Design and Construction
The 31’s structural character begins with its solid-fiberglass hull, laid up with triaxial cloth and polyester resin. Its ballast is encapsulated in the keel cavity rather than bolted beneath it. The deep-keel version uses iron ingots set in concrete instead of 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. The interior is formed by a PolyCore liner tabbed to the hull. That liner stops at the settee backrests instead of rising to window level, leaving bare fiberglass on the upper hull surfaces.
A 1½-inch stainless-steel rudderstock carries the semi-balanced, foam-cored fiberglass rudder. A stainless box known as a “lobster strap” connects the keel and rudder while helping keep warps clear of the propeller.
The hull form is unconventional even within the beamy Island Packet family, with its maximum beam forward of amidships. One reader attributed the boat’s sluggish motion in a seaway to that broad forward section. The original review, however, praised its smooth, soft motion, while owners describe the boat as stiff and well-balanced on the helm.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The Island Packet 31 was available as either a cutter or a sloop. Because its mast is stepped farther forward than usual, the sloop is configured as a double-headsail rig. There are no running backstays; the builder claimed the Isomat spar was engineered to carry the inner forestay’s load without extra support. Practical Sailor noted Ronstan blocks and Isomat spars among the specified hardware, along with Edson rack-and-pinion steering.
The boat is at its best on a reach, where owners say it can be quite fast. It is slow in light air but picks up as the breeze builds. Several owners reported difficulty tacking through the wind, sometimes ending up in irons. Even so, most describe the 31 as well-balanced, capable of steering itself for miles with little attention at the helm.
Performance under power is rated good. The sole caveat is limited control in reverse, a familiar trait of full-keel boats with the propeller buried in an aperture. Early boats came with a 22-hp Yanmar diesel; later versions received a 27-hp Yanmar.
Accommodations
The 31 offers interior volume and comfort that the original review called incredible for a boat of its size. The main cabin has settees, while a U-shaped galley fills the port quarter. A double quarter berth lies aft to starboard. It doubles as a navigation station and can be closed off with a folding door. A generous head compartment with a shower completes the main layout.
The forward-maximum-beam hull contributes to this generous living space, although it may also account for the slower motion in a seaway noted by one reader.
Ownership and Variations
Island Packet made incremental changes from year to year, so individual boats may differ in details such as stainless-steel ports. The change from a 22-hp to a 27-hp Yanmar is the main powertrain variation across the production run.
The builder’s owner support has been described as great, and the model’s 262-unit production run has left a maintained population. The lobster strap and encapsulated ballast are design features, not identified trouble points. Limited maneuvering authority in reverse remains the main handling caveat, but it is an expected characteristic of the full-keel, aperture-propeller arrangement rather than a fault in itself.
The Verdict
The Island Packet 31 is a traditional cruiser: slow by racing standards but forgiving, stiff, and capable of steering itself, with interior volume that belies its 34-foot length. Its forward-beam hull involves a trade-off—generous cabin space against one reader’s report of sluggish motion in a seaway. Set against that are the original review’s description of a soft motion and owners’ reports of good balance. It is a settled coastal and island boat, with limited reverse control as its one handling compromise.
Pros
- Encapsulated ballast and a solid-fiberglass hull with a PolyCore-cored deck
- Stiff and well-balanced under sail, with the ability to steer itself for miles
- Roomy interior with a double quarter berth/navigation station and a separate head with shower
- Builder support described as great and a well-documented production run of 262 boats
Cons
- Slow in light air and not a reaching rocket by design
- Limited control in reverse because of the full-keel, aperture-propeller arrangement
- Several owners reported difficulty tacking and sometimes ending up in irons
- The broad forward section may contribute to sluggish motion in a seaway, according to one reader
