Design and Construction
Johnson's background in engineering shows in the IP 27's structure. The hull is solid fiberglass, laid up from mat and knitted cloth, with the forward keel edge built up to nearly an inch of solid glass to absorb grounding impacts. A structural grid of plywood floor timbers glassed to the hull and covered with a fiberglass pan forms the cabin sole — a system borrowed from racing boat construction that here delivers an unyielding backbone with no creaking or flexing. Decks are cored, joined to the hull with a solid inward-turning flange, bonded with 3M 5200 and bolted on six-inch centers; no leaks were reported from that joint over decades of service. Hardware is backed with aluminum plates, and hardware-mounting areas are left solid to prevent core crushing under load.
The centerboard version draws just two feet, eight inches with the board up, making the boat genuinely shoal and capable of being careened on a beach for repairs — a practical asset that distinguishes it from fin-keel contemporaries. With 3,000 lb of encapsulated lead aboard — 250 lb more than the original design carried — the ballast-to-displacement ratio sits near 38 percent, providing stiffness that U-shaped hull sections alone cannot deliver. Those sections give exceptional interior volume but surrender some form stability, a trade-off Johnson consciously accepted in favor of habitable space.
Rig and Handling
Under sail the IP 27 rewards patience rather than aggression. The low-aspect cutter rig minimizes heeling moment and works best with the wind on the beam, where the staysail can add ten to twenty percent boatspeed. Reaching is a genuine strength: Island Packet owners consistently report running away from larger boats in a breeze. Upwind is a different story — wide sheeting angles, limited keel lift and a relatively blunt entry combine to make close-hauled sailing the boat's acknowledged weakness. Short-tacking is awkward, acceleration out of tacks is slow, and the staysail adds windage without contributing useful drive on the wind. Light-air sailing earned a composite "poor" rating from owners surveyed by Practical Sailor — a verdict that tracks the physics of a heavy, conservatively rigged hull when the breeze goes soft. Most owners simply reach for the ignition in those conditions, and the standard Yanmar diesel makes a capable substitute; one owner claimed to be faster under power than Catalina 30s and 36s. Reversing, however, is genuinely difficult due to the long underbody, and engine access on some examples is cramped.
Accommodations
The interior is where the IP 27's reputation was made. Owners consistently describe it as the biggest little 27-footer they've ever been aboard, and the dimensions bear that out: a forward V-berth, a full saloon with settees, a practical galley, an enclosed head, and a quarterberth that doubles as an excellent sea berth. Tankage typically runs around 30 gallons of water, enough for multi-day offshore passages, though some owners wished for more. Stowage is organized rather than improvised — positive catches on lockers, drawers with high fiddles, and cubbies that take the boat well beyond the camping-out approach common in small cruisers of the era. Below the waterline, joinery quality set Island Packet apart from competing production boats: well-chosen woods, matched grains, mitered corners. The décor is distinctive and consistent across the model run, which means it is hard to change; owners who love it are at home immediately, those who don't face a cosmetic project.
Known Issues
The IP 27 is not without its survey list. Cracking in the hull laminate when point-loaded — as on jackstands or a reef — was a problem with early boats, and gelcoat crazing on first-year decks was a recurring annoyance. Chainplate leaks are the most commonly cited recurring issue: several owners reported needing to re-bed their chainplates, and buyers should budget for a thorough inspection of the through-bolted or glassed-in fittings. Osmotic blistering is comparatively rare — of more than 30 owners surveyed by Practical Sailor, not one reported hull blistering, though an owner who did encounter it on a sister model found the repair manageable given the hull's thickness. Engine access is a legitimate frustration on some configurations: getting to the starboard side of the engine without an access panel in the quarterberth requires contortion, and fuel pump work may necessitate pulling the engine entirely. Standing rigging of the correct vintage should be inspected closely, aged seacocks replaced, and wiring updated where necessary — none of it unusual for a production boat of this era, but all of it worth confirming before purchase.
Refit Considerations
The IP 27's rugged foundation makes it a rewarding boat to refit. The hull laminate's thickness and quality allow blister grinding and re-coating as a relatively simple proposition, and the structural grid construction keeps the interior rigid during deck or chainplate work. Common owner improvements include upgrading to self-tailing primary winches, switching from the standard small genoa to a larger 130-percent headsail, and adding modern navigation electronics and battery management. For those who want to simplify the cutter rig, one experienced owner advised skipping the staysail entirely and fitting the larger genoa for a more straightforward headsail setup in coastal conditions. Engine access improvements — adding a quarterberth panel, fitting an oil drain extension — are practical upgrades that pay dividends at every service interval.
The Verdict
The Island Packet 27 is among the most coherent small cruisers of its era, built around a clear set of values — robustness, interior space, seakindly motion — and executing on them without compromise. It was never intended to race, and it doesn't. What it does do, stubbornly and reliably, is provide a sense of solidity and safety repeatedly noted by owners aboard a boat that can realistically cross to the Bahamas or gunkhole for weeks on a modest budget. For shorthanded couples or buyers stepping up from trailerable boats into genuine blue-water-capable ownership, it remains a considered, well-supported choice.
Pros
- Exceptionally stout hull construction with very low blistering incidence
- Roomy interior and quarterberth sea berth for a sub-30-foot boat
- Long keel delivers predictable, confidence-inspiring motion in confused seas
- Cutter rig excels reaching and running; adds flexibility for heavy-weather sail combinations
- High owner satisfaction and strong builder reputation through the production run
Cons
- Light-air performance is poor; heavy displacement penalizes the boat in drifting conditions
- Upwind sailing limited by wide sheeting angles, blunt entry and modest keel lift
- Engine access cramped on many examples; fuel pump work may require engine removal
- Chainplate re-bedding is a recurring maintenance item requiring diligent inspection
- Short-tacking is awkward; maneuvering under power astern is genuinely challenging
