BoatsIsland Packet 420

Island Packet 420

Cutter · Long Keel · First built 1999

A 13.59-metre blue-water cutter with a 1.52-metre draft and a heavy-displacement hull for offshore stability

Designed by Robert K. Johnson.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Long Keel

See her sail

The Island Packet 420, on the water

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

Footage from Lady K Sailing

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 34 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 34
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.84
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 257
EasygoingPowered-up

15.4 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.4
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

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

  • Heavier than ~79% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~95% of boats her size on file

Compared with 292 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Island Packet 420, 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 420 is a Robert K. Johnson-designed cutter-rigged sailboat built by Island Packet Yachts from 1999 to the present, known for its heavy displacement and full long keel. With an LOA of 13.6 meters, a beam of 4.3 meters, and a draft of 1.5 meters, it displaces 13,607 kg. Lady K Sailing identifies the Island PACKET 420 as a proven ocean-crossing vessel suitable for unlimited budgets, offering structural integrity and sail plan versatility for Atlantic crossings. It is considered a "battle axe" cruiser, exceeding 25,000 pounds, providing superior structural robustness and weather capability for global circumnavigation.6:53 Practical Sailor notes that the Island PACKET 420 is a heavier, less tender vessel compared to lighter production cruisers like the Hanse 410.0:44 Aboard Adventureman Dan, the owners previously cruised a 42-foot Island Packet before selecting a Feeling 39 for its shallow-draft capabilities.1:13 Sailing Solé mentions an upcoming 700-nautical-mile offshore passage from Stuart, Florida, to the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, aboard an Island Packet 42.15:22

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Island Packet 420 on video

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model come up for sale.

1seen sold

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
40.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cutter
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.4
Displacement / length
257.4
Comfort ratio
34.1
Capsize screening
1.84
Hull speed
8.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1901
Hull
Hull type
Long Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1999
Designer
Robert K. Johnson
Builder
Island Packet Yachts

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.

Island Packet 43914.33 mSame hull family0.7 m longerA modern 2021-launched cutter with a heavy-displacement hull and a 1.52-meter draft for stable, deep-water cruising
Sailboats at Every Budget: What You Get for $10K, $100K, $500K & $1M26:51from The Sailing Doodles Podcast
Island Packet 44013.94 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA 44-foot blue-water cruiser featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a 1.52-metre draft for versatile coastal exploration
[OFF MARKET] Island Packet 440 (JESSICA MEI) - Yacht for Sale - Berthon Int.from Berthon International
Island Packet 4513.79 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 45-foot cutter with a 1.47-metre draft, balancing substantial displacement with shoal-water accessibility
RIDICULOUS PRICE Island Packet 45 WOW! World Cruising Sailboat for Under $200k - Ep 317from Lady K Sailing
Island Packet 4413.41 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 13.4-meter blue-water cutter with a 1.47-meter draft, balancing heavy-displacement stability with shoal-water access
No One Wants This ISLAND PACKET 44! Ep 367 - Lady K Sailing0:52from Lady K Sailing
Hans Christian 4312.99 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA 12.99-metre staysail ketch with a long keel and high comfort ratio, built from 1974 to 1992 for steady offshore work
This Bluewater Legend Might Be the Wrong Boat – Hans Christian 43Tfrom Lady K Sailing
Explorer 45 (Huntingford)13.79 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA long-keeled staysail ketch designed by Stan Huntingford for stable, comfortable blue-water passage making
STINGRAY City | Sailing to Mo'orea | Ep 116from Cruising Meraki • Sailing Family

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Island Packet 440A 44-foot blue-water cruiser featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a 1.52-metre draft for versatile coastal explorationIsland Packet 40A 12.19-meter cutter featuring a 1.42-meter draft that balances offshore stability with shoal-water accessibilityIsland Packet 320A 10-metre cutter with a 1.3-metre draught, balancing a high comfort ratio with a stable, long-keeled hullIsland Packet 45A 45-foot cutter with a 1.47-metre draft, balancing substantial displacement with shoal-water accessibilityIsland Packet 44A 13.4-meter blue-water cutter with a 1.47-meter draft, balancing heavy-displacement stability with shoal-water accessIsland Packet 350A 10.57-metre cutter featuring a 1.3-metre draft and a 47% ballast ratio for stable, shallow-water exploration

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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