The Islander 39 is specially designed as an Eco-charter boat. She is designed to be sailed and rarely motored, saving on carbon fuels.

We chose the Wharram Wingsail Yawl rig as its small mizzen can be used to assist in manoeuvring under sail, allowing Eco-sailors to avoid using the engine as much as possible.

The single centrally placed 9.9hp 4-stroke outboard motor is there to be used only in calms to get back in time for the end of the charter, or to get into places where sailing is impossible.

The anchor is lifted traditionally by sailing or motoring over the anchor to ‘break it out’. It can then be easily lifted by hand without the need of an anchor winch.

Her less than 3ft draft, enables the boat to sail on to a beach, in shallow lagoons or rivers, giving more options of exploring remote places. The wide swimming ramp allows several people to use it at the same time. It is also used to bring the dinghy on board (or for man overboard).

Construction is in wood-epoxy, in either strip-planking or double diagonal plywood. The minimum of high tech (high carbon footprint) hardware is used. Wood and rope is used wherever possible, again making repairs and maintenance easy.

The boat can be maintained without modern marina facilities. The small mizzen mast can be used as sheer-pole to lower the main mast, which is set in a tabernacle.

Accommodation
The four simple ‘flexispace’ cabins in the hulls provide each couple with a private space. Half of each cabin is open to the fresh air, ideal in the tropics or hot Mediterranean weather; they are like a room with a balcony for
naked sunbathing. On a hot night one can sleep in the semi open, enjoying the stars overhead.

By using the bamboo sunblinds, natural airflow is encouraged. A waterproof cover is there for wet weather. For safety the cabin floors are sealed and self-draining. Large watertight hatches in these floors give access to huge storage lockers, one for bedding and personal possessions, the other for water storage, wetsuits or diving kit.
Water is carried on board in portable jerrycans, allowing them to be refilled anywhere and transported by dinghy.

Deckpod
The open sided deckpod, with ample seating for the crew of 8, has a simple but spacious galley in which several people can prepare food together, while enjoying a glass of wine. The cooker is screened from wind; roll-up side screens protect the crew from sun, wind or rain. The roof top is used for solar panels that will provide all the electrical needs.

There are two (or even 4) heads, perhaps using composting toilets. Showers should be taken on deck, the platform hatch is a ‘well’ for raising buckets of seawater. Washing up is also done on deck, plenty of space to splash and the platform slats double as a built-in draining rack! Cooking and washing up out in the open as a social activity is far more congenial than in a cramped hot galley down below.