Island Packet 420 - Opinions?

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Yes, I expect to.
But I go to thinking, quite a few very high end boats made in very well established yards are aluminum, if a boat made from aluminum will last sitting in salt water for decades, why can't a water tank">fresh water tank, assuming you are careful to remove chlorine?

Aluminim boats can also develop corrosion if there are dissimilar metals contacting it. I have never researched metal boats but have read a few articles on the pros and cons of steel or aluminum hulls versus fiberglass. Galvanic corrosion can eat thru aluminum fairly quickly. When I had a Beneteau 36.7 at Brickyard Cove in Pt Richmond there were a few boats that lost their saildrives. The Beneteau dealer had several boats there and their manager told me that the dredging increased the temperature of the water and encouraged stray currents somehow. He said the right conditions could cause a failure of the saildrive aluminum housing in less than a week.

[rostyvyg]

My point is, there are people bashing Island Packets who have no personal experience with particular models. Every boat designer tries to constantly improve based on owners' feedback. The Island Packet 420 is an evolutionary product of such refinements and many earlier complaints plainly do not apply. If not for holding tanks corrosion this would be one of their best models since the later ones are just way too large without adding useful space. If someone can find an Island Packet 420 with holding tanks replaced (polypropylene) there is little else he or he should be worried about. It's a very fine cruising boat speaking both of design and construction quality. Right on par with Halberg Rassy, Amel, Hylas, Discovery, Contest and other cream of the crop of pure cruisers.

[RideTheTrades]

In case someone is reading this thread from 2017 and looking for an IP420, we have your new boat for sale in New Zealand!

www.islandpacket420.com

Available as of May 2020

[captprogreso]

Ok my neighbour in the marina has a ip (think is a 38), the boat was abandoned on a reef near colombia, somewhat the boat manage to getting loose by himself and was drifting until it get caught again by the cozumel reef. The boat was in bad conditions but still floating and with the mast up. My friend bought the boat from the insurance company and now after some work look as new.