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• Sailboat Reviews

PS Boat Review: Island Packet Estero

Island packet’s new shoal-draft cruising sailboat keeps it simple..

Photos by Billy Black

Florida-based Island Packet targets a relatively narrow niche, so the toughest competitors to its new boats are often older Island Packets. Introduced in 2010, the 36-foot shoal draft Estero is the company’s latest attempt to introduce a distinctive model that doesn’t stray too far from the company’s proven formula for success: moderate displacement, full-keel cruisers designed to be lived on, sailed far and in comfort, and endure the bumps, scrapes, and storms that cruising boats inevitably encounter.

Like every new Island Packet, the Estero emerged from the drawing board of founder, owner, CEO and chief designer Robert “Bob” Johnson. A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a masters in naval architecture and marine engineering, Johnson worked for McDonell Douglas for two years on ballistic missiles, dabbled in high-tech (for that era) surfboards, then followed his boat dreams to southwest Florida in 1974. He ran the Irwin Yachts plant for production-boatbuilding pioneer Ted Irwin, and then moved onto Endeavour. Johnson designs from that era include the Stamas 44, Endeavour 43, and the Endeavour 40.

Opportunity knocked in 1979, when Johnson turned the liquidated molds for the 26-foot Bombay Express into the Island Packet 26, a catboat-like center-boarder that quickly found a niche. The IP 26 eventually became the full-keel IP 27, which enjoyed a run of 249 hulls between 1984 and 1992. Island Packet has unveiled 24 new Johnson designs during the past three decades. With a few exceptions—the Packet Cat catamaran, the Packet Express powerboat, and the recently introduced 42-foot motorsailer, the SP Cruiser—the line is dominated by full-keel auxiliary sailboats sharing the same basic traits: a U-shaped hull, Johnson’s patented “full-foil” keel, conservative ballast displacement ratio, low aspect rig, and roomy interiors with an emphasis on cruising. Details oriented toward longer-term cruising such as storage space and tankage are an Island Packet strong point.

Currently, Island Packet produces seven boats, ranging from the Estero to the 48-foot flagship, the IP 485. The company’s cult-like following, worldwide dealer network, and the popularity of the SP Cruiser have helped keep the factory operating four days a week through the recent downturn.

courtesy of Island Packet

In many ways, the Estero represents a return to Island Packet’s roots. The shoal draft and flat stern bring to mind boats like the Island Packet 31 (launched in 1983), which had a flat transom and appealed to gunkholers with a centerboard version. All of Island Packet’s mid-range cruisers have a relatively shallow draft, but the Estero’s four-foot draft opens up Carolina backwaters and Florida canals where other Island Packet owners will have to play the tides.

Apart from the keel-haircut, the hull profile is otherwise consistent with Johnson’s previous designs. Johnson is tall, so all of his boats carry plenty of headroom. The high freeboard and lack of any long windows to interrupt the expanse of buff-colored gelcoat make the deckhouse appear higher than it is, but the bowsprit, opening ports, and spring in the shear-line present the intended overall look of a classic, salty cruiser.

One traditional element missing from the Estero found on previous Island Packet designs is the traditional teak caprail—a signature feature for more than 30 years. This offers welcome relief from annual maintenance, although some old salts will no doubt miss the aesthetic appeal.

The boat’s length-to-beam ratio of 2.95 is also in keeping with Johnson’s previous designs, as is the conservative ballast displacement ratio of 40 percent. Comfort in a seaway—like seaworthiness itself—is difficult to quantify, but the boat’s motion-comfort ratio (a calculation introduced by designer Ted Brewer) of 31 puts it not far below that of the Island Packet 370, which has a longer waterline and an additional 5,000 pounds of displacement.

Johnson, who represented the National Marine Manufacturers Association on the Conformité Européenne (CE) committee that helped establish the ratings categories for sailboats (Category A for Ocean, Category B for Offshore, etc.), is keenly aware of the importance of stability, scan’tlings, and resistance to down-flooding in a boat that is to be sailed on oceans. His boats’ solid fiberglass laminate schedule, high freeboard, and conservative ballast-displacement ratios reflect his philosophy on these matters. All Island Packet yachts meet CE Category Standard A for Ocean, “designed for extended voyages where conditions may exceed wind force 8 (Beaufort scale) and significant wave heights of 4 meters and above but excluding abnormal conditions, and vessels largely self-sufficient.” Although PS does not regard the CE Category A to be an automatic stamp of approval of ocean voyaging, we do believe that Island Packets more closely approach our ideal of a cruising boat than some other boats that bear the same rating.

In the endless quest to turn a 36-foot boat into a comfortable second home, and still provide secure and comfortable berths while the boat is underway, the Estero takes a most radical step by placing the main social area forward of the mast. (The new IP 360 features the conventional V-berth/main saloon layout on the same hull.)

Boats with forward main saloons are by no means original, but they remain very rare birds. Perhaps the most familiar contemporary cruisers with this feature are those of the Gozzard line, which dedicate the space forward of the mast to a spacious sitting/dining area that easily converts to a queen-size berth. In the Gozzard version, the berth conversion can be a semi-permanent setup, because even the smallest Gozzard 37 has an alternate dining nook near the galley.

The Estero’s forward saloon is principally a social/dining area. With the drop-leaf table down, there’s comfortable seating for two couples. With the dining table up it could seat a family of four, and squeeze in a couple of guests, as needed. The table pivots, making it easy to slide in and out of the seats. Throw down sheets and pillows, and the two settees make comfortable berths.

Conversion to the larger berth is more complicated than it should be, considering the premium, well-ventilated sleeping space the saloon occupies. It requires two people (one on their hands and knees fiddling with a troublesome support pole) and optional filler cushions. And once it is set up for sleeping, there is no place to dine belowdecks. With room for four (friendly, we presume) adults and a passel of kids, it is the proverbial feather bed, but the conversion could be easier.

Just aft of the mast and to port is the U-shaped galley. The galley placement is probably the biggest advantage of this layout compared with other boats in this size. Instead of being tucked into an aft corner or in the line of traffic, the galley is set near the fore-and-aft center of the boat, with a hatch overhead and opening portlights for ventilation and a view. The galley covers all the essentials such as counter space, cupboards, and deep well-insulated fridge-freezer systems, but we were disappointed in the shallow, 6-inch-deep sinks—unusual for Island Packet.

Johnson stands 6-feet, 3-inches tall, so his interior designs are sensitive to a tall person’s needs. Just opposite the galley is a super-sized head featuring a bench seat in the separate shower stall.

The owner’s stateroom, located aft and to port, has 6-foot, 4-inches standing headroom, with a cutout in the berth for sitting or getting dressed. A hanging locker, bureau, and full-length mirror add homey touches. A 9-inch overhead hatch and opening portlight offer ventilation, although the hatch won’t allow much breeze if the boat is fitted with a dodger. Our test boat was fitted with a single, full-sized inner spring mattress. We would ask for a folding or two-piece mattress here to simplify access to the storage below, as well as access to the stern gland and stuffing box.

Opposite the owner’s cabin is the nav station with a fold-down chart table and a roomy pilot berth. This area could also be used for storage of larger items like sails, cushions, or guitars.

For the past 30 years, the standard Island Packet sail plan has been a cutter rig, featuring a high-cut foresail and a furling working staysail that sets on a Hoyt boom. While a deck-sweeping, club-footed staysail gobbles up foredeck space and leaves remarkable shin bruises, Island Packet owners praise the arrangement for balancing the helm and running wing-and-wing. The Hoyt boom has the added advantage of being self-vanging, keeping the leach clew from lifting as the sheet is eased.

The Estero breaks away from the cutter tradition (although its sistership, the soon-to-debut IP 360 brings it back). The Estero’s working staysail is eliminated, and a foresail sets from a Hoyt boom fixed just forward of the stem on the bowsprit. In this way, both the jib and the main are self-tacking, so working to windward is as easy as turning the wheel. The arrangement also allows for tight sheeting angles.

Although conventional mainsails with lazy jacks were the standard on earlier Island Packets, the company has seen a clear trend toward in-mast furling. According to Bill Bolin, vice president of sales and marketing at Island Packet, the company has sold few, if any, boats with conventional full-battened mainsails in the past eight years. PS generally prefers conventional mainsails for voyaging in boats this size, but if you plan to do a lot of short coastal hops, the in-mast Sparcraft mainsail furler can make life easier, allowing you to set, reef, and furl both sails from the cockpit.

The mainsail and jib halyards are led to dedicated Lewmar Ocean Series 16C two-speed winches on the mast; this reduces clutter at the cabin and makes sense for cruising boats with a furling mainsail. The mainsail roller-furling control line, jib sheet, and spare mainsail halyard lead aft through stoppers to the Ocean Series 30CT two-speed self-tailing winch on the portside of the companionway. The mainsheet and boom-vang lead through a stopper and matching winch on the starboard side of the companionway.

Those accustomed to contemporary sloops will be surprised to find that the only sail control line within easy grasp of the helmsman is the jib furling line, which is on 16CT Lewmar on the starboard coaming. Because the mainsail and jib set on self-tacking booms, the arrangement is not as inconvenient it would seem. Leading the mainsail traveler lines (fixed in cam cleats) aft allows limited sail control from the helm. A port coaming winch will be missed when you want to kedge off a shoal, or when trying to warp the stern to port.

The 7-foot-long cockpit seats offer plenty of room to stretch out. A large starboard locker offers room enough for two folding bikes and more; a port tray keep small items accessible. Liner bins in the coamings keep the deck clear of running rigging. The emergency tiller has a dedicated spot in the starboard locker.

Visibility is excellent, and the twin 2-inch cockpit drains and high bridgedeck deal with any boarding waves. Drop boards are solid hardwood. Comfortable platform seats are integrated into the stern rail.

The boat we test-sailed had an optional stern swim platform. By eliminating the sugar-scoop transom/swim platform on other Island Packets, the Estero benefits from more usable interior space, a larger cockpit, and more cockpit storage space. A boarding ladder is accessible from the water for emergency reboarding. One drawback to this design is the inevitable “slap” that will accompany pitching at anchor. According to Johnson, the platform is elevated high enough (24-inches above displacement waterline) so that slapping at anchor or added drag underway is unlikely.

“This is an immensely strong installation typical of our approach to all structural components on an IP,” Johnson said. “(It) has been validated over a number of years . . . by other IPs that have this identical installation.”

A high coaming and wide passage forward leads to the foredeck where a deep locker with an aft-opening Lewmar hatch seals a deep anchor well. The divided well swallows up chain and fenders and drains into the bilge through a watertight bulkhead that seals the locker off from the rest of the boat. An optional VRC 1250 Muir windlass, single bow roller, and chain stopper handled anchoring duties on our boat.

except where noted.

Johnson brings his engineering expertise to bear on the Estero’s mechanical systems. The conventional drive train is the most sensible choice for long-term cruising. The solid Edson CD-I geared rack-and-pinion steering is well adapted to belowdecks autopilot. The propeller and rudder skeg are protected by a long “shoe” extending from the keel to the skeg.

Twin lead-acid house batteries and a dedicated engine battery serve electrical storage needs. Pre-tinned, labeled wiring meets American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standards. A Charles 5000 series three-stage temperature-compensated charger with a galvanic isolator protect the electrical system and ensure it is well charged at the dock.

The 60-gallon fuel tank is made of heavy-gauge, marine-grade aluminum (5052-H32), while the freshwater (120 gallon) and holding tanks (35 gallon) are located below the cabin sole and made of fiberglass. All through-hulls are bronze and through bolted to flanged seacocks.

Cables for the anchor windlass and bow thruster are pre-wired. The LPG system meets ABYC standards with a self-draining locker and shut-off valve in the galley. LED lighting is an option. The bow thruster, located under the main-saloon settee, had tighter all-around clearances than installations we’ve seen on other boats with big V-berths.

Performance

By contemporary fin-keel standards, the sailing performance of the Estero is unimpressive, but Island Packet owners aren’t the kind that go looking for the extra 5 percent of hull speed and the Estero isn’t meant to be a Wednesday-night racer.

Our test boat was provided by Ed Massey of Massey Yacht Sales and Services, and the test sail took place within sight of Massey’s Bradenton dealership on the Bradenton River, Fla., in squally weather, with light gusty winds from the east between 8 to 12 knots, with gusts to 14 knots.

At 2,400 rpm, the Yanmar 40-horsepower engine with a big 17-inch, three-bladed prop pushed the boat at 6.6 knots. At wide-open throttle, 3,400 rpm, the average speed was 7.3 knots. The higher RPM is clearly not an efficient motoring speed, but testing it confirmed that reserve horsepower is available if needed. Unlike flat-bottomed fin-keel boats, the Estero’s hull speed is tightly constrained by its waterline length. At the lower cruising speed, we registered 79 decibels in the center of the main saloon and a quiet 74 decibels in the cockpit with the companionway open. Vibration at the higher RPM raised the main saloon volume to 83 decibels. (Conversation is about 60-70 decibels.)

Under power, the Estero embodies the typical tradeoffs of a full keel. The full keel’s tracking ability—so helpful on long passages—becomes a handicap in close-quarter maneuvering. The lateral resistance lengthens turning radii, and when backing, the boat has a stronger tendency to “walk” in the direction of the prop rotation. Our test boat was equipped with a $6,000 Vetus bow thruster that took the drama out of docking and maneuvering at slow speeds. A good skipper will soon become accustomed to the Estero’s idiosyncrasies under power and learn to use prop-wash and spring lines to his advantage, but full-keel novices will appreciate the bow thruster.

Like her cutter-rigged cousins in the Island Packet line, the Estero is happiest on a reach. Broad reaching with the apparent wind at 135 degrees, the boat balanced well, but averaged only 4 knots speed over ground in about 9 knots of apparent wind—suggesting an asymmetrical spinnaker would be a wise addition in light-wind areas. On a beam reach in 9 knots apparent, average speeds were about 5.5 knots. The best sustained speed during our test was 6.3 knots, with the apparent wind at about 10 knots and 110 degrees.

Any shoal-draft boat must sacrifice windward performance, and the Estero is no exception. The Estero’s tight sheeting angles and foil-shaped full keel help add lift, but the windward performance is still held back by the increased skin drag and low-aspect keel.

The course made good on our test sail fell below fin-keeler standards, but it was comparable to that of similar boats we have sailed. The best sustained speed close reaching was 5.7 knots, and the boat tacked through 100 degrees, including leeway. (For a stark comparison, the lightweight J/95 daysailer, drawing 3 feet with its board retracted, tacked through 92 degrees in similar conditions.)

The Estero doesn’t like to be pinched, and it will quickly let you know when the main is over-trimmed with an insistent weather helm. Like many full-keelers with low-aspect rudders, too much helm will stall the boat. It responds slowly but positively to the helm, and it is slow to pick up speed. We would not characterize the Estero as exciting in light winds, but in breezier areas, the boat’s ability to keep her feet and to shoulder aside chop will be appreciated.

The Estero will appeal strongest to Island Packet fans who’ve been waiting for a shoal-draft, easy-to-sail boat that compares to the IP37 in terms of interior space. These strengths will be most apparent on intracoastal or riverine adventures like the Great Loop.

The novel changes aren’t suited for everyone. Those who cruise warm climates in summer, for example, will miss the large overhead hatch of a V-berth. The self-tending headsail will please sailors who prefer a relaxing bay sail or motor-sail to winch-grinding and close-hauled excitement.

The list price of $350,000 seems steep when you see IP37s going for less than half that, but Island Packet offers a generous 10-year warranty on both the hull and deck, and a three-year stem-to-stern warranty. Past owners have done fairly well sailing their boat for a couple of years and then trading up or selling for close to purchasing price, while the boat is still covered under warranty.

For those who like the shoal-draft concept but would prefer a conventional layout, the cutter-rigged IP360, with 130 square feet of additional sail area, fits the bill. While we see a niche for the Estero, we expect the IP360 will be a more popular design.

• Estero’s solid FRP hull, balsa-free deck is built to last

• Island Packet

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Island Packet Yachts launches new line of performance cruising sailboats

Island Packet Yachts is proud to announce the launch of a new line of performance cruising sailboats to be called BLUE JACKET YACHTS. The Blue Jacket 40 is the first in a series and has been designed by Tim Jackett (ex-President and Chief Designer at Tartan and C&C) in collaboration with Bob Johnson (CEO and Chief Designer at Island Packet). With 15 Boat of the Year award-winning designs between them, the new Blue Jacket 40 embodies the creativity and broad-based experience these noted designers have displayed over the past 30 plus years, melding the performance prowess of Jackett with the cruising focus and manufacturing acumen of Johnson and Island Packet.

This modern interpretation of a performance cruiser features either a three-cabin arrangement (with an option for a two-cabin layout) with the amenities and build quality expected of a luxury sailing yacht. The powerful and versatile Solent-type sailplan features a working jib with self-tending Hoyt Boom® along with a large reacher for offwind work. Twin wheels and a large cockpit enhance both sailing and socializing, and all frequently used sail controls are convenient to the cockpit. Construction features 100% VE resin infusion technology with Divinycell® coring for both hull and deck. Fit, finish and materials and equipment selections typify the high standards of Island Packet.

With Island Packet’s international acclaim for exemplary product quality, value and its long history of award-winning customer satisfaction, the Blue Jacket 40 represents a bold and important new entry into the performance cruising sailboat market.

See attached “Q&A” session for more details on this new venture.

An Interview with Tim Jackett and Bob Johnson

Q: Tell us about the inspiration behind creating the new Blue Jacket line?

A: (BJ) For some time now Island Packet has been considering adding a line of performance-oriented cruising sailboats to expand our market. Tim and I have had a long friendship and a respect for each other’s work, so when I heard that Tim had established a new independent design office we contacted him to explore the possibility of working together on this new venture.

A: (TJ) Bob and I have admired each other’s work for many years so when he first reached out to me about this project I quickly realized what a great opportunity it would be to work together on a new boat line with him and the Island Packet team.

Q: Two of the industry’s better known and most experienced “Chief Designers” working together has the potential for conflict and compromise . . . how is this working out?

A: (BJ) Let me make it clear that the Blue Jacket is Tim’s design with my collaboration. We are enjoying working together and are both learning from each other’s experience, which I feel has tangibly benefited the creative process for this new yacht. I think it’s the proverbial “win-win” arrangement, largely facilitated by our compatible personalities.

A: (TJ) Bob and I both have years of experience in materials and manufacturing technologies, yacht design, and corporate management that puts us in a uniquely qualified position within our industry. The new Blue Jacket series will reflect the benefit of our combining this depth and scope of experience.

Q: The Blue Jacket 40 is described as the first in series of planned designs. What do you envision down the road?

A: (TJ) We are considering at least two additional models. While we have some ideas regarding these, we’re not ready to share anything yet.

A: (BJ) I also think we will gain a lot of insight on how to evolve the designs both from owner feedback and the expansion of our new Blue Jacket dealer network in the US and abroad.

Q: This sounds like you’re planning for both a US and export market?

A: (BJ) Yes. Island Packet’s export market historically represents over a third of our total sales. Our plan will be to design and build the Blue Jacket series to meet or exceed all ABYC domestic standards as well as the ISO/CE standards in place for export yachts. Island Packet was the first US sailboat builder to become CE certified back in 1992 when the standards first took effect, and we plan to continue supporting this third-party validation for compliance with all design and construction standards.

Q: Where will the Blue Jackets be built?

(BJ): Our Largo, Florida facility will be headquarters for the actual boat construction, utilizing our Island Packet manufacturing team. This will ensure the same quality, customer support and corporate culture that have made Island Packet Yachts one of the world’s most respected yacht builders. Sales and marketing responsibilities for the Blue Jacket will also come from our Largo offices, assuring consistent messaging and a level of dealer involvement and support that has become renown in the industry.

A: (TJ) The tooling is being done at both my Ohio facility and at the Island Packet plant. I am rapidly assimilating many of Island Packet’s preferred manufacturing methods and melding these with my own experiences for what we think will be a great new product. With Bob and I each having many decades of building experience, our shared efforts in this respect are producing a “best practices” solution that will benefit all parties and the yacht.

Q: Bob, given Island Packet’s successful 33 year track record with over 2,500 yachts built and sailing in all corners of the world, how do you see the Island Packet line evolving, and what impact might the Blue Jacket series have on future Island Packets?

A: (BJ) Wow…give me a crystal ball! I guess I’d respond by first saying the “design brief” for Island Packet will almost certainly remain unchanged, with its focus continuing to be on seakeeping, safety, livability and ease of handling for a cruising couple. Different manufacturing technologies (infused composite hulls and decks, carbon fiber components, etc.) introduced with the Blue Jacket line may eventually find their way into Island Packet construction if deemed appropriate, but the two product lines address different market segments with different sets of priorities.

Q: Where does the name “Blue Jacket” come from?

A: (TJ) Well, while it has an obvious connection with my last name and Bob’s initials, “Blue Jacket” has historical connections in the sailing world. First, for centuries the name has been a reference to both US and British sailors. The extreme US clipper ship “Blue Jacket” was also named for this reference, complete with a figurehead of sailor in a blue jacket. This clipper ship was known for her speed and luxury, features that will be associated with our own Blue Jackets.

A: (BJ) I’ll add that the clipper “Blue Jacket” was also part of a fleet of well known “packet ships” providing fast and comfortable passenger service in the days of large sailing ships, part of the inspiration for our Island Packet name as well.

A: (TJ) And don’t forget that the owners of the clipper ship “Blue Jacket” (the White Star line) were well known for their “impeccable level of customer care”, something Island Packet is certainly highly regarded for and will bring to the table with the new Blue Jacket line.

Q: How would each of you then summarize your decision to create the new Blue Jacket line?

A: (TJ) Bob and his team have successfully built a strong and loyal following for the Island Packet brand over the last 33 years, building yachts noted for many superlative qualities, not the least of which is exceptional and consistent build quality. In my work with Tartan and C&C, I’ve also been responsible for the design and construction of over 2,500 yachts; between the two of us that’s more than 5,000 yachts worth of experience! The Blue Jacket series will greatly benefit from Island Packet’s stellar corporate culture and capabilities and will give sailors looking for a contemporary performance cruiser a great new choice.

A: (BJ) Not only does Island Packet bring a wealth of manufacturing experience to the table, but also a history of designs that have been recognized with numerous industry awards for being the best for their intended purpose, for their innovation and for their value. Tim’s designs for Tartan and C&C have also garnered an equally large number of similar awards, with 15 Boat of the Year Awards alone between the two of us. This combination of proven talent and experience will produce a formidable new choice in the performance cruising yacht market.

BJ40 PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

LOA 39’ 10” (12.14 m)

LWL 35’ 0” (10.67 m)

BEAM 12’ 4” (3.76 m)

DRAFT 7’ 5” (2.29 m) deep               5’ 2” (1.56 m) shoal

DISP 16,500 lbs (7,484 kg)

BALLAST 6,100 lbs (2,767 kg) deep

SAIL AREA 810 sq ft (75.25 sq m) (100% FT)

MAST HEIGHT 62’ 6” (19.05 m)

POWER 40 HP (30 kW)

FUEL 40 US gal (151 l)

WATER 110 US gal (417 l)

WASTE 25 US gal (80 l)

DESIGNER Tim Jackett w/Bob Johnson, N.A.

By Ocean Navigator

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Island Packet 380: The best liveaboard cruiser out there?

• Rachael Sprot
• June 17, 2022

When it comes to liveaboard credentials, is the Island Packet the cream of the crop? Rachael Sprot went to find out...

Product Overview

With their ivory colour and tall, rounded coachroof, the Island Packets are nothing if not distinctive and the Island Packet 380 is a fine example of the popular marque.

Designed and built in Florida, they’re sought after across the pond for blue-water cruising but a few of them have migrated to colder climes.

I joined Jalan Jalan , an Island Packet 380, to find out how they perform in our northern waters.

The first Island Packet was built in 1979. Designed by Bob Johnson, it was a 26-footer with a cutter rig, long keel and 10ft beam!

The yard soon made a name for itself producing well-built, spacious cruising yachts. From the outset, safety and stability were front and foremost in the design.

The 380’s wide beam gives her plenty of stability with a relatively low angle of heel. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The Island Packet 380 came along some 20 years later and was a highly successful model – 169 were built between 1998 and 2004.

My first impression of the boat was just how much boat there is – she dwarfed the Sigma 38 next-door.

The bow platform and davits mean she’s about a metre longer than her 38ft title suggests, and with a 4m beam she considerably out-girths her rivals too.

The result is a boat with a huge interior volume. Unlike other boats of these proportions though, she has the underwater profile to match.

The ‘full foil’ keel, which Johnson espoused, means there’s a lot more going on below the surface than meets the eye.

Forwards visibility is restricted due to the large sprayhood. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The keel-hung rudder is well-protected from encounters with floating objects and the encapsulated keel is another sound feature for blue-water cruising.

Despite her substantial size, the hull itself has a nice touch of sheer emphasised by the rubbing streak, and the stern has a wineglass shape which counterbalances the boxy coachroof.

Simple solutions

There’s seamanship in evidence in much of the design: the bow platform has twin bow rollers as standard, and the chain locker below is split in two thereby accommodating both sets of chain.

A sloping shelf beneath the hawse pipe helps the chain to self-stow and there’s easy access through the forward cabin if it doesn’t.

It’s the kind of simple, practical solution which comes from a designer who goes cruising himself.

There are five mooring cleats on each side, each one with a stainless chafe protector guarding the teak toerail beneath.

The self-tacking staysail makes the cutter rig easy to handle on the Island Packet 380. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The low-profile toerail is attractive but I’d have liked a more substantial brace on an ocean-going yacht.

The high coachroof has an excellent handrail which gives good security on the side decks though.

Four full-size dorades with storm blanks provide good ventilation below and there’s room for a liferaft or rolled up dinghy under the boom.

Safety over sportiness

The cockpit is carried all the way aft to the pushpit. It’s a big space, which is exactly what you want in the lower latitudes where you spend more time outdoors, but it feels wide when heeled.

There are two huge lockers under the cockpit seats and there’s space beneath the cockpit sole for a generator.

A split backstay and small sugar scoop makes getting on and off the transom easy.

The wheel is fairly small and because the sprayhood is necessarily wide to take in the big coachroof, forwards visibility is restricted.

The Island Packet 380 is ideal for blue-water cruising, with a keel-hung rudder and encapsulated keel. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

We found ourselves standing with a foot on either cockpit bench in order to keep a proper lookout.

A bigger wheel would have made it easier to steer and peer around the side of the sprayhood. However, it does mean there’s good access when berthed stern-to.

Davits and solar panels are easily accommodated, and her volume means she copes well with all the cruising gear.

The companionway hatch is a heavy duty, GRP moulding which can be bolted into position to secure the washboards beneath.

It’s a reassuring feature on an ocean sailing boat – you may encounter green water before arriving at your blue-water cruising grounds.

The short traveller forward of the companionway is another feature which prioritises safety over sportiness.

No back rest makes the chart table impractical at sea. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Island Packet pride themselves on their superior construction standards.

The hull is solid laminate, which is heavier than a cored hull, but this means damage is easily repaired.

The trademarked Polyclad 2 gelcoat system below the waterline is reported to offer better protection against osmosis, and above the waterline Durashield gives a high-gloss finish.

The hull is a single moulding, as is the deck, and they’re bolted and bonded together.

The deck is cored with Polycore, which is supposed to be impervious to rot.

The davits, solar panels and sprayhood add windage. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The chain plates are another example of robust design: the single spreader rig is stayed with forward and aft lowers and together with the cap shrouds are terminated to three separate chain plates.

The separate chain plates are welded and braced together with a framework that locks into the hull to deck joint before being glassed to the hull – very much a belts and braces solution.

It’s below decks that the Island Packet 380 wins her admirers, though.

The high coachroof gives an unparalleled sense of space, feeling more like a 42-footer. The saloon is bright and comfortable with lots of natural light.

There’s a mixture of solid teak joinery and GRP mouldings which gives a feeling of excellent quality without making them prohibitively expensive.

Sturdy structure

There’s a structural ‘pan’ which forms the sole, and the bulkheads, structural webbings and many of the bunks and seats are bonded to the hull to give more rigidity.

It’s a more labour-intensive process than the ‘tray’ style construction of many production boats, but the result is a much stronger structure.

The headlining is a single moulding, which is durable and easy to maintain. It also means the underside of the deck is well insulated and during the cold March nights I spent on board the only condensation was on the hatches and portlights.

The portlights themselves are a window into Island Packet’s philosophy.

Twin bow rollers point to the Island Packet 380’s seaworthiness. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The stainless steel frame has two threaded lock nuts to clamp them shut, in the moulding above there’s a perfectly positioned hook to hold them open.

They’re simple, tough and functional, with no friction hinges or plastic catches to wear out.

The fold-up table is versatile, creating lots of floor space when you need to get the tools out or for morning yoga sessions, although it’s a shame it doesn’t have a fiddle.

A small, aft-facing chart table utilises the end of the starboard saloon berth, maximising the seating in the saloon, but making it impractical at sea: there’s no back rest and nothing to stop the charts from sliding off the top.

It’s a strange oversight on what is otherwise a well-thought-out interior.

The deck of the Island Packet 380 feels secure, with plenty of hand holds. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

For many though, the vast U-shaped galley makes up for any shortcomings.

It’s a fantastic area with a double sink, lots of locker space and plenty of surface area for food prep.

The top-loading fridge and freezer are bigger than most boats’ cockpit lockers.

There’s a roomy master cabin in the forepeak with an island bed which allows you to get up in the middle of the night without disturbing the other person – a nice feature for a liveaboard.

The heads is also vast with two access doors, one to the forward cabin and one to the saloon.

Access on and off the Island Packet 380 is easy with a split backstay and small sugar scoop. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

It would be nice to see some sort of wet-locker arrangement or hanging rail though, especially in our colder, wetter climes.

The aft cabin is also a generous double which runs athwartships. Beneath it there’s excellent access to the gearbox, stern gland and back of the engine .

The front and sides of the engine box have access panels too.

However, it looked like removing the engine entirely would involve dismantling some of the joinery.

Spotless condition

Despite Jalan Jalan ’s fairly high mileage, there wasn’t so much as a scuff in the gelcoat or joinery.

They’re the kind of boats that attract conscientious owners and many of the examples on the market have been well looked after.

The accommodation on offer is as much about what you don’t see as what you do see.

The deep bilges are cleverly compartmentalised and the storage space extends well below the waterline.

The high coachroof makes the saloon feel roomy. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

I managed to extract a cruising chute, spinnaker sheets and storm jib from underneath one corner of the port seating!

The Packet boats of the 18th and 19th centuries were originally designed to take cargo, passengers and mail up and down the coast, and the Island Packet 380 pays more than a nod to this heritage.

The flip side to this is the windage.

Jalan Jalan ’s sprayhood doesn’t fold down easily, and once you’ve added in davits and solar panels she’s challenging in confined spaces.

The long keel helps to stabilise her, so she doesn’t skate around as much as a fin-keeled yacht, but she’s hard to turn in strong winds.

The 56hp Yanmar is hefty for a boat of this displacement, but with the large wetted surface area and drag from the superstructure, she needed 2,500rpm to achieve 6 knots in calm conditions, which doesn’t leave a lot of headroom for when it’s windy.

With a little help from the bow-thruster she did follow her rudder in astern, although she was slow to respond to helm inputs.

A 4 metre beam means there is plenty of space in the master cabin. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

As with most long-keeled boats, steerage in reverse is a privilege and not a right, and it’s one which may be withdrawn at short notice.

The million-dollar question though, is how does she sail? The answer is: better than you think.

She doesn’t want for sail area: there’s a 16 per cent sail area/displacement ratio just taking the mainsail and fore triangle into account.

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If you add in an overlapping genoa and the staysail, it pushes up to 18 per cent.

The headsail track is on the toerail and with her 1.4m draught, it is an early indicator that she isn’t designed to be close-winded.

The heads can be accessed from the saloon and forward cabin. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

She likes to be sailed ‘full and by’ according to the manual.

Apparent wind angles of 50-55° were optimum where she made a comfortable 5.5-6 knots upwind in a Force 4 and above.

A slab reefing main instead of in-mast furling , and some crisp new sails would have given better performance.

Impressive in light airs

The self-tacking staysail sheets are closer to the centreline, so in stronger winds you’d achieve better tacking angles from this.

Off the wind we reached along at 6.5-7 knots in blustery Force 6, but there was a law of diminishing returns above that.

In light airs she was impressive though, managing 3.5-4 knots in 6-8 knots breeze, which is valuable on long passages where you don’t want to reach for the throttle every time the wind drops.

The Polycore deck should last, and it is reported to be impervious to rot. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Thanks to her beam she has plenty of form stability, keeping the angle of heel relatively low. She’s also well ballasted and forgiving in gusty conditions.

The large rudder gripped the water even when a 30-knot squall hit, never threatening to round up.

With in-mast furling it was easy to balance the sail plan to minimise weather helm.

She’s never going to point like a Sigma 38, and she needs to be sailed accordingly, giving lee shores a wider margin, but blue-water sailing is best done by tortoises, not hares.

The Island Packet 380 is superbly well adapted for tradewind sailing, exploring shallow atolls and spending long periods of time afloat.

The galley has plenty of stowage and has decent fridge and freezer space. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

There’s a trend these days to pair high volume interiors with a flat, racy bottom and deep fin keel.

Comfort and performance: it’s a seductive mixture, but like all good cocktails the innocuous first impression could leave you with a headache offshore.

Not this boat – it is unapologetically safe, sensible and seaworthy.

The Island Packet 380 is a Marmite kind of a boat, but like it or loathe it, there’s a lot to admire in the design, not least that it isn’t trying to be something it’s not.

Expert opinion on the Island Packet 380

Ben Sutcliffe-Davies, Marine Surveyor and full member of the Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (YDSA) www.bensutcliffemarine.co.uk

Over the years I’ve surveyed several of these for both pre-purchase and insurance claims.

Ben Sutcliffe- Davies has been in the marine industry for over 40 years as a long- time boat builder, has been surveying craft for over 20 years and is a Full Member of the YDSA.

These vessels have a distinctive off-white/cream hull moulding colour; while attractive, it can be a headache for yards to colour match when damaged.

When viewing, look carefully for areas of repair. The strength of the hull is unquestionably reliable.

I’ve surveyed several which have been bounced on the bottom, against rocks or quay sides, and the boat has upheld the stresses surprisingly well.

I am not keen on the method of laying the ballast into the keel moulding.

During hammer testing the keel moulding arrangements, I have had a couple where the ballast is not very tight within the moulding.

Surveying two Island Packet 380s after groundings, I have found water was able to easily ingress into the keel void and soften the lean mix of sand and cement used around the lead ingots.

The Island Packet 380 is ideal for living aboard long term and tradewind sailing. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

This has been a very hard job to sort and in both cases quite expensive to deal with.

Protect the boat’s teak cappings before liftout as they can be damaged.

Have some carpeted blocks made and place below the strakes to stop the strops lifting the cappings off under load.

Lastly, be aware of the skeg fitting fastenings that can weep into the keel void, the security of her deck fittings and, most importantly, moisture in the deck core around fittings, especially around winches and the portlights.

Alternatives to the Island Packet 380

Moody 38 mk1.

All controls on the Moody 38 lead aft. Credit: David Harding

Moody was to the British what Island Packet was to the Americans: reliable, solidly built cruising boats.

They had a prodigious output, over 160 Mk 1 Moody 38s came out of the mould in the 1990s, and a further 37 of the Mk 2 version in the 2000s.

Owing to the centre cockpit, the master cabin is aft rather than forwards.

Described by the original Yachting Monthly review in 1992 as ‘truly splendid’, it’s still impressive today with lots of stowage and a portlight in the transom.

Like many centre-cockpit boats the cockpit lockers are sacrificed, with two deep but narrow lazarettes in each quarter instead.

Another compromise is that the companionway steps descend quite steeply.

Forwards there’s a generous V berth and second heads – useful if you’re cruising as more than a couple.

There’s a proper, forward-facing chart table to keep the fuddy-duddies (like me) happy too.

The 38 came with a masthead rig with double spreaders and fixed backstay as standard. Credit: David Harding

Below the waterline there’s a stout fin keel and semi-balanced rudder on a partial skeg. The masthead rig has the least sail area of all the boats in this selection.

The small mainsail area is partly because they came with in-mast furling as standard and they were also designed to have a generous genoa.

Once you add an overlapping headsail into the equation she has a better sail/area:displacement ratio. The smaller main will also make her easier to handle in a blow.

The modest draught will slightly limit upwind performance, but most cruisers aren’t concerned about losing a few degrees of pointing and it gives better access to tidal harbours.

The hull is solid laminate but the deck is balsa-cored, so you’ll need to watch out for moisture ingress.

The Plymouth-built hulls met Lloyd’s construction standards so should stand the test of time.

Although Moody didn’t splurge out on the joinery, they didn’t skimp on it either: the fit-out is good.

If you’re looking for an affordable fin-keeler with plenty of space but that’s easy to handle under power and sail, this is a great option.

Nauticat 39

A deep forefoot means the Nauticat 39 handles well in heavy weather. Credit: David Harding

Nauticat is not a name you normally associate with handsome sailing yachts.

They’re better known for their quirky motor sailors but in the 1980s and 1990s a touch of thoroughbred was introduced to the stables of the Finnish design team.

A series of much more athletic boats appeared, including the Nauticat 39.

With a narrow beam, relatively light displacement and large sail area she’ll likely outsail her contemporaries, especially upwind.

The deep forefoot makes her sea-kindly in heavy weather and the bulbed fin keel is substantial, giving better than average directional stability.

The joinery below decks is of Scandinavian quality with all teak sourced from the same trunk so that the colour and grain matches.

The master aft cabin has an en suite heads, with a second heads forward to serve the V berth and single cabin down the port side.

The major selling point of the boat is the wheelhouse, where you can sip a gin and tonic, enjoying the sunset in whichever beauty spot you’ve arrived in.

It’s quite ambitious to fit one of these on a boat under 40ft, so the seating area of the raised saloon is smaller than that of a conventional saloon.

It also means that the galley is buried in the belly of the boat which, whilst snug in heavy weather, is a bit lonely when the rest of the crew are enjoying sundowners on deck.

The interior helm station will appeal to anyone missing those working-from-home pyjama days – with a throttle control and hydraulic steering link you can wear your slippers on watch.

With her performance credentials, though, she’ll reward those who want to play on deck too.

Hunter Legend 41

The Legend 41 was designed for easy handling shorthanded. Credit: Graham Snook

Another American cruiser which has been popular in Europe is the Hunter Legend 41.

Like the Island Packet 380, it’s broad-shouldered and beamy with high topsides. The interior is voluminous.

The B&R rig is a trademark feature of the Hunter brand.

Originally designed by Swedish engineers Lars Bergstrom and Sven Ridder, it removes the need for a backstay by substituting aggressively swept back spreaders and a web of reverse diagonals.

The result is a sail plan that’s heavily weighted in favour of the mainsail, thanks to a big roach and small foretriangle.

It’s intended to make sail handling easier because there’s no large headsail to sheet in.

However, careful mainsail management may be required in order to reduce weather helm close-hauled.

The stainless-steel cockpit arch keeps the mainsheet clear of the crew yet still within reach of the helm.

Innovative rig design aside, the deck layout is fairly standard for this type of cruising yacht.

Accommodation-wise there’s little to fault.

The L-shaped galley has acres of work-space and a full-height storage locker. The saloon seating wraps around the table and could easily accommodate eight.

Big overhead windows let in lots of natural light. There are two big double cabins, one forward, one aft, both with an en suite heads.

A deck saloon version gives 7ft of headroom in the saloon! The shoal draught version comes with a bulb keel, whilst the full-fin keel will give better upwind performance.

She’s flighty for tricky offshore sailing, but would make a comfortable island-hopping liveaboard.

Enjoyed reading Island Packet 380: The best liveaboard cruiser out there?

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Another Addition to the Next Generation Fleet

2021 Cruising World’s Best Full-Size Cruiser

This new Island Packet model continues the innovation of the next generation Island Packet that started with the IP 349. The larger 439 offers even more choices and customization options while maintaining the excellence, quality and safety features the Island Packet Brand is famous for. We are committed to building YOUR boat to meet YOUR cruising and sailing needs. She features 2 staterooms with en suite heads and stall showers. The master stateroom has an island berth with customizable storage and/or seating options on the port side.

There is also a large aft walk-in area that can serve as a 3 rd  stateroom, a workshop/storage area or even an extended galley pantry. The port side salon can also be configured to your needs. A few examples include:  two captain chairs, full settee, navigation station and/or additional storage. You can choose the Solent or Cutter rig design, hard and soft good colors/textures and interior wood materials. So get creative and the Island Packet Design Team will work with you to build YOUR Island Packet.

Standard Equipment included at $629,000 Base Price Specifications are subject to change without notice

439 exterior.

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OLSTEN Timmerman Yachts

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A General Description of Motor Yacht OLSTEN

Timmerman Yachts completed the building motor yacht OLSTEN in 2004. Accordingly, she has the distinction of being built country of Russia. OLSTEN is a yacht which had design completed by Moscow Shipyard and Moscow Shipyard. This superyacht OLSTEN is able to accommodate a maximum of 12 passengers all told aboard together with around 6 professional crew. Finished and launched in 2004 the comparatively recent interior design and decor demonstrates the proficiency which are originating from Moscow Shipyard and the owner who commissioned the yacht.

Building & Designing relating to Luxury Yacht OLSTEN

Moscow Shipyard was the naval architect firm involved in the professional vessel composition for OLSTEN. Also the company Moscow Shipyard successfully worked on this undertaking. Interior designer Moscow Shipyard was commissioned for the internal interior styling. Russia is the country that Timmerman Yachts built their new build motor yacht in. After her formal launch in 2004 in Moscow the boat was then handed over to the owner after final finishing. Her hull was constructed with steel. The motor yacht main superstructure is made predominantly from aluminium. With a width of 6.8 m or 22.31 feet OLSTEN has moderate internal space. A fairly shallow draught of 1.7m (5.56ft) affects the number of harbours she can berth in, taking into account their particular depth.

Engineering And The Speed The M/Y OLSTEN Can Reach:

The 3406E engine installed in the motor yacht is produced by CATERPILLAR. Connected to her Caterpillar engine(s) are twin screw propellers. The engine of the yacht creates 600 horse power (or 442 kilowatts). She is fitted with 2 engines. The total thrust for the yacht is accordingly 1200 HP or 884 KW.

On board Superyacht OLSTEN There is Passenger Accommodation Capacity For:

Providing room for a limit of 12 visiting passengers spending the night, the OLSTEN accommodates them in luxury. She also has room for circa 6 expert crew members to operate.

A List of the Specifications of the OLSTEN:

OLSTEN Disclaimer:

The luxury yacht OLSTEN displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

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Sailing Sardinia & Corsica in Style

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OCEAN EMERALD yacht charter

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Yachts by Rodriquez Cantieri Navali

Yachts charter Rodriquez Cantieri Navali

€95,000 per week

Ocean Emerald is an iconic superyacht designed by famous British architect, Lord Norman Foster of Foster and Partners, and the striking silhouette of 41.3m Ocean Emerald can't help but turn heads wherever she goes.

Ocean Emerald was built in 2009 by Rodriguez Yachts and has an ultra-modern design that sees the superstructure line sweep up from the bow and drop down to the stern in a dramatic curve, extensive deck space is created and the window size increased, providing an influx of natural light to the interior and an enhanced visual connection with your surroundings.

The salon, situated on the main deck, makes the most of this unusual design and has floor to ceiling panoramic windows. In general, Ocean Emerald offers a tremendous amount of interior space compared to many other yachts of her size.

Ocean Emerald's accommodation is comprised of five suites, in which up to 12 guests can be comfortably accommodated. The master suite is full beam and is positioned on the main deck, with two VIP double cabins and two twin cabins (each with an extra Pullman berth) on the lower deck.  A glass spiral staircase, designed to draw daylight down to the guest accommodation, links the four deck levels.

On the upper deck there's a second salon, which has a casual beach club atmosphere, and this features a bar, game station and an extensive movie library. There's also a state-of-the-art lighting system, which transforms this space in the evening, great for a party, and the adjoining aft deck is ideal for al-fresco dining.

On the top deck you'll find sun pads surrounding the generously sized Jacuzzi, lounge chairs and a bar with stools with or without extractable shade.

Ocean Emerald is a versatile superyacht that can easily switch up the gears from a relaxed family charter to a glamorous party yacht. A stabilization system reduces roll motion, so guests will feel comfortable at all times. Ocean Emerald has a proven 'safety on sea' record and can complete long passages with ease.

Ocean Emerald's core Thai crew deliver a warm welcome and an outstanding level of service. The yacht can also boast two Chefs, one a French gourmet and the other Thai, so cuisine on board is an exciting fusion of specialties.

Further facilities for guests to enjoy include jetskis, kayaks, a wakeboard and waterskis, scuba diving equipment for use by those who are qualified, and a whole host of inflatable and towable toys that can be pulled from her tender, which can achieve up to 50kts!

Ocean Emerald is available for charter in Thailand, Malaysia and the surrounding countries. The unspoiled Anambas Islands are particularly beautiful from May to October and the stunning Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar is a great destination between November and April.

Main Features:

Spectacular, modern design

Large decks ideal for entertaining

Luxurious interior furnishings with a contemporary design

New Axopar tender with max speed of 50 knots

Many water toys

The Allies Left a Mess in the Ocean

After both World Wars, soldiers dumped bombs into the Baltic Sea. A team of robots and divers is trying to fish them out.

This article was originally published by Hakai Magazine .

Aboard the Alkor, a 55-meter oceanographic vessel anchored in the Baltic Sea several kilometers from the German port city of Kiel, the engineer Henrik Schönheit grips a joystick-like lever in his fist. He nudges the lever up, and a one-of-a-kind robotic sea crawler about the size of a two-seat golf cart responds, creeping forward along the seafloor on rubber caterpillar tracks 12 meters below the ship. As the crawler inspects Kiel Bay’s sandy terrain, a live video stream beams up to a computer screen in a cramped room aboard the ship. The picture is so crystalline that it’s possible to count the tentacles of a translucent jellyfish floating past the camera. A scrum of scientists and technicians ooh and aah as they huddle around the screen, peering over Schönheit’s shoulder.

The bright-yellow robot is the Norppa 300, the newest fabrication of the explosive-ordnance-disposal company SeaTerra, which operates out of northern Germany. SeaTerra’s co-founder Dieter Guldin rates as one of Europe’s canniest experts for salvaging sunken explosives. Now, after years of experience clearing the seafloor of hazards for commercial operations, and campaigning the German government for large-scale remediation, SeaTerra is one of three companies participating in the first-ever mission to systematically clear munitions off a seafloor in the name of environmental protection. The arduous and exacting process of removing and destroying more than 1.5 million tonnes of volatile munitions from the Baltic and North Sea basins—an area roughly the size of West Virginia—is more urgent by the day: The weapons, which have killed hundreds of people who have come into accidental contact with them in the past, are now corroded. Their casings are breaking apart and releasing carcinogens into the seas.

SeaTerra’s top technicians aboard the Alkor are testing the Norppa 300’s basic functions in the wild prior to the project’s start early this month: ensuring that its steering, sonar imaging of the seafloor, chemical sampler, and video feed are fine-tuned. Everyone huddled in the ship’s dry lab watches rapt as the crawler bumps up against a vaguely rectangular object the size of a bar fridge. It’s largely obscured by seaweed and, from the looks of it, home to a lone Baltic flounder that’s swimming around the base. Aaron Beck, a senior scientist at the Geomar Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, a German marine-research institute working alongside SeaTerra, identifies it as an ammunition crate. “Look, the flatness there, the corner. That’s not of the natural world,” he exclaims.

Dumped munitions lie in waters across the world but are ubiquitous in German waters. In the aftermath of the Second World War, all the conflict parties, including the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, and the United States, had to divest themselves of armaments. “They didn’t want [them] on land, and facilities to destroy [them] were too few,” explains Anita Künitzer of the German Environment Agency. Dumping at sea, a practice held over from the First World War, was the obvious choice .

In occupied Germany, British forces established underwater disposal zones—one of which lies near Kiel Bay. “But,” says Guldin, “on their way to the designated dumping grounds, they also just threw hardware overboard.” Grainy black-and-white film footage shows British sailors busily operating multiple conveyor belts to cast crate after crate of leftovers into the sea. Whole ships and submarines packed with live munitions were scuttled in the rush to disarm the Germans .

Experts estimate that a ginormous 1.6 million tonnes of conventional munitions and another 5,000 tonnes of chemical weapons lie decomposing off Germany alone in the North and Baltic Seas, most from the Second World War. (Because of its busy ports, the North Sea received four times as much as the Baltic.) If all that weaponry were lined up, it would stretch from Paris to Moscow, about 2,500 kilometers! “Nowhere in German waters is there a square kilometer of seabed without munitions,” says Guldin.

In the postwar decades, freelancing scrap-metal collectors hauled explosives and other valuable wartime debris ashore to hawk on the metals market. Fisher boats that ensnared unexploded munition in their nets were required to turn them in to coastal authorities, not toss them overboard again. The German navy’s anti-mine units attempted to clear some of the mess, usually through initiating underwater explosions, but lacked the proper equipment to tackle the problem systematically. Only when the private sector picked up operations did a whole new suite of technology and skill sets emerge.

Since the late 2000s, SeaTerra’s marine biologists, hydraulic specialists, sedimentologists, divers, engineers, geophysicists, marine surveyors, pyrotechnicians, and archaeologists—now about 160 people—have been mapping the sunken armaments as they worked to clear safe patches of seafloor for wind-farm, cable, and pipeline projects.

But until this year, SeaTerra never possessed the remit it has long coveted: to begin systematically ameliorating the seafloor for the sake of marine ecosystems—and the people dependent on them. The German government has set aside 100 million euros to remove the toxic mess from the Bay of Lübeck, off the Baltic port city of Lübeck, southeast of Kiel, as a pilot project. “No other country in the world has ever attempted or achieved this,” says Tobias Goldschmidt, the region’s environment minister, in a press release.

Guldin and other advocates are elated that the project is on, but acknowledge that it will only dent the Baltic’s total quantity of submerged ordnance. Their goal is to recover 50 to 80 tonnes of munitions, though the pilot’s primary purpose is for SeaTerra and the two other firms to test their technology and demonstrate to bankrollers that the job is doable. “Then it’s about scaling up and getting faster,” says Guldin.

Faster is vital, because in their watery graves, the many land and naval mines, U-boat torpedoes, depth charges, artillery shells, chemical weapons, aerial bombs, and incendiary devices have corroded over almost 80 years. The Germans, like other dumping nations, long assumed that when the casings broke down, the vast ocean would simply dissolve pollutants into harmless fractions. About 25 years ago, scientists discovered that instead, the explosives remain live and are now oozing into the ecosystem and up the food chain .

That flounder darting in front of the crawler’s camera from the Alkor’s dry lab? It almost certainly contains traces of TNT, the highly toxic compound used in explosives. The toxicologist Jennifer Strehse, from the Kiel-based Institute of Toxicology and Pharmacology for Natural Scientists, which identified the mounting pollution, says that contamination is particularly widespread in shellfish, bottom-dwelling flatfish, and other fauna that are close to the munition dumps. They’re “contaminated with carcinogens from TNT or arsenic or heavy metals like lead and mercury,” she says.

Scientists have also found toxic concentrations of TNT in Atlantic purple sea urchins, mysid crustaceans, and blue mussels . Once contaminants have escaped into the water, they can’t be recovered, Strehse points out. “So we’re working against time.”

German health experts recommend that consumers limit themselves to no more than two meals of local fish a week to reduce exposure to heavy metals, dioxins, or PCBs. The sources of most of these contaminants are industrial processes and the burning of fossil fuels; TNT does not figure into the guidelines. Nevertheless, the risk of TNT and other contaminants from weapons is enough to cause Strehse, herself, to steer clear of all Baltic Sea mussels.

The risk of immediate loss of life is also ever present. Most of the submerged weapons remain as powerful as the day they were dumped. Now rusted through, they are even more unstable—presenting a precarious obstacle to fishing boats trawling the seafloor as well as to offshore wind-farm developers, whose sprawling turbine parks are integral to Europe’s transition to clean energy systems. In the two German seas, more than 400 people— tourists, sailors, fishers, naval cadets, and munitions experts —have lost their lives to explosions from sunken weapons.

The menace doesn’t stay at sea, either. As the munitions deteriorate, amber-colored chunks of phosphorus from incendiary bombs, fragments of TNT, or rusted casings often wash up on shore. Beachcombers who touch solid white phosphorus—usually mistaking it for Baltic amber, a sought-after gemstone—can suffer third-degree burns or worse. The chemical element sticks to human skin and can combust spontaneously when exposed to air at temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.

Read: What would a hydrogen bomb do to the Pacific Ocean?

More than half a century after the fighting ended, the task of addressing the environmental danger and risk to life from dumped munitions has become its own battle. When Guldin entered the field of munitions cleanup in 2000, he saw the problem’s enormity and malevolent power as the ultimate challenge for his technical imagination.

Fifty-seven-year-old Guldin describes himself as a pacifist by nature and an archaeologist by training. He grew up far removed from oceans, in southern Germany’s Black Forest, where, as a conscientious objector, he refused to serve in the German army, later joining the Green Party instead. He helped excavate Roman settlements along the Rhine. Then he moved on to the Middle East, where he unearthed ancient civilizations in Yemen and Lebanon. Eventually, in 2000, he admitted to himself that the long stays abroad and one-off digs weren’t conducive to the family life he wanted. Shortly after this, he touched base with an old friend, Edgar Schwab.

Schwab, a geophysicist, was in Hamburg, Germany, and one step ahead of his buddy—starting up a little company to appropriate the lethal relics of the Third Reich from the ocean floor. The two friends were interested in digging less to explain humanity’s past than to undo the damage it had inflicted upon nature, and together they co-founded SeaTerra.

Guldin immersed himself in the history of munitions dumping in northern Europe—a practice that was discontinued worldwide only in 1975 . While SeaTerra conscientiously cleared patches of seafloor for industry, the mass of munitions across the greater seafloor gnawed at him. He insisted that his country clean it up so that future generations wouldn’t suffer this legacy of wars executed by generations past. He worked the halls of power for 10 years but couldn’t get officialdom to touch the odious issue.

The fact that the seafloor was littered with munitions has been common knowledge since 1945, but no one knew exactly how much there was, or where. SeaTerra and a smorgasbord of concerned groups , including Strehse’s institute, understood that before anybody was going to address the issue, they first had to find out exactly what they were dealing with.

In the course of its work for private companies, SeaTerra began developing technology—such as a prototype crawler, the DeepC —for surveying the seafloor, meter by excruciating meter. In the deep and churning North Sea, with its muscular tidal currents, much of the detritus lies meters beneath the seafloor. To penetrate the sediment, SeaTerra developed underwater drones and advanced multibeam radar equipment. For shallow tidal areas, SeaTerra also created low-flying drones outfitted with magnetic sensors that can detect metallic masses buried deep in the sand.

Many of SeaTerra’s innovations entailed modifying technology used in related fields, such as mining, pyrotechnics, and archaeology. The team started with a lot of energy but few resources: “In the beginning, we used zip ties and duct tape for everything,” Guldin says. The range of state-of-the-art technology the team now operates is not the brainchild of one person, but Guldin has been central to much of it.

Now, with a firm grasp of the problem and how to address it, Guldin and others at SeaTerra are itching to display their accumulated know-how in the Bay of Lübeck. “The time has now come,” he announced recently on LinkedIn. “We, the explosive-ordnance-disposal companies, can now start our real work to make the oceans cleaner … and to measure our ideas and concepts against the physical reality of this blight.” It is, his announcement says, a great success for the company and a “recognition of our many years of effort in developing new technologies and concepts for explosive ordnance at sea.”

Aboard the Alkor, the scientists believe that their star, the Norppa 300, is ready for official deployment in the Bay of Lübeck. The crawler is the culmination of years of invention, testing, and tweaking. Unlike previous undersea robots, it operates at depths up to 300 meters and can do so 24/7, even in turbulent waters. Its many functions will relieve professional divers of some of the cleanup expedition’s most perilous tasks. The robot is equipped with sonar and acoustic imaging for detecting and identifying buried munitions. Its detachable arms include a custom-designed vacuum that gingerly hoovers sediment from buried explosives and a pincer for lifting pieces of ammunition.

Read: The life and times of ocean rovers

The cleanup process for weapons that can be handled will involve three general steps using specialized ships. First, SeaTerra’s engineers and scientists on the Alkor — the survey vessel — will scan the site and classify the munitions. They will also take water samples for Geomar to analyze on board, distinguishing conventional from chemical weaponry. Chemical weapons , which contain phosgene, arsenic, and sulfur mustard (also known as mustard gas), are too lethal to handle, probably ever, Guldin admits. “You can’t see these gases or smell them,” he says, “and their detonation could blow a ship out of the water, killing a ship’s entire crew in a matter of minutes.” Those weapons will be left untouched.

Künitzer, of the German Environment Agency, adds that the Nazis’ nerve gases were designed to incapacitate the eyes, skin, and lungs of battlefield foes. “Decades underwater doesn’t dilute their potency,” she says.

If the experts determine that the material is safe enough for transportation, they’ll deploy the Norppa 300 to collect and deposit smaller items, such as grenades, into undersea wire-mesh baskets. But if the explosive specialists monitoring from the ship above determine that the weaponry still contains detonators, divers—not a robot—will be sent to detach them. This is a hazardous business that, thus far, only humans can execute.

Next, a different team on a second ship—the clearance vessel—equipped with spud legs (stakes that hold the ship in place) will use a hydraulic crane equipped with cameras to extract larger munitions, including those with corrupted casings, and drop them into undersea receptacles. The final step is for a third team to haul the cargo onto the deck of their ship—the sorting vessel—to sort, label, and package the lethal concoctions in steel tubes, and then transport them to an interim site in the Baltic Sea. There the material will be re-sunk in the tubes and stored underwater until it can be handed over to the responsible state authority, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service, for demolition.

The workers will have two months to clear the bay—and demonstrate that the Norppa 300 and other technologies are either up to it or not.

But a hitch will delay the destruction of all of the recovered weapons for about a year. Germany has a single major munitions-disposal facility, and it is occupied with incinerating unexploded ordnance from across the globe, not least, incredibly, Nazi-era explosives still being unearthed from construction sites. That’s why the Bay of Lübeck project’s budget includes construction of a disposal facility. The company and concept have yet to be finalized. One option is to build a floating clearance platform where robots will dissect ordnance and burn the chemical contents in a detonation chamber at temperatures of more than 1300 degrees Celsius, similar to how weapons are disposed of at the land-based facility.

There’s another snafu, too. Over the years, the mounds of weaponry in the undersea dumping grounds have corroded and collapsed into one another, creating a gnarled, combustible mass of metals and explosive agents that make their recovery more complicated. The only options are to leave these or blow them up on-site. The best-case scenario is that all of the Baltic’s most hazardous conventional munitions will finally be history by 2050, and work on the North Sea will be well under way. The worst case is that funding does not materialize, and the mountains of explosives will continue to deteriorate en masse, emitting poisons.

Before the green light came to start the cleanup, Guldin was becoming doubtful that his country would ever address the mess, and thought he might have to accept that SeaTerra’s expertise would never be put to the greater task that he and Schwab had envisioned. For the foreseeable future at least, he’ll be in the thick of culminating his life’s work, undoing some of humanity’s sins on the seafloor.

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