Overview
Robert Perry designed the Islander 32 Mk2 for Islander Yachts, a full redesign rather than a simple update of the earlier Islander 32, built in Costa Mesa, California from 1976 to 1979. It was also sold under the Yachtcraft 32 name during that run, and 211 hulls were completed before the design was retired.
Design and Construction
At 10,500 lb displacement with a 39 percent ballast ratio, the boat carries a fin keel with a spade rudder and a masthead sloop rig. Standard draft is 5.33 ft, with a 4.0 ft shoal-draft option also offered; a taller rig option increased total sail area from 487 to 523 sq ft. Islander built its reputation on solid, well-finished production boats, and the 32 Mk2 is described by independent sources as having retained its resale value well thanks to consistent build quality and a loyal owner base.
Under Sail
No named ocean passage is on file yet. Sources describe it in terms of build quality, handling, and resale value rather than offshore capability specifically.
Buyers Notes
Islander Yachts went out of business in 1986, and most of the Costa Mesa builder’s records were lost or destroyed, so model-specific documentation can be harder to find than for boats from still-active or better-archived builders. Confirm whether a specific hull carries the standard or shoal-draft keel and the standard or tall rig, since sailboatdata’s own record shows meaningful sail-area differences between the two rig options.
