Opinions please on a 1978 Islander Freeport 41

[ty.gregory]

This Ketch talks to me. Very well maintained. Sails are in good shape, engine rebuilt. I am hoping to get some feed-back from people who know this model boat.

Thank you,
Ty

[Nicholson58]

LIKE THIS? Pretty Yar.

https://www.google.com/search?q=1978...w=1142&bih=712

[Roy M]

Look in the bilge. Yeah, that's where the engine is. What do you think happens when the bilge pump fails? Therefore, don't depend on that one small bilge pump that sits, along with its float switch, in the least accessible part of the boat, and subject to the worst possible consequence. How do I know? I've made a lot of money rectifying that issue. Don't be a victim. Ensure that there is no way there can be ANY chance of bilge flooding.

[ty.gregory]

Now we're talking. Good point! Thank you.

[Roy M]

By the way, the engine comes out nicely with the mainsail halyard through the companionway, once you have chainhoisted it up and slid it aft a little. It's a good motivation for replacing the bilge pump AND adding a second one on a second battery for good measure.

Also, after we got the engine running again, it mysteriously shut off. I had the foresight to install an outboard motor fuel pump squeeze bulb between the tank and the filter to speed up the bleeding of air. The bulb was discovered to be collapsed. The only cause possible was a blockage of the fuel pickup tube in the fuel tank. I turned the bulb backwards, blew the wad of (what we later discovered to be) fiberglass matting out of the tube, then returned the orientation of the squeeze bulb to normal. Since then I always install these squeeze bulbs for my diesel installs. It really speeds up clearing the air and transferring fuel to the filter.

Murphy's Law hasn't been repealed. If it's important, have a backup, and even a backup for the backup. Murphy was a real person, an engineer on the early rocket sled experiments leading to the space program. He had an unusually high success rate for his experiments because of the precautions he took to protect his subjects.

[Terra Nova]

Though I've been on Freeport 36's and 41's, and sailed extensively on an Islander 36 and some on an Islander 30, I have never sailed on the 41. With all respect to their owners, the Islander's were considered only OK, an entry level boat. Attractive designs. Rudder armatures were 1 weakness to watch out for. I think the 41 was considered a dog, performance-wise.

[ty.gregory]

Good to know. I appreciate the responses so far. Thank you, all!

[Ukeluthier]

I made a coastwise passage on one from Hilton Head to Annapolis back in the late '70s, and a friend later bought one to live aboard on the Chesapeake.

They make a great liveaboard, but the light-air performance was lacking for sailing on the Chesapeake. Also was extremely slow to come about.

I remember it being seakindly out in the Gulf Stream chop with the wind blowing against the current, but the interior layout compromised its utility offshore (lack of good sea berths and hand-holds).

With its big diesel, it always seemed to me to be more of a motorsailer than a pure sailboat.

[casual]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/697614560261293/
This is a link to a facebook Islander owners group. May Help Good Luck