Islander 30 Mk II Buyer's Guide
The Islander 30 Mk II, Robert Finch’s 1970 successor to the original Islander 30, was built by Islander / Tradewind Yachts through 1985 with 500 completed. On the used market she presents as a small coastal cruiser with a solid fiberglass hull, plywood-cored deck, and a fin keel with spade rudder. Buyers will find a masthead sloop of roughly 446 square feet of sail and a single diesel, suited to couple-and-guest weekend use rather than bluewater ambition.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Mk II shares the same Robert Finch hull and the era-defining interior fiberglass liner introduced for this model, so the fundamental belowdecks layout is consistent across the production run. The cabin is structured by that liner rather than custom joinery, which means the used-boat buyer is comparing condition and owner care more than plan variation. With a 10-foot beam and 24.57-foot waterline, the volume is typical of a 30-foot 1970s cruiser: a couple’s boat with modest guest space, not a high-capacity charter layout.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Solar panels, an inverter, and an autopilot are commonly fitted to Mk II boats on the market, forming the core of a modernized power-and-energy setup that lets a couple anchor out without shore power. The autopilot pairs with that electrical cluster to reduce helm time on a passage, while the inverter makes cabin amenities usable from the house bank. Beyond those, most other gear varies by owner and need not drive a purchase decision.
What to Inspect
The defining structural facts are the solid fiberglass hull and the plywood-cored deck introduced on this model anchor. A buyer should confirm the deck core is dry and the hull-to-liner bond is intact, since the liner defines the interior structure. The fin keel and spade rudder should be checked for earlier groundings or rudder-post play, and the single diesel assessed for service history given its role in charging the commonly fitted solar-and-inverter system.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in the United States and Canada. For a shopper, the takeaway is straightforward: seek a sound core and liner bond, verify rudder and keel integrity, and confirm the solar-inverter-autopilot cluster is present and wired cleanly.
- Inspect plywood deck core for moisture
- Confirm hull-to-liner bond is intact
- Check fin keel and spade rudder for damage
- Verify diesel service history
- Confirm solar, inverter, and autopilot function
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Islander 30 Mk II. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 3 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 1 | $9,000 | — |
| Aug 25 | 2 | $19,050 | +111.7% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $17,199 | -9.7% |
Where they're listed
Islander 30 Mk II listings appear across 1 country. Canada has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $17,199 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C&C 30 Mk I | 30' | $ 13,799 | 26 | 6 |
| Sadler 25 Mk II | 24.33' | $ 6,250 | 23 | 5 |
| Pearson 30 | 29.79' | $ 7,000 | 20 | 8 |
| Tartan 30 | 29.92' | $ 9,950 | 18 | 5 |
| Islander 30 Mk IIYou are here | — | $ 17,199 | 1 | 0 |