Design and Construction
Perry's hand in the Islander 28 shows in a hull that owners describe as handsome rather than merely functional. The sheer line is clean, and the coach-roof line returns at an opposing angle as it moves forward, meeting a slightly reversed transom that together lend a feeling of speed and beauty. The companionway is unusually large, and the steps descending below are substantial, doubling as access to the motor. The deck and cabin top use cored fiberglass construction with a plywood core, while the hull itself is solid hand-laid fiberglass with internal lead ballast. A practical detail: the hanging locker drains directly to the bilge, and the electrical panel behind the galley sink has good access to its backside from the port cockpit locker.
Rig and Handling
The 28 is a tiller-steered boat, which one owner calls the smart way to go at this size, and she handles like a dream under sail. Her sail plan balances easily for upwind work, and she points high and covers water faster than many older 30-foot cruisers her owner had sailed. The rig is masthead with mid-boom sheeting and a traveler set just forward of the companionway. Power comes mostly from a 135 percent genoa of roughly 291 square feet, with a high-aspect 145-square-foot mainsail for a total near 436 square feet and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.06 — cruiser-racer territory. Owners fit single-line reefing and a Lazy Jack system, and she likes to be reefed near 15 knots, earlier in gusty air. Some sailors found her tender, a characteristic the owner attributes to IOR rule pressures of the day; once heeled to about 20 degrees she settles in with almost no weather helm. Downwind the tiller demands more attention but remains predictable.
Accommodations
Below, the layout is compact but thoughtfully sequenced. The galley sits immediately to port at the foot of the steps, with a two-burner stove, a deep icebox, a single stainless sink with cold water only, and ample food storage plus a louvered cabinet under the sink and drawers under the stove; the sink through-hull is easy to reach. Opposite, a small hanging locker drains to the bilge, and the head across from it carries a stainless sink, marine toilet, mirror, drawers, and a louvered door giving access to sink and head through-hulls. The port settee makes a single berth with full-length shelf storage; the starboard settee pulls out to a double, though the folded berth gear makes the settee lumpy to sit on. A quarter berth lies aft to starboard, and the V-berth forward is a bit short, shorter to port because of the nav station, with three-section cushions over pull-out drawers and a front panel exposing wiring. The cockpit itself feels roomy for two and crowded for four, with a large port storage locker.
Known Issues
Islander Yachts originally fitted a flexible bladder as the holding tank beneath the starboard settee, a setup that later owners may have replaced. The tenderness noted by some handlers is a design trait of the IOR type, not a reported failure. The V-berth cushion sections and the lumpy double-berth conversion are comfort criticisms, not defects.
Refits and Ownership
Owners report straightforward systems access that aids upkeep: the cockpit locker reaches the galley through-hull and the back of the electrical panel, and the steps serve the engine. A Lazy Jack and single-line reefing are common owner additions that simplify short-handed sailing.
The Verdict
The Islander 28 is a Perry design with genuine small-boat grace and a lively, well-balanced rig that rewards attentive sailing. She is a clean, cored-deck cruiser-racer with a practical interior and unusually good systems access for her size, though her accommodations are tight for four and her tender hull demands respect in a breeze.
Pros
- Robert Perry design with documented owner praise for looks and sailing balance
- Easy upwind balance and high pointing with predictable downwind control
- Large companionway and good access to engine, panel, and through-hulls
- Practical galley and head storage with reachable through-hull fittings
Cons
- Tender under IOR-derived hull form; needs early reefing in gusts
- Cockpit and interior crowded for four; V-berth short and starboard settee lumpy as berth
- Modest tankage and compact layout for extended cruising
