Island Packet 38 Buyer's Guide
The Island Packet 38 is a Bob Johnson-designed, full-keel cutter built by Island Packet Yachts in the USA between 1986 and 1993, with 188 examples completed. On the brokerage market she presents as a three-cabin offshore cruiser with a reputation for solid, sturdy, and reliable construction that is easy to handle and maintain. Buyers cross-shopping a Tayana 37, Shannon 38, Cabo Rico 38, or Passport 40 will find the 38's encapsulated lead keel and embedded chainplates distinctive among that group.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available; ex-charter examples are common. The standard arrangement sleeps up to seven in three separate cabins: a forward Pullman berth with ensuite head, a main saloon with U-shaped dinette converting to a double and a settee single, and an aft double berth with access to the second head. A U-shaped galley with LPG oven and a nav station forward of it round out the interior, with headroom to 6 feet 4 inches. Ex-charter hulls may show harder use in these spaces but generally retain the same footprint.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a practical cruising fit. Commonly fitted items include solar panels, a bimini, dinghy davits, autopilot, chartplotter, dodger, air conditioning, inverter, and radar. For power and energy, solar and an inverter are usual, while a watermaker and wind generator are often seen additions that extend independence at anchor. Canvas and sail handling typically center on the bimini, dodger, and davits, with a furling main often fitted. Navigation is covered by the chartplotter, autopilot, and radar, and comfort upgrades such as air conditioning and a cockpit shower appear frequently. A bow thruster is an often-seen aid. Less commonly, lithium batteries or a swim platform turn up as owner upgrades.
What to Inspect
The deck was originally cored with a synthetic material nearly impervious to rot rot-resistant deck core, but a buyer should still confirm the integrity of through-bolted hardware and backing plates. Chainplates are embedded in the fiberglass hull rather than external, which removes exterior bolt corrosion but conceals the termination; careful survey of the surrounding laminate is warranted. The hull carries a vinylester resin barrier coat to prevent osmosis, so check for any documented repair. The keel is lead encapsulated in fiberglass, and the rudder is skeg-hung with a stainless steel stock — inspect the skeg joint and stock for impact or movement.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts typically appear in the United States, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Sint Maarten (Dutch part), Greece, and Guatemala. For a shopper, the checklist is short: verify chainplate encapsulation and laminate health, confirm osmosis barrier coat condition, exercise the skeg-hung rudder, and assess whether the three-cabin layout and common cruising equipment meet your plans. The 38 rewards an owner who values steady offshore capability over speed.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Island Packet 38. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 17 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $75,000 | — |
| Feb 25 | 1 | $95,000 | +26.7% |
| Mar 25 | 1 | $99,900 | +5.2% |
| May 25 | 1 | $157,000 | +57.2% |
| Jun 25 | 3 | $58,500 | -62.7% |
| Jul 25 | 1 | $132,000 | +125.6% |
| Sep 25 | 5 | $79,900 | -39.5% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $58,500 | -26.8% |
| Dec 25 | 3 | $89,000 | +52.1% |
| Jan 26 | 5 | $115,000 | +29.2% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $151,000 | +31.3% |
| Mar 26 | 7 | $109,900 | -27.2% |
| Apr 26 | 6 | $120,432 | +9.6% |
| May 26 | 6 | $128,932 | +7.1% |
| Jun 26 | 14 | $84,900 | -34.2% |
| Jul 26 | 6 | $92,000 | +8.4% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $94,500 | +2.7% |
Where they're listed
Island Packet 38 listings appear across 7 countries. United States has the most listings with 42 (79.2%), followed by Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda.
Country view
53 listings · 7 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $99,000 | 42 | 16 | 79.2% |
| Grenada | $139,000 | 3 | 0 | 5.7% |
| Antigua and Barbuda | $115,000 | 2 | 0 | 3.8% |
| Greece | $125,863 | 2 | 0 | 3.8% |
| Sint Maarten | $84,900 | 2 | 2 | 3.8% |
| Guatemala | $98,500 | 1 | 0 | 1.9% |
| Saint Lucia | $84,900 | 1 | 1 | 1.9% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
11 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island Packet 35 | 35.33' | $ 74,900 | 62 | 24 |
| Island Packet 380 | 39.58' | $ 162,352 | 61 | 8 |
| Island Packet 38You are here | — | $ 99,000 | 56 | 22 |
| Island Packet 40 | 40' | $ 159,000 | 53 | 20 |
| Island Packet 37 | 38.58' | $ 119,900 | 43 | 9 |
| Island Packet 32 | 35' | $ 64,900 | 40 | 3 |
| Cabo Rico 38 | 38' | $ 89,000 | 25 | 7 |
| Island Packet 44 | 44' | $ 169,000 | 20 | 5 |
| Shannon 38 | 37.75' | $ 73,674 | 12 | 1 |
| Kadey-Krogen 38 | 38.16' | $ 74,900 | 9 | 1 |
| Morgan 38 | 37.67' | $ 69,000 | 5 | 1 |