The Kirie Elite 324 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 vs Kirie Feeling 326 - Shoal draft Shoal draft 1987 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 324 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 at 32,7 ft versus Kirie Feeling 326 - Shoal draft Shoal draft 1987 at 32,6 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Kirie Feeling 326 - Shoal draft Shoal draft 1987 tips the scales at 9 744 lbs — 1 146 lbs less than the Kirie Elite 324 - 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 324 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 and 28 hp for the Kirie Feeling 326 - Shoal draft Shoal draft 1987. 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 326 - Shoal draft Shoal draft 1987 carries 30 gallons versus 24 gallons in the Kirie Elite 324 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986. 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 — 8 598 lbs for the Kirie Elite 324 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 and 9 744 lbs for the Kirie Feeling 326 - Shoal draft Shoal draft 1987. 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 — 5,1 ft and 4,4 ft respectively. Marina access and anchorage options should be broadly equivalent between the two.

The Kirie Elite 324 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986 uses Sloop rigging. For auxiliary power the Kirie Feeling 326 - Shoal draft Shoal draft 1987 carries a 28-hp engine against 18 hp on the Kirie Elite 324 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986. Motoring range and ability to punch through a foul current or enter a tight marina under power will favour the more powerful installation.

Hull speed is rated at 7,0 knots for the Kirie Feeling 326 - Shoal draft Shoal draft 1987 and 6,8 knots for the Kirie Elite 324 - Deep draft Deep draft 1986.