Island Packet 350 Used Boat Review

Bob Johnson's 1997 design is roomy and well-made. Though slow to gather speed upwind, she carries her way gracefully. Photos by Jan Guthrie.

By
Darrell Nicholson
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2
A late-90s Island Packet 350 boiling along under her versatile double-head rig. Island Packets are known for smart layouts with the beam carried well aft. The line's full keels add to security and seakeeping. This is as near to an all-weather vessel you can find in a production boat. Pay close attention to any chainplate revisions.
Bob Johnson's 1997 design is roomy and well-made. Though slow to gather speed upwind, she carries her way gracefully.
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Island Packet 350 Used Boat Review
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Darrell Nicholson
Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.

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2 COMMENTS

  2. That’s a proper, highly detailed boat review. Not just a listing of amenities and interior storage, but full of construction and hardware details. All the main concerns a person considering a cruising blue water biat needs to know. The comforts are of less concern, and can all be tweaked. I want to know it’s safe first, livable second. Kudos on the details.