Design and Construction
The defining feature of the Island Packet 40 is its Full Foil Keel, a one-piece integrated hull-and-keel structure rather than a bolt-on fin anchor. This encapsulated the 10,000 pounds of lead ballast inside the hull, eliminating external keel bolts that could fail or leak, and the long footprint gave exceptional directional stability while shielding the rudder and propeller from impact. The hull itself is solid glass-reinforced plastic with the proprietary PolyClad gelcoat system intended to resist osmosis; Island Packet backed these hulls with a ten-year warranty, and the system has shown a much lower blister incidence than many contemporaries. A massive internal structural grid formed by the keel contributes to the boat's toughness, and like other Island Packets of the era the chainplates are encased in fiberglass.
Rig and Handling
The IP40 is a versatile cutter whose standard sail plan carries the staysail on a Hoyt boom, a detail that simplifies tacking and improves sail shape for shorthanded crews anchor. Most control lines lead aft to the cockpit, and except for the gennaker every sail can be worked from the helm. The full-battened main with two reef points served as the workhorse, while the 130-percent roller-furling genoa was the most-used headsail; in light air, owners found that adding the staysail to main and genoa did not help, and they would instead fly the gennaker, reserving the staysail for heavy weather. Directional stability is such that the autopilot works less hard than on a flighty fin-keeled boat. The trade-off for the full foil is a larger turning circle and slower speeds in light air, and the boat lacks the predictable prop walk of a fin keel, tending to go where wind and current dictate in reverse.
Accommodations
Below, the IP40 makes intelligent use of its 12-foot-11-inch beam to feel like a larger vessel, with a saloon table that folds up and locks to the forward bulkhead to open the space. A notable departure from the IP38 was the Pullman-style berth forward, placing the double bed against the hull side and freeing the forepeak for a much larger private head and shower; the chain locker is reached through that head. Aft, a second cabin has limited headroom over the berth but ample standing room beside it, and a second head serves both the saloon and aft cabin. The U-shaped galley to starboard is secured for use under heel and has been called the best seen on a monohull under 45 feet. Teak cabin soles pair with easily cleaned fiberglass in the galley and heads.
Cockpit and Deck
The deck layout favors safety and comfort, with strong stanchions, well-placed handholds, and a huge protected bowsprit for anchoring. The cockpit is deep and well-protected, its high coamings giving excellent back support, and the raised helmsman's seat with Edson steering affords a good view and feedback. An 8-foot cockpit length gives room for an owner's waking hours; a shallow bin sits under port seating and the starboard seat lifts to a huge locker, while a folding table keeps the space open.
Known Issues
Two ownership-reported faults are worth noting. Water could enter the propane locker and disable the safety solenoid, and the gennaker halyard was known to chafe through where it exited the mast. Separately, testers caution that because the chainplates are glassed in, water seeping over decades can cause crevice corrosion that is not visible without cutting into the structure.
The Verdict
The Island Packet 40 is a considered answer to the question of what a serious voyaging couple or liveaboard needs: a tough, directionally stable hull with protected running gear, a manageable cutter rig, and an interior laid out for real sea life rather than show. It will not win light-air races, but it goes where deeper boats cannot and looks after its crew offshore.
Pros
- Full Foil Keel integrates ballast, removes keel-bolt risk, and shields rudder and prop
- PolyClad hull shows low blister incidence with a ten-year builder warranty
- Hoyt-boom staysail and cockpit-led lines make singlehanding practical
- Pullman forward berth and large private head refine the cruising layout
- High directional stability eases autopilot load
Cons
- Large turning circle and weak reverse control demand care in marinas
- Light-air performance is slow without a gennaker
- Encapsulated chainplates hide potential crevice corrosion
- Propane locker and gennaker halyard need owner vigilance
