The Island Packet Estero 36 Sailboat

The Island Packet Estero 36 is a cruising sailboat that combines traditional styling, modern features, and easy handling. Launched in 2009 by Island Packet Yachts, a Florida-based company known for its full-keel designs, the Estero 36 offers a spacious and innovative interior layout, a cutter rig with self-tending sails, and a shoal draft of four feet. The boat is ideal for coastal cruising, gunkholing, or living aboard, and appeals to sailors who value comfort, quality, and simplicity.

An Island Packet Estero 36 sailboat.An Island Packet Estero 36 - note the characteristic Hoyt jib boom.

Published Specification for the Island Packet Estero 36 

Underwater Profile: Long keel

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 36'5" / 11.1m

Waterline Length: 31'5" / 9.6m

Beam: 12'4" / 3.8m

Draft: 4'0" / 1.2m

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 19,299lb / 8,754kg

Designer: Robert Johnson

Builder: Island Packet Yachts (USA)

Year First Built: 2009

Owners Association: Island Packet Owners Association


Published Design Ratios for the Island Packet Estero 36 

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 15.8

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 38.9

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 277

4. Comfort Ratio: 31.9

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.84

read more about these all-revealing numbers...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Island Packet Estero 36 

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 15.8 suggests that the Island Packet Estero 36 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go. 

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 38.9 means that unless the bulk of the ballast is concentrated in a bulb at the foot of her keel, the Island Packet Estero 36 will have a tendency to heel excessively in a gust, and she'll need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze. 

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 277, tells us the Island Packet Estero 36 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 31.9 suggests that crew comfort of an Island Packet Estero 36 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.8 tells us that an Island Packet Estero 36 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.


Any Questions?

Is the Island Packet Estero 36 still in production? If not, when did production end and how many were built?

No, the Island Packet Estero 36 is not still in production, having ended in 2014. The exact number of boats built is not available, but the company is believed to have sold 20 boats by 2012.

What is the history of the builders of the Island Packet Estero 36 and is the company still in business?

The builders of the Island Packet Estero 36 are Island Packet Yachts, a company founded by Robert K. Johnson in 1979 in Florida. The company started with a 26-foot boat based on the molds of the Bombay Express, and then expanded its range of full-keel cruisers over the years. The company is still in business and currently produces seven models, ranging from 35 to 52 feet.

What sail plan and rigging options are available for the Island Packet Estero 36?

The Island Packet Estero 36 has a cutter rig with a self-tacking staysail on a Hoyt Jib Boom and a roller-furling genoa. The mainsail is also roller-furling and has a single-line reefing system. The mast is deck-stepped and has double spreaders and an air draft of 48 feet.

What keel options are available for the Island Packet Estero 36?

The Island Packet Estero 36 has only one keel option, which is Johnson's patented full-foil keel. This is a long, shallow keel that integrates the rudder and propeller in an aperture. The keel has a draft of four feet and a ballast of 7,000 pounds.

What is the Island Packet Estero 36 like to sail?

The Island Packet Estero 36 is designed to be easy to sail, especially for short-handed crews or couples. The self-tending staysail and roller-furling sails make sail handling simple and reduce the need for winches. The boat has a moderate displacement of 18,500 pounds and a sail area of 708 square feet, giving it a sail area to displacement ratio of 15.6. This means that the boat is not very fast or powerful, but rather stable and comfortable. The boat performs well in light to moderate winds, but may struggle in heavy weather or upwind.

What is the average cost of a secondhand Island Packet Estero 36?

The average cost of a secondhand Island Packet Estero 36 depends on the year, condition, equipment, and location of the boat. According to YachtWorld.com, as of December 2021, there are four boats for sale in the US, ranging from $199,000 to $249,000. The average asking price is $224,250.

What other sailboats have been created by the designer of the Island Packet Estero 36?

The designer of the Island Packet Estero 36 is Robert K. Johnson, who has created all of the Island Packet models since the company's inception. Some of his other sailboats include the IP SP Cruiser (a motorsailer), the IP Blue Jacket 40 (a performance cruiser), the IP PY Cruiser (a pilothouse yacht), and the IP flagship IP 520 (a bluewater cruiser).

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


Other sailboats in the Island Packet range include:


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