Design and Construction
The 485’s cruiser-friendly attributes include what the builder’s president and designer calls a “full foil keel,” a full keel with a hydrodynamic profile intended to generate lift. The hull presents a heavily reinforced integral bow pulpit, and the stern architecture is dominated by a vast lazarette reached through a deck hatch amidship in the fantail that opens to a space described as the size of a New York studio apartment. That lazarette is not merely stowage: it provides access to a 2-inch-diameter stainless-steel rudderstock for inspection, and a stamped stainless-steel plate at the bottom of the ladder affords sure footing while protecting the gelcoat. On either side of this huge compartment are two gasketed hatches with overboard drains, one of which is dedicated to holding two 10-pound propane tanks. The double backstay not only provides an extra measure of mast protection but also allows easy access to the transom swim platform, reinforcing the boat’s utility as a long-term liveaboard.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck, the 485 carries a cutter-style rig with in-mast roller furling and a Hoyt staysail boom, the latter offering the benefits of self-tacking and roller furling. The two-spreader mast has an after-intermediate shroud to counteract loads on the staysail stay, and the roller-furling headsail is sheeted to the gunwale outside of the shrouds. Three of the winches are electronic. In light conditions off Miami, the boat tacked through about 100 degrees, a turn that reflects the drag of a full keel more than any deficiency in sail plan. Under power, the 485 cruised at 7.6 knots at 3,000 rpm from its 100-horsepower turbocharged Yanmar, and under sail she footed along at about 5.6 knots on a reach in roughly 12 knots of wind. Hull number one, Dancing in the Dark, took second in her class in the 2002 Caribbean 1500, demonstrating that the design could perform straight out of the factory.
Accommodations
The standard layout of the 485 features a spacious office just forward of the mast to starboard, with upper and lower bunk berths available as an option in that space and a dedicated area for an optional washer/dryer. The main saloon is flanked by settees on either side and a table that drops down from the bulkhead, while a stowaway coffee table can be mounted on either side. The navigation station drew particular praise for a plush, high-back chair upholstered in Ultra-Leather and a full-size chart table. The fore-and-aft galley sits two steps down to starboard and is equipped with twin deep sinks, Corian countertops, a fail-safe manual pump backing up the pressure system, a small Isotherm pullout drawer on the reefer, and three opening ports for ventilation. The aft cabin features a spacious athwartship island berth with overhead hatch, two cowl vents, and opening ports, plus a hanging locker, armchair, and a spacious head with separate shower; a small door leads aft to the lazarette. Integral shades on all hatches and windows keep the main cabin from turning into a solar cooker. The fantail itself is left unobstructed for stowing a dinghy up to 10 feet 6 inches, and the cockpit’s 7-foot-long seats allow plenty of room to stretch out, with a spacious locker for a valise-packed eight-man life raft.
Known Issues
The boat reviewed had a loop in the propane-locker drain line, an oversight that was later corrected by the builder. During Boat of the Year tests, the 485 registered relatively high engine noise in the aft cabin; Island Packet subsequently addressed this by adding insulation, reducing vibration, and installing a sound barrier beneath the cabin sole. Both items are documented factory corrections rather than endemic flaws, but a surveyor should confirm the drain-line routing and the presence of the later sound-deadening package.
Refits and Ownership
Owners considering a 485 inherit a platform with 300 gallons of fuel and 340 gallons of water, a 100-horsepower turbocharged Yanmar, and a rig that already includes three electronic winches and in-mast roller furling. The dedicated washer/dryer space and the optioned bunk berths in the office show how the boat was conceived for extended cruising; refit attention is better spent on verifying the lazarette drainage paths and the after-market sound insulation than on structural remediation.
The Verdict
The Island Packet 485 is a purpose-built voyaging sloop whose center-cockpit layout, enormous lazarette, and full foil keel define a conservative but deeply considered cruising ethos. It rewards the sailor who values stowage, protected steering, and liveaboard volume over surfing performance.
Pros
- First Island Packet center-cockpit design with a vast, inspectable lazarette and rudderstock access
- Self-tacking Hoyt staysail boom with roller furling and after-intermediate shroud support
- 300 gal fuel and 340 gal water capacity with 100-hp turbocharged Yanmar for long-range autonomy
- Documented factory corrections for propane drain loop and aft-cabin engine noise
Cons
- Approximately 100-degree tacking angle in light air reflects full-keel drag
- Early hulls exhibited high aft-cabin engine noise before insulation retrofit
- Sail-area-displacement ratio of 17.6 limits light-air acceleration versus modern performance cruisers
