hardware, etc. There is no market based reason (other than slick marketing BS) to price a 12,000lbs boat $200K, $300K, $400K or more if her per pound manufacturing cost is $2, $3 or at most $4-$5. So if it costs $30,000-$60,000 to make 12,000lbs boat why is the manufacturer not content with $40,000-$60,000 profit? If they discard all of the slick marketing BS and all the annual boat show expenses and what not and just sell the bare or semi-bare 35-40ft NEW boat on e-bay for $100,000 that would be a market revolution worthy of Henry Ford.