The Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982 vs Kirie Feeling 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 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 Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982 at 24,5 ft versus Kirie Feeling 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 at 27,1 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Kirie Feeling 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 tips the scales at 6 173 lbs — 1 874 lbs less than the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982 at 4 299 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 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982 carries a rated maximum of 10 hp. Engine data for the Kirie Feeling 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 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 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 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 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 could be the deciding factor.

Both boats sit in a similar displacement bracket — 4 299 lbs for the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982 and 6 173 lbs for the Kirie Feeling 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983. Comparable displacement means broadly similar seakeeping behaviour and load capacity, though hull form and ballast ratio will still produce noticeably different sailing characteristics.

Draft is a practical consideration that many buyers underestimate until they're already at the marina. The Kirie Feeling 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 draws 5,7 ft, compared to 4,1 ft for the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982. That 1,6-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 - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982 uses Sloop rigging. The Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982 has a documented auxiliary engine of 10 hp.

Hull speed is rated at 6,6 knots for the Kirie Feeling 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 and 6,0 knots for the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982. For extended cruising, water capacity matters: the Kirie Feeling 850 - Fin keel Fin keel 1983 carries 24 gallons versus 13 gallons on the Kirie Feeling 720 NV - Keel and centerboard Keel and centerboard 1982 — a significant advantage on longer passages where watermaker or provisioning stops aren't guaranteed.