Island Packet: The Island Packet Story - Venture Yacht... -
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Last Visited: 10/21/2009
The Bombay Trading Company had closed its doors, and naval architect Bob Johnson was looking to start his own company.
Bob had worked on the design and production teams of both Endeavour and Irwin; he felt there was a place for a true cruising boat, not just another racer/cruiser compromise that so many builders were producing.
The availability of the barely used molds from the 26 foot Bombay Express gave Bob a way to economically get started.
With borrowed cash, Bob set off on his own with some minor modifications, including a masthead rig with a staysail, a bit higher freeboard, and a new keel shape that ultimately would evolve into what today is known as the Full Foil Keel.
The year was 1979, not the best of economic periods to launch a new company, but a market for the "Island Packet" did exist, and Bob sold the yachts from the kitchen telephone, farming out the majority of construction to a local boat building contractor.
By renting some production space and hiring a few boat builders, the company known as Island Packet Yachts today, began building their own yachts.
On a shoestring, and with the future of the company hanging in the balance, Island Packet "bet the farm" and developed a 31 footer with a clever aft cabin, loads of storage space, and what was becoming a readily identifiable cutter rig and anchor platform/bow sprit.
The first Island Packet 31 made its debut at the Annapolis Boat Show in 1983, and was quickly an unqualified success.
An investment in property and a larger assembly building followed.
As the first building erected on Wild Acres Road, Bob chose 1979, the year he founded the company for the street address.
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