My specifications for the new construction of a transoceanic sailboat were simple:
Build me a boat that is not going to break apart when I am 2,000 miles from the closest land. And build me a boat that if it rolls over in heavy weather will return upright, quickly. Hull integrity and safety in mid ocean were non-negotiable factors in my selection of a design for Flying Fish. I have confidence that the Island Packet 460 is going to keep me upright and afloat.
Island Packets have established their ocean cruising credibility by logging millions of sailing miles around the globe. The owner of the company, Bob Johnson, holds a Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from MIT. At the core of each of his designs are construction features chosen with an unwavering focus on the demands of sailing offshore in safety. The International Marine Certification Institute has awarded them its highest rating—Category-A Ocean—meaning the boats qualify for ‘unlimited offshore use.’
Much more will be written here about the details, construction, and ultimate performance of Flying Fish but as her first fiberglass is being laminated I’m sleeping easily with the confidence that Island Packet is building me a good boat.
For more information read the chapter on IPY in: The World’s Best Sailboats Volume II, by Ferenc Máté. He is one of the most widely read and respected of sailing authors. His books, From a Bare Hull, The Finely Fitted Yacht, Best Boats, Shipshape and The World’s Best Sailboats Volume I are all nautical classics.
Construction begins on the new Island Packet 460 Flying Fish
The boat’s internal structural grid will be fitted and fiberglassed into the hull mold
Flying Fish 