Island Packets

One of the advantages of being on "A" Dock is that we get to meet most of the transient sailors that come through.  Our slip is just across from the most-commonly used "just visiting" slips, so we get to see some really nice boats and folks.
A gorgeous Island Packet 420 is waiting for a weather window to the Bahamas in the slip across from us.  We met Maris and Linda Eshleman shortly after they arrived and offered to take them shopping at the commissary.  In turn they invited us sailing with them.
Their 2003 IP 420 is a freshwater Wisconsin boat just out of refit.  This was our first sail on a cutter-rigged, full-keel boat.  A typically low-aspect rig with all sails on furlers, including in-mast main, sail handling was a snap.
"Amekaya"  has a bow-thruster of about 6 horsepower, but a good 15-knot wind still blew her sideways coming out of the slip.  No criticism intended, but I probably would have used that thruster more and tried to position the bow into the wind before attempting to power out with a tad more prop aft.  Since the prop would have "walked" to port and pushed forward we may have been a little more orderly coming out.  Isn't hindsight wonderful!  Very glad I was not at the helm having to figure it all out on the fly!
Once out in the fairway, the boat handled very well and tracked tightly.  After we cleaned up the dock lines and flipped the fenders aboard, Maris tensioned all three halyards at the mast and then pulled the main out of the mast.  Next came the 110% LP jib and the Gary Hoyt-rigged staysail when we cleared the #1 buoy.  Sheeting the jib was very easy with two free-spinning Lewmar 58's, while the staysail was self-tending once the sheet was set.
We cruised down past Key West with 7-8 knots of way and pouted when she dropped below 6 knots.  Once established on a tack, steering was remote-control via the Garmin autopilot.
We came about next to the Disney cruise liner at Mallory Square and began the always-frustrating beat to windward.  During our three longish tacks we noticed a large number of iridescent blown-glass blue Portuguese-Man-of-War jellyfish.  As pretty as they are, the stinging nematocysts in their beard of tentacles make them a formidable deterrent to a casual swim.  We were also visited by a solitary gray porpoise, but there was no playful surfing in our bow wave.  Apparently this fellow had an appointment!
Soon the sails were furled and we motored up the long fairway back into Boca Chica and a very orderly tie-up.
Now the problem is that I want an Island Packet!  Since I'm limited to 12-foot beam, that means an IP35 or less.  Let's check the listings...