One feature on our boat that never fails to stir up strong opinions is the full-foil keel—a signature design element Island Packet Yachts are known for. People either love it or raise an eyebrow so hard it might fall off their face. It’s one of those designs that doesn’t sit quietly in the middle. It draws a line.

On one side, you’ve got the die-hard fans who swear by the perfect tracking, and the sweet, balanced feel offshore. On the other, the skeptics who question its maneuverability and tell you we’re dragging around a dinosaur. And that’s part of what makes it such a defining feature of our boat. It turns heads, sparks opinions, and honestly? We kind of love that. Take a look at the photo—it’s a super cool one I came across online. I’m not sure who took it, so I can’t give proper credit, but it beautifully shows the full-foil keel on an Island Packet in its natural element.

You don’t see a ton of full-foil keels out there, and when you do, you know you’re looking at something that was designed with long-distance sailing in mind. It is shaped like an underwater wing. Long, sleek, and flowing smoothly into the hull. Unlike fin keels, this design offers unrivaled stability and remarkably stable tracking, making it a dream for long passages. It lifts the boat slightly, improving pointing ability and reducing sideways slip, which surprises many given the keel’s size and shape. Plus, the motion through waves is softer, which means less fatigue on those long offshore days. And let’s be honest, it just looks cool. That curve, the taper, the way it flows into the hull. In my opinion, it’s a rare view of a pretty slick piece of marine design.

Now, let’s not pretend everyone’s onboard with the full keel love. Some argue that full-foil keels create more resistance, which can slow the boat down compared to sleeker fin keel designs. Maneuvering in tight marinas can be very challenging too, as the large keel surface makes backing up or quick turns really challenging. And yeah, we fully agree, backing into a slip with a full-keel boat isn’t exactly laser-precise. But you learn the boat’s quirks, you get good at reading current and wind, and sometimes you just commit and hope your neighbors are friendly.

But here’s something we think doesn’t get talked about enough. It’s one of the reasons we are more relaxed out on the water. Our keel isn’t bolted on. It’s an integral part of the hull. That means there are no keel bolts to corrode or snap, no scary failure scenarios where the whole keel could tear away in a grounding or collision. Structurally, it’s just… stronger. It’s part of the boat’s spine, not something hanging on underneath. And when you’re out there, no land in sight and hours from the nearest haul-out, that kind of peace of mind is worth a lot.

While looking for our dream boat, we dove deep into the world of keel designs. And here’s the thing: There’s no one-size-fits-all keel. But for what we do, comfortable cruising, chasing the wind, living aboard, this design checks a lot of boxes. Sure, it sparks debate. But if you ask us? The full-foil keel is more than just a talking point. It’s a reason we fell in love with this boat in the first place.

So which camp are you in—are you on team full-foil or firmly in the fin camp?