41 Islander 1978 Boat for Sale

Long Shot Boat | 41' Islander 1978

Rare Islander Freeport 41 Ketch – Classic Bluewater Cruiser with Exceptional Heritage

Long Shot is not simply another vintage sailboat. She is a classic Islander Freeport 41 Ketch, a distinctive center-cockpit cruising design known for robust construction, full-keel stability, comfortable accommodations and genuine offshore capability.

Designed by Charles Davies, with influence from renowned yacht designer Robert Perry, the Islander Freeport 41 emerged during the golden age of offshore cruising yacht development. Only 138 hulls were produced, with each vessel individually built and fitted in an era when substantial fiberglass construction and hand-finished interiors were hallmarks of serious cruising yachts. The warm teak joinery and traditional craftsmanship aboard Long Shot remain tangible reminders of that heritage today.

Long Shot combines the offshore capability of a traditional heavy-displacement cruising yacht with dimensions that provide remarkable flexibility in choosing where to cruise. Her center-cockpit layout and versatile ketch rig are equally suited to exploring the Florida Keys, cruising the Bahamas, or undertaking extended coastal and offshore passages. With a draft of only five feet, she can access many anchorages, coves and cruising grounds that remain challenging for deeper-draft offshore yachts. Her bridge clearance of approximately 53 feet further expands her cruising options along the Intracoastal Waterway and beyond.

For long-range cruisers and liveaboards, the Freeport 41 offers remarkable interior volume within her 41-foot length. Her spacious two-cabin, two-head layout provides comfort and privacy for extended cruising or full-time life aboard. Particularly noteworthy is the interior passageway connecting the main salon and forward accommodations with the private aft owner's stateroom, allowing movement throughout the vessel without stepping on deck. This thoughtful center-cockpit design enhances comfort underway, provides meaningful separation between the two staterooms, and contributes significantly to Long Shot's appeal as a capable liveaboard cruiser.

Long Shot will appeal to the sailor who values traditional craftsmanship, proven cruising design and the character found in yachts of this era. While she will benefit from cosmetic updating and continued modernization, her appeal lies not in perfection but in authenticity. She offers her next owner the opportunity to enjoy a distinctive cruising yacht today while continuing to update and personalize her over time.

Picture Long Shot resting in a quiet Bahamian anchorage, the trades moving through the rigging as the sun settles beyond the cockpit. For the sailor drawn to extended cruising, life aboard and the character of a traditional sailing yacht, she offers something increasingly difficult to find - a genuine cruising classic ready for her next chapter.

Notable Upgrades

• Jet bow thruster installed in 2023, providing enhanced maneuverability in tight marinas and docking situations
• Marine air conditioning system for liveaboard comfort
• Solar charging system supporting extended anchoring independence
• Modern Garmin navigation electronics including radar, AIS, and GPS/chartplotter

Accommodations

The warm teak interior retains much of the traditional craftsmanship that helped establish the Freeport's reputation as a capable offshore cruising yacht and comfortable liveaboard.

The interior offers a practical arrangement with accommodations for up to six guests:

• Forward V-berth guest cabin
• Private aft owner's stateroom with double berth
• Convertible salon berth
• Interior companionway passage connecting salon and aft cabin
• Two heads
• Well-equipped galley featuring:
• Three-burner stove
• Double-sized stainless-steel sink
• Custom refrigerator/freezer

Rigging & Sails

Designed for manageable sail handling and offshore versatility, Long Shot features a traditional ketch rig with multiple sail configurations.

• Ketch rig
• Mainsail and mizzen with lazy jacks and sail covers
• 150% Genoa with roller furling
• Spinnaker

Ground Tackle

Well-equipped for extended anchoring and cruising independence.

• Windlass
• Mantus-style primary anchor with approximately 300 feet of chain
• Secondary anchor with approximately 100 feet of chain
• Stern Danforth anchor with rode

Electronics & Navigation

• VHF radio with AIS
• Garmin GPS/chartplotter
• Radar
• Depth sounder

Propulsion

Powered by a dependable Yanmar diesel engine.

• Yanmar 4JH-DTE diesel engine
• 78 HP

Long Shot's economical Yanmar diesel burns approximately one gallon per hour at cruising RPM. With 200 gallons of fuel capacity and a hull speed of approximately 7.7 knots, she offers the potential for more than 1,500 miles of cruising range under power, making her exceptionally well suited for long-distance cruising where efficiency, range, and self-sufficiency are highly valued.

Electrical Systems

• Shore power connection
• Four 12V batteries (2023)
• Dedicated engine start battery
• Solar panel system

Tankage

• Fresh water capacity: 200 gallons (2012)
• Fuel capacity: 200 gallons (2012)
• Holding tank capacity: 75 gallons

Whether your ambitions include extended cruising, seasonal liveaboard life, exploring the Florida Keys, or crossing to the Bahamas, Long Shot represents a rare opportunity to acquire one of the most respected center-cockpit cruising designs of her generation.

Denison Yacht Sales offers the details of this yacht in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of this boat for sale. A yacht buyer should instruct his yacht broker, or his boat surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This yacht for sale is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice. This boat may be listed with another yacht broker.