With an overall length of 29.99 feet, a waterline length of 24.57 feet, and a 10-foot beam, the Mk II sits squarely in the small family-cruiser class of its era. It displaces 8,600 pounds, including 3,500 pounds of lead ballast carried low, for a ballast-displacement ratio of 40.70.
Design and Construction
The hull is solid hand-laid fiberglass, while the deck has a plywood core. This construction saved weight overhead without compromising the integrity of the solid hull—a sensible approach for a boat intended to be both livable and reasonably quick.
The interior fiberglass liner was a production shift that improved consistency below decks. With a displacement-length ratio of 258.53, the Mk II falls in the moderate-displacement cruiser range rather than at the featherweight racing end of the spectrum. Its capsize screening figure of 1.96 is consistent with a boat intended for sheltered-water and coastal passages rather than offshore storm survival.
Rig and Handling
The Mk II carries a masthead sloop rig, with the mast standing 9.91 meters above the waterline. The I measurement is 38.48 feet, and the E measurement is 12.50 feet.
The reported sail plan totals roughly 446 square feet, divided between a 203-square-foot mainsail and a 242-square-foot foretriangle. That produces a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.06—modest by modern light-air standards, but healthy for a 1970s cruiser. Combined with the fin keel and spade rudder, the sail plan gives the boat a hull speed near 6.64 knots.
The spade rudder provides low-speed authority in marinas and tight channels, while the fin keel helps the boat track without the drag of a full keel.
Accommodations
Below, the molded fiberglass liner defines the cabin structure. A novelty for the marque in 1970, it brought consistent joinerwork and liner-to-hull bonding across the production run.
The Mk II’s comfort ratio of 23.61 suggests a boat suited to two or three people cruising rather than a charter crowd. It’s a coastal boat for a couple, not a volume-packed weekender. Overhead, the plywood-cored deck helps keep cabin warmth and footfall noise manageable compared with a solid-glass deck—a small but genuine liveaboard benefit.
Refits and Ownership
Production ran from 1970 to 1985, with roughly 500 examples completed. The Mk II is therefore a mature design with a known parts and rigging context.
Its diesel powerplant drives a single shaft and is adequate for harbor maneuvering and battery charging rather than sustained motoring. Anyone considering a particular hull should look for documented liner-to-hull bonding and a sound plywood deck core, since those are central to the boat’s long-term structural integrity.
Verdict
The Islander 30 Mk II is a thoughtfully modernized small cruiser. Finch gave it a liner-built interior, the handling character of a fin keel and spade rudder, and a ballast ratio that keeps it composed without making it sluggish. It’s best judged as a coastal boat for a couple, with period-correct construction and a clean, repeatable production history.
Pros
- First Islander with an interior fiberglass liner, improving consistency
- Solid fiberglass hull with a weight-saving plywood-cored deck
- Fin keel and spade rudder for agile handling
- Strong 40.70 ballast-displacement ratio for its size
Cons
- Modest 17.06 sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air pace
- Comfort ratio of 23.61 suits only small crews
- Capsize screening figure of 1.96 is not an offshore-survival number
