1995 268 Islander

[BobH1]

Good morning all. Going to look at a '95 Islander 268 with a single '05 250 sws Yamaha. Will be used as a family boat on the delmarva (have a '78 Kencraft for crabbing).
Any advice welcomed.

 

[family affair]

Check carefully for structural rot. Unless the boat has been meticulously maintained by the most anal-retentive owner, the odds are good that you will find issues. The pre 1998 boats tend to have more problems because the wood used in these models is not rot resistant.

 

[BobH1]

Yep. Got my tapping hammer, flashlight, and poking knife. Guess I should bring a screwgun also. This boat is from an estate sale. Kept on a lift. Will buy a new trailer to haul to Delmarva from FL.
With an 8'6" beam, trailering thru the cbbt will be good.

 

[family affair]

I sincerely wish you well. The Islanders are versitile, capable boats.
I'd encourage you to search "Islander" here and over on THT. There have been a number of great restoration threads.
For the time being, my other thought is be aware of serviceability on that model year. The boat can be packed with a lot of features that can be tough to access. Getting to the auxiliary fuel tank (if it has one) can involve major surgery.

 

[Kyleschmid]

I bought a 96 islander last year. I would recommend getting a professional to survey the boat. I did not and now I have rot issues that I'm sure I could have known about. The times i did use the boat last season were great. Had it out in some rough waters in the Chesapeake bay and was never nervous about its stability.

 

[BobH1]

Where did your boat have rot issues? BTW... I worked at tristate back in the early '80's.

 

[Kyleschmid]

Where did your boat have rot issues? BTW... I worked at tristate back in the early '80's.

It was under the floor between the gas tanks and the area that holds the battery's. I have a guy coming today to look at it to see if there is more I don't see. I will let you know what he finds and if he knows of any common places on these boats.

 

[BobH1]

Ok. Went to look at this 1995 268 islander. Has a single 250 yamaha. This is a 1 owner boat. Very well taken care of. Owner passed in late 2020. The fuel tank hatch has had the original plywood removed and new plywood glassed in. Transom is solid with no flex. I was surprised. Apparently this boat was not run hard and was meticulously maintained. Last registered in NJ and was kept on a lift in Port Charlotte FL.
Yamaha will need service and fuel tank will need to be drained(1/4 tank of 2 year old gas). Purchasing new trailer to haul it up to the Delmarva in late April. My first Grady and looking forward to meeting others.

 

[Producer]

The transom aluminum bang cap is the 1st must fix and replace with a vinyl one from a Grady dealer. Get all the fuel/water lines replaced if cracked, and what I’m dreading on mine is switching the through hulls to stainless

 

[Hookup1]

Looks good! I have a 1997 Islander 268 too. Search the forums here for 268 Islander posts. There are a lot of owners and detailed posts that will help you out.

 

[BobH1]

Thanks. Mechanic will be giving me an evaluation on engine service and if it has to come off, then I will replace the cap. It appears that the cap has been sealed in the past and still in good condition. The thruhulls definitely are aged and will need to be changed with priority to waterline first. Are they available from Grady or aftermarket? Thanks.

 

[SouthFork]

My first boat was a ‘95 268 Islander. I had twin 200 HPDIs and it was a rocket. The biggest problem I had(besides the hull and top cap separating and filling the boat to the gunwales) was that the stringers are directly under the plate covering the fuel tank. There was NO fiberglass on the top side of the stringers and I found them to be rotted about 6” down from the top. Make sure the sealant is in good shape. My boat also listed to the starboard after coming off a wake. I happened to run into a guy at Home Depot one day that delivered boats for a Grady and told me that it was a notorious issue with the 268 which I can confirm. Overall it was a nice boat but I’d look for a 270 Islander if the Islander is what your looking for. The full planing surface makes a huge difference. I would skip the 268 with a single 250 because the one I was on barely got on plane. Mine toped out at 52 knots with the 200 HPDIs. Nice ride and easy to tow.

 

[BobH1]

Curious as to whether anyone might recognize this islander. This is being purchased through an estate. Owner passed and widow is selling.
Boats name is "Dee Dee Gal".
Hailing port of Sramford CT.
Registered in NJ
Has been sitting on a lift in Port Charlotte FL for the last 2 years.