Sailing An Island Packet 32

[GIOVANNl]

The Island Packet 32 would work perfect for what I would like to do, but I have heard that the engine is the most important item on them. Is that statement correct? If it is, is it only because people want to get to their destination earlier, or is it because they cannot keep control through tacks and upwind sailing?

Thanks for your help in advance,
Giovanni

[Guitarman]

Just bought one so don't have enough experience to answer yet.

[Badsanta]

It's a nice boat. Good engine access. I think the the commit about the motor is a general one, in that most sailboaters motor too much. Not a direct commit about that boat in particular. I have the 31 that I do love, but the 32 fixed all the shortcomings. If your new to Island packets check out the "IP home port" a great source of info and a very active group.

[Group9]

The only one I have sailed on, was a good sailor. They do have rather small long keels, so they, like many cruising boats, don't point as high as a fin keel racer.

[Frankly]

I have sailed/cruised one for 13 years. Great yacht as to room, layout, and fit. Sails well (no dog, I have sailed a few dogs, but ain't no J boat either). If I am trying to get somewhere in light air motor sail, if it is blowing 10 to 20 just let her go. Plenty comfortable for a couple on two month cruises. Going to sail around the world might want a IP 40.

[missourisailor]

Owned two IP's. Still have the 35.
Also own a "J" boat.
The IP/s are not even in the same league as the "J" boat as far as sailing.
But on the other hand, the "J" boat is not an IP when it comes to comfort.

Any full keel, beamy boat will not go to weather very well. But as the saying goes, "..gentlemen don't go to weather".
Forget about pointing ability. If you can maintain a 90degree (45 off wind)tack angle, and still maintain a decent VMG, your doing very, very good.

But with that said, when the wind picks up, the IP's get reefed long after the "J". These full keel, beamy boats do like wind.

I have never buried the rail on any IP. The "J"'s rail get buried every time she's out.

I've overnighted on the "J" a couple of times. But prefer not to.
Spent months at a time on the IP's.

As to whether or not to buy a IP, kinda gets down to what you want out of sailing.
If you want comfort, then IP will not let you down.
If you desire speed and short transit times, you probably need to shy away from a full keel boat.

[YachtBroker]

Check the chainplates and fuel and holding tanks on older IP's. Both can be issues on these boats due to lack of access.

[TrentePieds]

What would be the basis for such a general statement and your consequent question? What, precisely, is it you want to do with the boat? And where, precisely, is it that you want to do it?

What, precisely, is your sailing experience, and how competent a boat-handler are you?

What is important, let alone MOST important, in a boat depends very much on what you answers are to questions such as those.

If the engine in a boat such as this is of concern to you, and you are not experienced enuff to diagnose it's problems and to monitor and supervise the rebuilding of it, then just rep[lace it with a new one. An new engine for a boat such as this will will set you back about $12K installed.

TP

TP

[CaptRory]

I've owned an IP32 and sailed it extensively for 8 years. Whenever I see this statement that they are slow and won't sail to weather, I know I am seeing a sailor that doesn't know how to trim her sail plan. A lot of cruising sailors just want to kick back, and if want to get the most out of you IP (or any boat) you need to be an active sailor. You need to keep your standing rig tuned and learn the proper sheeting angles. It makes a big difference. In general, my boat will sail 35 degrees (apparent) off the wind and make half the wind speed up to around 7 knots or so. Comparing it to a J-Boat is nothing short of ridiculous. IP's are powerful but not at all tender and you don't want to put the rail in the water, slowing the boat and putting unnecessary stress on her rig and rudder. As far as speed to destination goes, IP's are not "fair weather sailors" like a J-Boat, but are blue water cruising yachts and there is nothing slower than staying in port. Tacking them can be a bit of a challenge due to getting the jenny through the slot of the stays'l stay. That just takes practice too, and is lot easier if you actually are using the stays'l. Many don't wish to bother with it and some even take it down and go sloop rig. In my view that is a big mistake, but I get it. You can get all the support you need, learning to sail your new boat from numerous on line resources, rendezvous, and meet ups of the tight IP community. If you want a safe, comfy, blue water cruising yacht, grab that IP32, you won't regret it.

[CaptRory]

This is the wrong forum to ask this question. Go to these:

IP Home Port - The Original Website For Island Packet Yacht Owners
http://www.ipyoa.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IPYOA/?ref=bookmarks

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by YachtBroker

Check the chainplates and fuel and holding tanks on older IP's. Both can be issues on these boats due to lack of access.

to say the least. never understood why IP made these things difficult to maintain

[missourisailor]

Originally Posted by CaptRory

...Whenever I see this statement that they are slow and won't sail to weather, I know I am seeing a sailor that doesn't know how to trim her sail plan. A lot of cruising sailors just want to kick back, and if want to get the most out of you IP (or any boat) you need to be an active sailor. You need to keep your standing rig tuned and learn the proper sheeting angles. It makes a big difference. In general, my boat will sail 35 degrees (apparent) off the wind and make half the wind speed up to around 7 knots or so. Comparing it to a J-Boat is nothing short of ridiculous. IP's are powerful but not at all tender and you don't want to put the rail in the water, slowing the boat and putting unnecessary stress on her rig and rudder. As far as speed to destination goes, IP's are not "fair weather sailors" like a J-Boat, but are blue water cruising yachts and there is nothing slower than staying in port. Tacking them can be a bit of a challenge due to getting the jenny through the slot of the stays'l stay. That just takes practice too, and is lot easier if you actually are using the stays'l. Many don't wish to bother with it and some even take it down and go sloop rig. In my view that is a big mistake, but I get it. You can get all the support you need, learning to sail your new boat from numerous on line resources, rendezvous, and meet ups of the tight IP community. If you want a safe, comfy, blue water cruising yacht, grab that IP32, you won't regret it.

I assume that you are addressing my response.

If your VMG is truly half of wind speed when pinching, then either you are a better sailor than most IP owners and/or have a CB version.

Also comparing any displacement hull to another displacement hull is not ridiculous. In fact it's quite common.
What would be ridiculous is comparing an IP (displacement hull) to my "E" Scow (planning hull).
The "E" Scow can run circles around the "J". It would totally embarrass the f*#@k out of an IP crew.

I stand proud with other IP owners and defend the brand with a vengeance.
But I also know when and which fights I can win.
And thus choose my fights accordingly.

Fact is, all things being equal, no full keel boat will sail faster and higher than a fin keel.
If a full keeler is besting a fin keeler, than the crew on the fin keeled boat is inferior to the other.

There is no getting around this, so why dwell on it.
Its not a bad thing. Just one item on "dislike" column.
Other items on the "Dislike" column include, backing issues, chain plates, Al tankage..etc.

On the "Like" column:
Roomy w/ over 6' headroom.
Shallow draft
Shorter stick
Rack & Pinon steering
Stability due to width.
Over sized and engineered standing rigging.
Cutter Rigged (sometimes)
No wooden coring.
No bolt on keel.
Protected rudder.
Most (if not all but a few) have no osmosis issues.

I don't ever want to talk somebody out of buying an IP.
I just want them to know everything they can, so that they can make an informed decision.

[fred4936]

I am also curious about Island Packet boats. I have heard they do not sail to weather very well, but that may be due to other factors. Our Tartan 27 doesn't sail to windward like it should because the sails are 40 years old. I am saving my pennies. But what makes me nervous is the big transom in a following sea, or going in and out of an inlet, which we have to do to get to the ocean. They are very roomy, so i am curious to see how this thread plays out.

[Ip485]

I have a 485. I have sailed a 32 but not extensively. Never the less it has many similarities.

The truth is IPs, and especially the larger ones, are a compromise. Any reasonably llight and racey fin keeler will be quicker on all points of sailing; I know I have raced the 485; this will be even more so with a 32. However, compared with many fin keeler cruising boats, with the average crusiing sails and average crew, the 485 will hold its on fine.

Obvioulsy it loves reaching and going downwind, as someone said, gentlemen dont go to wind. Actually the 485 is ok upwind, but will again not point as high or go as fast a well tuned fin keeler.

Where I think they win hands down is that they just keep going and going and going, relentlessly. Any weather, any time and when the boat and crew get there they are ready to continue whereas most other crew are ready for the bar. Its a bit like a competition between world champion marathon runner and a SAS soldier. The marathon champion will come in first most of the time, but chuck a few buckets of sea water at him and ask him to grind it out through the night and the SAS soldier will be waiting for him at the finish line.

Of course, on the hook or in the marina foot for foot they offer more comfort than most, I might go as far as to say as anything.

In short they are a true blue water yacht. That is what they relish, that is what they were made for, to live aboard, far flung destinations, isolated coves, ocean crossings, but they will also do fine just pottering aroung the local area especially if you are staying on the boat.

Of course there are other brands .. .. .. and other ways of getting from A to A or even A to B. IPs prefer A to Z.

[GIOVANNl]

Thank you for the replies. I am happy to hear they can make good speed it properly trimmed and can sail 45 degrees to the wind. I just did not want to buy any thing that I had to motor to come cloeser than 90 degrees.

Thanks,
Giovanni