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backinblue said:
I recognized it as an Island Packet and owned one but never saw something quite like it. What's the history?
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It’s a unicorn!

It was built as a 2008 Island Packet PY Cruiser, which was basically an SP Cruiser (their motorsailer) but with no mast. I ran it like that for a couple of years then had the short stabilizing rig professionally added by Mack Sails a few years ago before we went to the Bahamas, and it works really well. Plus with the right wind I can pull back on the throttle and save fuel when underway.

The lines all run back the the cockpit and the jib is self tending, so she is super easy to sail solo.

I’m not using her much lately however, so thinking about selling. Maybe after one more Bahamas trip this winter.
 
cardude01 said:
It’s a unicorn!

It was built as a 2008 Island Packet PY Cruiser, which was basically an SP Cruiser (their motorsailer) but with no mast. I ran it like that for a couple of years then had the short stabilizing rig professionally added by Mack Sails a few years ago before we went to the Bahamas, and it works really well. Plus with the right wind I can pull back on the throttle and save fuel when underway.

The lines all run back the the cockpit and the jib is self tending, so she is super easy to sail solo.

I’m not using her much lately however, so thinking about selling. Maybe after one more Bahamas trip this winter.
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Very nice! Might be an option for me some day. Is it capable of sailing with no motor or mostly combination of both? I'm guessing motor only would be hull speed around 7-8 knts?
 
It can sail without the motor in an emergency get home situation, but very slowly and possibly not in the direction you want to go. Will not point into the wind at all without the engine running.

I run the boat around 6.5 knots usually.
 
cardude01 said:
It can sail without the motor in an emergency get home situation, but very slowly and possibly not in the direction you want to go. Will not point into the wind at all without the engine running.

I run the boat around 6.5 knots usually.
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How many square feet of sail do you have between the two sails?
 
cardude01 said:
It can sail without the motor in an emergency get home situation, but very slowly and possibly not in the direction you want to go. Will not point into the wind at all without the engine running.

I run the boat around 6.5 knots usually.
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No sailboats points into the wind well, especially island packets. Did they ever stop using aluminum for their water and holding tanks? That was the one weakness I am aware of for Island Packets and something they would not stand behind when they eventually leak and need costly replacement.
 
377 square feet of sail total.

Top of the mast is 40’ above waterline so it can go under the Okeechobee RR bridge. I’ve done it.

IMG_5536.jpg
 
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cardude01 said:
377 square feet of sail total.

Top of the mast is 40’ above waterline so it can go under the Okeechobee RR bridge. I’ve done it.

View attachment 119840
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Not a lot of sail area for that boat, but I know that's not its main mission. A more traditional genoa would help. Wonder if they made any with their normal cutter rig.
 
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backinblue said:
No sailboats points into the wind well, especially island packets. Did they ever stop using aluminum for their water and holding tanks? That was the one weakness I am aware of for Island Packets and something they would not stand behind when they eventually leak and need costly replacement.
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Water tanks are fiberglass. It has a composting toilet (Nature’s Head) so no holding tank or hose smell.

The chain plates (another IP weakness on some older boats) are externally mounted and not incased in fiberglass, so easy to inspect.
 
That's good to know. Older IPs used aluminum tanks which eventually will fail and are not easily replaced.
 
HTurner said:
Great, you have a little bit more that 7.5 horsepower of sail. The Island Packet SP has 714 sq feet of sail.



Nice boat you have there.
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The sail rig wasn’t designed to power the boat (but maybe power it back home -or somewhere- in an emergency), so 7.5hp sounds about right. The rig does a really good job stabilizing the boat however, as long as there is 10 plus knots of wind.

I’m not a “real” sailor by any stretch, but have found it’s fun to mess around with the sails on a long passage, trying to catch a little more wind. Plus, the sail rig gives me a good place to hang my shade tarp and hammocks!



IMG_0501.JPG
IMG_6705.JPG
 
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cardude01 said:
The sail rig wasn’t designed to really power the boat, so 7.5hp sounds about right. The rig does a really good job stabilizing the boat however, as long as there is 10 plus knots of wind.

I’m not a “real” sailor by any stretch, but have found it’s fun to mess around with the sails on a long passage, trying to catch a little more wind. Plus, the sail rig gives me a good place to hang my shade tarp and hammocks!



View attachment 119851
View attachment 119852
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Yeah, your rig is basically in a double reef compared to the IP SP. My motorsailor compared to the Willard 8 Ton (the true Willard sailboat) is the same. Your boat like mine is sail assist. I find that full sails up, properly trimmed -- motor at above idle, I can do 6 knots and my range is just more than doubled.
 
Read the listing...


"62' Pod Cat with electric drives, 20 Kw lithium batteries, 6 x 130 watt Solar Panels, Cruise 8 kts with unlimited range"
 
Mako said:
Explain how it has unlimited range if it only has battery capacity for 10nm?
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Are you serious? A boat that size and a 10nm, cant get out of its own shadow.
Driven by 2 electric outboards?
It is more of a test platform, IMO
Gimme a break.
LOL
If they offered to pay me $395K to take the boat, I would politely thank them and say "no thank you".
Dockage would be way too much, for a starter.
 
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Yeah. Nothing about that boat makes any sense. I bet a number of forum members have bigger solar arrays than that. I’m close at 700W. You’d need lots of kW’s to be a factor in propulsion.

I noticed the gas dinghy too! As a huge fan of electric propulsion where it makes sense I agree with the consensus here.

We already have developed the technology for zero emissions passagemakers. They are called “sailboats”.
 
Yeah, I have more solar than that thing. And it's only enough to run the fridge, ice maker, lights, internet, coffee maker, etc. Nowhere near enough surplus to use for electric propulsion. And 20 kwh of batteries won't get you far before needing to stop and wait a while to recharge (or plug in for a faster charge, presumably).
 
Is there anyone else but me that would wonder how a lightweight composite (unproven prototype) would hold up in heavy seas before you hear some cracks?
 
Opinion time: I think 1/4 inch fiberglass is a bit thin for any boat of any size.
Bass boats are made of aluminum because of weight and they flex so much at high speeds. I am only guessing, if they made a bass boat out of fiber glass, the hull would be thicker than 1/4inch.
It is just my opinion based upon no formal or informal education on the subject.
 
OldDan1943 said:
Opinion time: I think 1/4 inch fiberglass is a bit thin for any boat of any size.
Bass boats are made of aluminum because of weight and they flex so much at high speeds. I am only guessing, if they made a bass boat out of fiber glass, the hull would be thicker than 1/4inch.
It is just my opinion based upon no formal or informal education on the subject.
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All the bass boats in my area are made of fiberglass. 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. They get their strength from the deck cap and the expanding foam they are filled with.
 

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ben2go said:
All the bass boats in my area are made of fiberglass. 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. They get their strength from the deck cap and the expanding foam they are filled with.
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Once again, I stand corrected. (I hope this does not become a habit.)
I can understand why they would use fiberglass and why it is so thick.
 
Not a trawler or cruiser, it's minimalist, a tender carries its anchor... a sailboat... an interesting boat some may find interesting:


 

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@BruceK: I was looking at this only this evening!
 
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