This is the type of layout I have for my kitchen, and I love it!! My only complaint is that it isn't as long as what you're thinking about, (mine's only 6'), and I would LOVE it if it hard been longer, but due to constraints of the kitchen, it just wasn't possible. I love facing out where I can talk to and see my family and guests when I'm working at the sink.
It makes more sense to me, other than having the sink facing a wall or window, because then my back would be facing everyone else.
Heidi

I am also planning an 8 ft. island with sink and seating.
Mine will not be as deep as you mentioned though.

There are some great ones in the FKB.

The photo you included made me laugh, although its really
pretty...I was imagining prepping around those candelabras
on the counter! :) I always wonder why they find it necessary
to stage it like that...so unrealistic.

Good luck!

I don't have a farm sink, but I do have a 9 foot island (3.5 feet wide), with a sink placed off-center length wise. My dishwasher is also in the island, to the right of the sink. I really like the set-up.

Our KD strongly recommended putting the cooktop in the island, but I didn't want to do that for two reasons. First, I didn't want venting over the island and I wasn't so confident in the downdraft vents I saw. Second, I figured -- correctly -- that I would spent more time at the sink than I do at the cooktop. In my old kitchen, everything I used (sink, dishwasher, stove) was located around the perimeter of the kitchen, which meant that I always had my back to anyone who was in the kitchen with me. Now, with a more open layout and the sink on the island, I feel like I can actually interact!

I will say that there are some splashing issues when I'm washing larger pieces in the sink, e.g., stockpots, etc. But overall, it's not that big of a deal. (I also find that when I'm doing that kind of washing in the sink, it's usually during a cleanup after a large meal, so I'm rarely splashing on anyone.) But, given the choice between having my back to people or not, I'll take this any day.

Our island is 9'-6" by 3'-9" with an additional 12" overhang. The sink (not farmhouse) is "almost" centered in the island with the dishwasher to the left. The island is a single level and the sink is a single bowl. We are waiting for the counters right now, but I think I am going to love it. Plenty of room on the island to prep or set out appetizers and snacks, since people usually hover near the kitchen when we are cooking and we can "tuck" dirty dishes into the deep single bowl sink. I would highly recommend the sink over the cooktop in the island if you need to have one or the other for all the reasons you mention above.

Looking through some books, Ive been seeing pics of sinks on one end of the island instead of in the middle. Maybe that would allow for a better no splash zone and would divide the space in a more functional way?

I know that photo is goofy. Show me a real kitchen lol.

This is mine - although it is shorter and not as wide (6 X 3). I have a sink, DW and bookcase on one end. I like it so far (only been in kitchen 1 day . . .)

Frankly, I would have loved a wider island but we have space constraints and I'm hoping to get a small round table in the corner by the window so . . .

afr66 -- how wide is your aisle between island and cooktop? Are you running into bottleneck issues with someone at the sink or dw and someone at the cooktop?