Design and Construction
At just under 28 feet overall, the Islander 28 has a 23-foot waterline, a 9-foot-10 beam, and a 5-foot fin keel. She carries 3,000 pounds of lead ballast and has a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 43 percent, placing her firmly in the IOR-influenced lightweight camp.
Perry’s hand shows in a hull that owners describe as handsome rather than merely functional. The sheer line is clean, while the coach-roof line returns at an opposing angle as it moves forward. Together with the slightly reversed transom, these lines give the boat a feeling of speed and beauty.
The hull is solid hand-laid fiberglass with internal lead ballast. The deck and cabin top are cored fiberglass with a plywood core. The companionway is unusually large, and substantial steps lead below while also providing access to the motor.
Several practical details make the boat easier to live with and maintain. The hanging locker drains directly to the bilge, while the port cockpit locker provides access to the galley through-hull and the back of the electrical panel behind the galley sink.
Rig and Handling
The Islander 28 is tiller-steered, which one owner calls the smart choice at this size. She handles like a dream under sail, and her sail plan balances easily for upwind work. She points high and, according to her owner, covers water faster than many older 30-foot cruisers he had sailed.
The masthead rig has mid-boom sheeting and a traveler just forward of the companionway. Most of the power comes from a 135 percent genoa of roughly 291 square feet, paired with a high-aspect, 145-square-foot mainsail. Total sail area is near 436 square feet, with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.06—firmly in cruiser-racer territory.
Some sailors have found the boat tender, a trait the owner attributes to the IOR rule pressures of the period. She likes to be reefed near 15 knots and earlier in gusty conditions. Once heeled to about 20 degrees, however, she settles in with almost no weather helm. Downwind, the tiller requires more attention but remains predictable.
Owners fit single-line reefing and a Lazy Jack system.
Accommodations
Below, the layout is compact but thoughtfully arranged. The galley sits immediately to port at the foot of the companionway. It includes a two-burner stove, a deep icebox, and a single stainless-steel sink with cold water only. Food storage is ample, with a louvered cabinet beneath the sink and drawers below the stove. The sink through-hull is easy to reach.
Opposite the galley is a small hanging locker that drains to the bilge. Across from it, the head contains a stainless-steel sink, marine toilet, mirror, drawers, and a louvered door that provides access to the sink and head through-hulls.
The port settee converts to a single berth and has full-length shelf storage. The starboard settee pulls out to form a double, although the folded berth gear makes it lumpy as a seat. A quarter berth lies aft to starboard.
Forward, the V-berth is a little short, particularly on the port side because of the nav station. Its cushions come in three sections over pull-out drawers, and a front panel provides access to wiring.
The cockpit feels roomy for two but crowded for four. A large storage locker is located to port.
Known Issues
Islander Yachts originally installed a flexible bladder beneath the starboard settee as the holding tank. Later owners may have replaced this arrangement.
The tenderness reported by some sailors is a characteristic of the IOR-influenced design rather than a reported failure. Likewise, the three-section V-berth cushions and the lumpy starboard settee conversion are comfort complaints, not defects.
Ownership and Upkeep
Owners report straightforward access to the boat’s systems. The port cockpit locker reaches both the galley through-hull and the back of the electrical panel, while the companionway steps provide access to the engine. These arrangements help with routine upkeep.
A Lazy Jack system and single-line reefing are owner additions that simplify short-handed sailing.
The Verdict
The Islander 28 combines genuine small-boat grace with a lively, well-balanced rig that rewards attentive sailing. This Robert Perry design is a clean-lined, cored-deck cruiser-racer with a practical interior and unusually good systems access for its size.
There are compromises. The accommodations and cockpit are tight for four, and the tender hull demands respect in a breeze. For sailors comfortable reefing early and working with a compact interior, however, the Islander 28 offers capable upwind performance, predictable handling, and a sensibly arranged cruising layout.
Pros
- Robert Perry design with documented owner praise for its looks and sailing balance
- Easy upwind balance, high pointing, and predictable downwind control
- Large companionway and good access to the engine, electrical panel, and through-hulls
- Practical galley and head storage with reachable through-hull fittings
Cons
- Tender IOR-derived hull form; requires early reefing in gusty conditions
- Cockpit and interior are crowded for four
- Short V-berth
- Starboard settee is lumpy when used as a seat with the berth gear folded
- Modest tankage and a compact layout for extended cruising
