Calliope

Cruisers Calliope

The Island Packet 485 is a well-known bluewater cruising sailboat that combines modern innovation with classic design. Measuring almost 52 feet in length, the 485 is designed for long-distance comfort and safety, boasting a strong full-foil keel for enhanced stability and a shallow draft, along with solid construction and comfortable accommodations.

Its cutter rig offers an easy-to-manage sail plan, making it ideal for couples. Its heavy displacement and ballast ensure stable, reliable performance even in challenging conditions. The smooth motion and efficient hull shape make it a trusted companion on extended passages.

Below deck, the 485 welcomes sailors into a spacious, beautifully finished interior with ample headroom and large windows for natural light. The main salon is inviting, complemented by a well-equipped galley and a versatile three-cabin, two-head layout that includes a comfortable owner’s cabin forward. Storage is plentiful throughout, making it ideal for liveaboard cruising.

Designed for serious cruising, the 485 features large fuel and water tanks, a reliable 110 HP Yanmar engine, and sturdy systems for easy maintenance. With its classic profile, comfort-oriented design, and reputation for seaworthiness, the Island Packet 485 is a benchmark in bluewater cruising yachts.

Calliope is well-equipped with a full range of cruising gear and has benefited from consistent and careful maintenance. Her previous owner (six years) and current owner (three years) have continuously upgraded and maintained her. They installed new Axiom Pro Multifunction Displays, including Sonar, Evolution Autohelm with EV-1 and ACU-400, using the existing Mamba drive. She also has a Starlink (2024) system, an SSB, VHF radio, and the ability to transmit and receive AIS.

Rigging and sail upgrades include new wire standing rigging, headsail furler drums, and in-mast furling swivel and drum in 2023, a new 110% genoa in 2024, and several new lines in 2024/2025.

On deck, her Muir Cheetah 2500 windlass was replaced in 2021, and the motor was upgraded in 2023. The bimini was replaced in 2021, with new isinglass on the front of the dodger added in 2024. The exterior woodwork was stripped and refinished in 2023 and refreshed again in 2024. Her Kato arch, installed in 2017, features dinghy davits, an outboard engine lift, and solar panels.

Mechanically, Calliope was given the necessary maintenance to ensure worry-free cruising. Her 110 HP Yanmar received a major overhaul in 2016 and 2020, including the installation of a new turbo in 2020. She had a conversion to a serpentine belt earlier, and in 2019, she got a new CV joint, thrust bearing, and damper plate. In 2024, the heat exchanger, intercooler, raw water pump, hoses, port forward motor mount, and prop were replaced to ensure reliable operation. 

Other improvements include adding a Code 0 in 2021, new batteries in 2024, a new wind generator in 2024, replacing all above-water thru-hulls, as well as genset and main engine thru-hulls, the cutlass bearing and stern tube, replacing the mattresses in both cabins, installing the Spectra 12V water maker, and adding the washer dryer. 

The list goes on, and the exceptional care and maintenance of Calliope should be highlighted. One of her owners was a professional pilot, and he has attended to this vessel as meticulously as he would on a plane. The owners have lived aboard and cruised for three years. They planned to keep cruising for many more years, but their circumstances have changed, and they must sell Calliope. She is in a slip at West Shore Marina and is READY TO GO!