The Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981 vs Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981 at 31,8 ft versus Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 at 32,7 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981 tips the scales at 9 370 lbs — 772 lbs more than the Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 at 8 598 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 18 hp for the Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981 and 18 hp for the Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 carries 24 gallons versus 9 gallons in the Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

Both boats are rated for 9 passengers — a good fit for a family of four or five plus guests. Comfort at capacity is another matter; the longer hull typically means more seat options and better weight distribution.

Both boats sit in a similar displacement bracket — 9 370 lbs for the Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981 and 8 598 lbs for the Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986. Comparable displacement means broadly similar seakeeping behaviour and load capacity, though hull form and ballast ratio will still produce noticeably different sailing characteristics.

Both boats draw a similar depth — 5,8 ft and 5,1 ft respectively. Marina access and anchorage options should be broadly equivalent between the two.

The Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981 uses Sloop rigging. Helm style differs too: the Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981 uses a 1 tiller versus a 1 tiller (helm wheel in option) on the Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986. Wheel helms give better leverage and visibility on larger boats; tillers offer direct feedback and simplicity on smaller ones.

Hull speed is rated at 6,8 knots for the Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 and 6,8 knots for the Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981. For extended cruising, water capacity matters: the Kirie Feeling 960 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 carries 50 gallons versus 34 gallons on the Kirie Elite 32 - Deep draft Deep draft 1981 — a significant advantage on longer passages where watermaker or provisioning stops aren't guaranteed.