Island Packet Blue Jacket 40

[Cheechako]

Anyone seen this boat in the flesh? has properly built fin keel cruising boat finally arrived?
Blue Jacket 40 (BJ40) Performance Sailing Yacht | BlueJacketYachts.com

[barnakiel]

Whoa. Did not know about this one. Interesting.

b.

[SVNeko]

Was not aware of it either. Had an IP, loved it. This should be a good boat.

[Paul L]

Hard to see how the IP brand lends itself to a performance boat like this. A long way from an IP of the same size. Not a lot of tankage for a true cruiser, but enough. Turn one of those aft doubles into a garage and you'd have storage enough. Can't imagine tbe shoal draft 5'2" would perform anywhere near the std 7'6" keel. I wonder what the PHRF rating is for the std keel model. Looks fast.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Hard to see how the IP brand lends itself to a performance boat like this. A long way from an IP of the same size. Not a lot of tankage for a true cruiser, but enough. Turn one of those aft doubles into a garage and you'd have storage enough. Can't imagine tbe shoal draft 5'2" would perform anywhere near the std 7'6" keel. I wonder what the PHRF rating is for the std keel model. Looks fast.

That is why they are marketing it under the "Blue jacket" name. It will probably have the same rating as a Tartan 40.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Hard to see how the IP brand lends itself to a performance boat like this......l. Looks fast.

I agree, IP has shot itself in the foot with this one.
It looks like a production boat but with an IP price tag. Silly of them to try to compete where the market is saturated. Could have started building larger IPs. Theres plenty of rich Americans who would love an IP 60 or 65. Oyster and Swan are well over 100 feet now.
But IP want to smack their heads into Beneteau. Probably more the First series than Oceanis, but i note it displaces exactly the same as mine.

[djmarchand]

I think it makes a lot of sense. Tim Jackett, after he left Tartan wanted to do something like build a new performance cruiser. There are only 5-6 production sailboat builders left in the United States so Tim looked around and cut a deal with Bob Johnston to build the boat at IP's Largo, Fl shop. Tim would design it and it would be jointly marketed but not under the IP umbrella.

It looks different enough from the B/C/Hs but maybe not diffferent enough from the Tartan and Sabres to sell. But since there is no dedicated shop, the overhead is low so who cares.

I wish them luck. It might catch on.

David

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by djmarchand

I think it makes a lot of sense. Tim Jackett, after he left Tartan wanted to do something like build a new performance cruiser. There are only 5-6 production sailboat builders left in the United States so Tim looked around and cut a deal with Bob Johnston to build the boat at IP's Largo, Fl shop. Tim would design it and it would be jointly marketed but not under the IP umbrella.

It looks different enough from the B/C/Hs but maybe not diffferent enough from the Tartan and Sabres to sell. But since there is no dedicated shop, the overhead is low so who cares.

I wish them luck. It might catch on.

David

So for IP this works to keep the factory full? And doesn't dilute the brand?

[Hud3]

From the website....

The Blue Jacket 40 is the first in a series and has been designed by Tim Jackett (ex-President and Chief Designer at Tartan and C&C) in collaboration with Bob Johnson (CEO and Chief Designer at Island Packet). With 15 Boat of the Year award-winning designs between them, the new Blue Jacket 40 embodies the creativity and broad-based experience these noted designers have displayed over the past 30 plus years, melding the performance prowess of Jackett with the cruising focus and manufacturing acumen of Johnson and Island Packet.

It's pretty clear that the IP connection is hinged primarily on IP's reputation for top quality construction. I can tell you firsthand that it is exceptional.

We bought our IP 380 new and didn't have a single issue with the factory/construction aspect. Over the course of our ownership, we got first-class service and responsiveness from the factory as well. They go well beyond what any reasonable person has a right to expect.

[svHyLyte]

It looks like a handsome yacht but there doesn't seem to be a good sea-berth anywhere. Curvy "couches" look "nice" in plans and brochures but are poor for sleeping, No?

[Vasco]

They've taken the best of two worlds from Tartan and IP and put them together and, in my view, we end up having a boat that's the worst of two worlds. Not a cruiser, not a racer. And I bet it's going to be pricey. Cruisers who go around the cans don't mind not having a racer. Their primary concern is cruising and they can always blame the rating. . Racers, on the other hand, will not have anything that smacks of a cruiser. IP has quite a following, don't think they'll go for this boat. Racers will still stick to the C&C's from Tartan. So what's the market for this boat?

[Cheechako]

I think there are cruisers that want a performance boat. But many of those are marginally built. Heck, there are Beneteau, Hunter and Catalina blue water cruisers on this forum. If they want to move to a better boat, but not loose much performance and like a more modern design, It may be a Niche for them. Hard to say how it will s ell though for sure...like you said, new boats are all expensive. If they can price it only slightly above the other lightly built production boats, and build it strong, it ought to be a winner.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

(...) Heck, there are Beneteau, Hunter and Catalina blue water cruisers on this forum. If they want to move to a better boat, but not loose much performance and like a more modern design, It may be a Niche for them. (...)

Yep. But only IF:

- it is better,
- its price is somewhere in the range of a Bene, Hunter or Cat buyer (which, as we can read on their site, is not the case!).

The same mistake done by so many boatbuilders: they want their Hallberg Rassy to sell in quantities sold by Bavaria, preferably at prices of an Oyster. Wishful thinking. I am not buying a HR that delaminates, neither do I desire an IP with a fin keel.

And why an avenue boom with an inmast furling main? Or is it just the renderings gone berserk?

b.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Yep. But only IF:

- it is better,
- its price is somewhere in the range of a Bene, Hunter or Cat buyer (which, as we can read on their site, is not the case!).

The same mistake done by so many boatbuilders: they want their Hallberg Rassy to sell in quantities sold by Bavaria, preferably at prices of an Oyster. Wishful thinking. I am not buying a HR that delaminates, neither do I desire an IP with a fin keel.

And why an avenue boom with an inmast furling main? Or is it just the renderings gone berserk?

b.

What is the price?

[deluxe68]

I just got the price, $389K for the base boat. Ballast a little light for my taste in an offshore boat.