Sources differ on the production total: one records 57 boats, while another puts the number nearer 70 hulls. Either way, the Islander 40 was a limited series, and production ended after 1985.
Design and Construction
The Islander 40 is a 39.5-foot fiberglass monohull with a 30.8-foot waterline, an 11.8-foot beam, and a displacement of 17,000 pounds. It carries 7,700 pounds of lead ballast. Those figures place it firmly in the performance-cruiser category rather than the heavy-displacement tradition.
The hull uses a solid fiberglass layup, while the deck and cabin top are cored with Divinycell cross-linked PVC foam to reduce weight overhead. Oiled teak trim softens the otherwise white fiberglass surfaces.
Below the waterline, the boat has a fixed fin keel and an internally mounted spade rudder controlled by a wheel. A raked stem and raised reverse transom gave it a modern silhouette for 1979—one that still looks clean today.
Rig and Handling
Peterson specified a masthead sloop rig with aluminum spars. The mainsheet traveler is mounted on the coach-house roof, and all sheets and halyards lead aft to the cockpit or the aft section of the cabintop. Two jib winches are fitted in the cockpit, along with halyard winches. Secondary winches and a baby stay were factory options for crews that wanted to push the sail plan harder.
The standard keel draws 7.17 feet. Shoal-draft versions draw 5.16 feet and were normally fitted with a shorter rig to preserve balance.
On the racecourse, the design carries an average PHRF handicap of about 82. That figure supports the competitive performance attributed to it by the sailing press when the boat was new.
Accommodations
The Islander 40 sleeps six. The arrangement includes a private bow cabin with a V-berth, an aft quarter berth tucked beneath the cockpit, two settee berths in the main saloon, and a pilot berth above to port.
At the foot of the companionway, the galley is to port and includes a three-burner propane stove and oven. The navigation station faces it to starboard. Just aft of the bow cabin, the head includes a shower with a teak grating over the sump.
Six opening ports provide ventilation, supplemented by hatches over the bow and main cabins. Both pressurized and foot-pump water systems were fitted, a useful redundancy for a cruising owner.
Machinery, Options, and Ownership
The recorded specifications list a 42-horsepower Volkswagen diesel, which provides a substantial power reserve for a boat of this size.
For owners considering upgrades, the original factory options offer a natural starting point. Secondary winches and a baby stay were the period performance additions. For sailors prioritizing thin water, the shoal keel came with a shorter rig.
After more than four decades, the foam-cored deck is the usual area for a surveyor to probe for moisture.
Verdict
The Islander 40 is a scarce Peterson design with genuine racer-cruiser credentials, yet it retains the practical comforts expected of a 40-foot cruising boat. Its limited production makes it relatively rare, but the layout and rig reflect a coherent design philosophy that has aged well.
Pros
- Doug Peterson racer-cruiser hull with a PHRF handicap near 82
- Six-berth interior with private bow and aft cabins
- Foam-cored deck over a solid fiberglass hull, providing favorable weight distribution
- Choice of standard- and shoal-draft keels
Cons
- Limited production of between 57 and 70 hulls means finding one may take patience
- The standard 7.17-foot draft restricts access to shallow anchorages
- Teak trim and a PVC-cored deck require disciplined maintenance
