The Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 vs Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 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.
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 measures 31,8 feet overall (1981), giving it roughly 7,3 additional feet of deck space compared to the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 at 24,5 feet (1982). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 tips the scales at 9 370 lbs — 5 402 lbs less than the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 at 3 968 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.
The Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 carries a rated maximum of 10 hp. Engine data for the Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 wasn't available in our records — check the manufacturer's spec sheet before sizing a motor.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 could be the deciding factor.
Displacement is where these two sailboats genuinely part ways. The Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 displaces 9 370 lbs — a 5 402-lb difference over the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 at 3 968 lbs. That gap separates two entirely different categories of sailing: the heavier boat is built for offshore passage-making and load-carrying, while the lighter hull rewards performance sailing and easier handling in lighter air.
Draft is a practical consideration that many buyers underestimate until they're already at the marina. The Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 draws 6,4 ft, compared to 4,7 ft for the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982. That 1,7-foot difference affects which anchorages you can access, which haul-out facilities will take you, and how carefully you need to read the tide tables in shallower cruising grounds.
The Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 uses Sloop rigging. The Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 has a documented auxiliary engine of 10 hp.
Hull speed is rated at 6,8 knots for the Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 and 6,0 knots for the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982. For extended cruising, water capacity matters: the Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 carries 34 gallons versus 13 gallons on the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 — a significant advantage on longer passages where watermaker or provisioning stops aren't guaranteed.
Bottom line: The Kirie Feeling 920 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1981 is the offshore and bluewater choice — at 9 370 lbs displacement and 32 ft it has the load capacity, range, and seakeeping for extended passages. The Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Fin keel Fin keel 1982 at 3 968 lbs is the more nimble, accessible option — easier to single-hand and better suited to coastal and inland sailing.