Island Packet 31 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

What sets the 31 apart structurally begins at the hull. The shell is solid fiberglass laid up with triaxial cloth and polyester resin, and the ballast is encapsulated in the keel cavity rather than bolted beneath it anchor. In the deep-keel version, iron ingots set in concrete replace the customary lead, while the shoal-keel and centerboard models use lead. Above the waterline, the deck is cored with PolyCore, the builder's own mixture of polyester resin and microballoons, and the interior is built from a PolyCore liner tabbed to the hull. That liner stops at the settee backrests rather than rising to window level, leaving the upper hull surfaces as bare fiberglass. The rudderstock is 1½-inch stainless steel carrying a semi-balanced, foam-cored fiberglass rudder, and a stainless box dubbed a "lobster strap" ties keel to rudder while keeping warps clear of the prop.

The hull form itself is unconventional within the beamy Island Packet idiom: maximum beam sits forward of amidships. One reader attributed a sluggish motion in a seaway to exactly that wide forward section, though the original review praised a smooth, soft motion and owners report her stiff and well-balanced on the helm.

Rig and Handling

The 31 was offered as either a cutter or a sloop, with the sloop configured as a double-headsail rig thanks to a mast stepped farther forward than usual. There are no running backstays; the builder claimed the Isomat spar was engineered to take the inner forestay's load without extra support anchor. Practical Sailor noted Ronstan blocks and Isomat spars as specified hardware, with Edson rack-and-pinion steering linking the helm.

Under sail, the boat's best point is a reach, and owners say she is quite fast there, if slow in light air and quicker once the breeze builds. Several owners reported trouble tacking through the wind and ending up in irons, yet most describe her as balancing well and steering herself for miles with little helm attention. Under power, performance is rated good, with the lone caveat being reverse control—a known full-keel trait with the propeller buried in an aperture. A 22-hp Yanmar diesel was standard in early boats, replaced by a 27-hp Yanmar in later versions.

Accommodations

Inside, the 31 delivers interior volume and comfort that the original review called incredible for the size. The main cabin has settees, a U-shaped galley occupies the port quarter, and a double quarter berth lies aft to starboard. That quarter berth doubles as a nav station and can be closed off with a folding door. A generous head compartment with shower completes the core layout. The forward-maximum-beam hull pays dividends here in livable space, even if it shaped the underway feel noted above.

Known Issues

The single handling caveat is reverse maneuvering authority, expected of the full-keel aperture propeller and not a fault per se. The lobster strap and encapsulated ballast are design features rather than trouble points.

Refits and Ownership

Island Packet's practice of tweaking boats year to year means a used 31 may vary in details such as stainless steel ports. The builder's owner support has been described as great, and the model's 262-unit run ensures a maintained population. Engine swaps from 22 to 27 Yanmar across the production span are the main powertrain variable a buyer should note.

The Verdict

The Island Packet 31 is a traditionalist's cruiser: slow by racing standards but forgiving, stiff, and self-steering, with volume that punches above its 34-foot length. The forward-beam hull is a trade-off—generous cabin space against a noted seaway slowdown—but the soft motion and owner-reported balance make it a settled coastal and island boat. Reverse control is the one handling compromise.

Pros