BoatsIsland Packet 439

Island Packet 439

Cutter · Long Keel w/rudder On Skeg · First built 2021

A modern 2021-launched cutter with a heavy-displacement hull and a 1.52-meter draft for stable, deep-water cruising

Designed by Robert K. Johnson.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Long Keel w/rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Island Packet 439, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 35 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 35
CoastalBluewater

1.81 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.81
LightHeavy

259 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 259
EasygoingPowered-up

18.0 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.0
TenderStiff

38% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 38%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Heavier than ~80% of boats her size on file
  • Draws less than ~76% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~93% of boats her size on file

Compared with 239 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Island Packet 439, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Island PACKET 439 is a 47-foot, full-keel bluewater cruiser designed by Robert K. Johnson and built by Island Packet Yachts in Largo, Florida, from 2021.13:00 It features a cutter rig, a long keel with a rudder on a skeg, and a displacement of 14,514 kg, prioritizing stability and predictable motion for offshore passages.2:50 The hull is solid fiberglass below the waterline, without coring, and the boat has a 1.5-meter draft, allowing access to shallow anchorages and the Intracoastal Waterway.6:56 Its interior offers 1.9-meter headroom, a U-shaped settee, and a galley with double sinks and large refrigeration.3:28 The vessel carries 605 liters of fuel and 833 liters of water.5:11 While its displacement-to-length ratio of 259 limits top-end speed, the design emphasizes ease of handling in offshore conditions.5:24 The Island PACKET 439's design contrasts with lighter, fin-keeled boats like the Beneteau Oceanis 47, which prioritize interior volume and performance in lighter air.3:48

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Island Packet 439 on video

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
37.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cutter
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.0
Displacement / length
258.7
Comfort ratio
35.0
Capsize screening
1.81
Hull speed
8.3 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1950
Hull
Hull type
Long keel w/rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 2021
Designer
Robert K. Johnson
Builder
Island Packet

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Hans Christian 4312.99 mSame hull family1.3 m shorterA 12.99-meter staysail ketch with a long keel and high comfort ratio, built from 1974 to 1992 for steady offshore work
Island Packet 4413.41 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA 13.4-meter blue-water cutter with a 1.47-meter draft, balancing heavy-displacement stability with shoal-water access
Baba 4012.14 mSame hull family2.2 m shorterA 13-ton cutter with a 41.5 comfort ratio, built between 1980 and 1982 for steady, long-distance passage making
Island Packet 4012.19 mSame hull family2.1 m shorterA 12.19-meter cutter featuring a 1.42-meter draft that balances offshore stability with shoal-water accessibility
Dolphin 47 (Alden)14.30 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA heavy-displacement staysail ketch from the board of John G. Alden, built for comfortable, stable blue-water cruising
Explorer 45 (Huntingford)13.79 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA long-keeled staysail ketch designed by Stan Huntingford for stable, comfortable blue-water passage making

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

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The fleet has more to say

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