Island Packet 29 Buyer's Guide
The Island Packet 29 is a Bob Johnson design built by Island Packet Yachts in the USA between 1991 and 1997, with 64 examples produced. As a heavy-displacement pocket cruiser of just under 32 feet, she draws a shoal 4.25 feet on the fixed long keel or 3.42 feet retracted with the centerboard version, making her a common choice for couples and solo sailors who prize volume and seakeeping over windward speed.
Layouts on the Used Market
Most used Island Packet 29s on the brokerage market carry the standard cutter rig with bowsprit, 125 percent genoa, and staysail, though a masthead sloop rig with a larger genoa was a factory option. Both keel forms appear: the fixed long keel and the long keel with retractable centerboard, the latter favored by owners who want a 7.25-foot draft for windward work yet a shoal retreat. Below decks, the forward V-berth, U-shaped galley, saloon with fold-down table and convertible settees, aft quarter berth, and head with shower remain consistent, finished in teak and holly with nine opening ports and five hatches for ventilation.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A used 29 commonly carries a chartplotter, air conditioning, a bimini, dodger, and hot water as factory or early owner fitments. Often-seen additions include dinghy davits, AIS, autopilot, solar, and a shorthanded sail-handling setup—the last reflecting the boat’s appeal to solo and couple cruisers. Less common but possible owner upgrades are a heating system, inverter, or an asymmetric spinnaker for light-air passage work. For a buyer, the presence of solar and autopilot signals a boat already provisioned for extended anchorages and short-handed voyaging, while air conditioning points to a primarily warm-climate use history.
What to Inspect
The one documented concern to carry into a survey is the chain-plate condition, which some reviewers have noted as a common problem area on the design. Otherwise the boat is regarded as well built with good fittings, but a pre-purchase survey should focus on those chain plates and the surrounding hull-deck joint.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The 29 typically appears in the United States, United Kingdom, Georgia, and Canada. For a shopper, the checklist is short: confirm keel type and centerboard operation if fitted, verify chain-plate integrity, and assess whether the as-found equipment matches your cruising plan. She rewards the buyer who wants a solid, roomy cruiser and accepts her deliberate pace to windward.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Island Packet 29. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 9 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 1 | $32,000 | — |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $64,950 | +103.0% |
| Dec 25 | 2 | $58,000 | -10.7% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $50,740 | -12.5% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $45,858 | -9.6% |
| May 26 | 9 | $53,950 | +17.6% |
| Jun 26 | 3 | $5,000,029 | +9167.9% |
| Jul 26 | 6 | $56,500 | -98.9% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $45,000 | -20.4% |
Where they're listed
Island Packet 29 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 21 (87.5%), followed by United Kingdom.
Country view
24 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $58,000 | 21 | 8 | 87.5% |
| United Kingdom | $43,480 | 3 | 0 | 12.5% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
10 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sadler 29 | 28.42' | $ 17,598 | 69 | 12 |
| Island Packet 35 | 35.33' | $ 74,900 | 62 | 24 |
| Hallbery Rassy 29 | 29.2' | $ 43,464 | 59 | 13 |
| Island Packet 40 | 40' | $ 159,000 | 56 | 22 |
| Island Packet 37 | 38.58' | $ 119,900 | 43 | 7 |
| Island Packet 27 | 26.5' | $ 29,500 | 40 | 15 |
| Island Packet 32 | 35' | $ 64,900 | 40 | 3 |
| Moody 29 | 29.53' | $ 16,986 | 37 | 8 |
| Island Packet 320 | 33.25' | $ 89,700 | 28 | 8 |
| Island Packet 29You are here | — | $ 56,500 | 26 | 10 |