The Island Packet 29 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Island Packet 29, a heavy-displacement cutter, was designed by Bob Johnson and built in the USA by Island Packet Yachts.

An Island Packet 29 sailboat on a mooring ball

The Island Packet 29

Published Specification for the Island Packet 29

Underwater Profile: Long keel with rudder on after edge*

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 20'0" (8.8m)

Waterline Length: 25'7" (7.8m)

Beam: 10'10" (3.3m)

Draft: 4'3" (1.3m)

Rig Type: Cutter

Displacement: 10,900lb (4,944kg)

Ballast: 4,800lb (2,177kg)

Designer: Bob Johnson

Builder: Island Packet Yachts (USA)

Year First Built: 1991

Year Last Built: 1997

Number Built: 64

* A centreboard version was also available

Published Design Ratios for the Island Packet 29

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 16.1

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 44.1

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 291

4. Comfort Ratio: 26.5

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.9

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Island Packet 29

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 16.1 suggests that the Island Packet 31 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 44.1 means that the Island Packet 31 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 291, tells us the Island Packet 31 is clearly a heavy displacement cruising boat. You can load her down with all your cruising gear and equipment and it will hardly affect her waterline. Not an ideal choice for coastal sailing, but she'll come into her own on an offshore passage in testing conditions.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 26.5 suggests that crew comfort of an Island Packet 29 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not the best of news for anyone prone to seasickness.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.9 indicates that a Island Packet 29 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.

More about the Island Packet 29...

Accommodation
The Island Packet 29 has a spacious and comfortable interior for a boat of its size. It has a forward "V"-berth cabin, a large quarter berth cabin aft, a U-shaped galley, a head with shower, and a saloon with a fold-down table and settees that can convert to berths. The interior is finished with teak and holly wood trim, and has nine opening ports, five deck hatches and two Dorade vents for ventilation. The boat can sleep up to six people, but is more suitable for two or three.

Sail Plan & Rigging
The Island Packet 29 has a cutter rig or an optional masthead sloop rig. The cutter rig has a bowsprit, a mainsail, a 125% genoa and a staysail. The sloop rig has a mainsail and a larger genoa. The spars are made of aluminum and the halyards are internally mounted. The boat has dedicated halyard winches, sheet winches, Harken roller furling for the jib, automatic winch reefing for the mainsail, a mainsheet traveler, a boom vang with an integral preventer, and twin backstays. The total sail area is 491 sq ft (45.6 m²) for the cutter rig and 494 sq ft (45.9 m²) for the sloop rig.

Keel Options
The Island Packet 29 has two keel options: a fixed long keel or a fixed long keel with a centerboard. The fixed long keel has a draft of 4.25 ft (1.30 m) and provides stability and directional control. The centerboard version has a draft of 7.25 ft (2.21 m) with the centerboard extended and 3.42 ft (1.04 m) with it retracted. The centerboard can improve the boat's performance to windward and allow access to shallower waters. Both keels have a ballast of 4,800 lb (2,177 kg).

Average Used-Boat Cost
The average cost of a secondhand Island Packet 29 sailboat depends on the year, condition and equipment of the boat. According to YachtWorld.com, the prices range from £39,271 to £51,076 (about $51,000 to $66,000) for boats built between 1991 and 1997.

Sailing Performance
The Island Packet 29 is designed as a cruiser rather than a racer. It has a heavy displacement, a long keel, and a wide beam that give it stability, comfort and safety in various sea conditions. It is not very fast or agile, especially to windward, but it has an easily handled cutter rig that can adapt to different wind strengths. It also has a shallow draft that allows it to explore coastal areas and anchorages that deeper boats cannot reach. The boat is well built and has good quality fittings and systems. Many owners have praised its seakeeping abilities, roominess and durability. Some reviewers have noted its common problems with chain plates, slow speed and high price.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.