Design and Construction
Kirie built the 1040 in fibreglass with a wooden interior. For a production 35-footer, she was offered with a remarkably broad range of keel alternatives.
The deep lead keel draws about 1.80 to 1.90 metres, limiting the boat to major marinas. A shallow iron keel, drawing 1.40 to 1.50 metres, allows access to shallower harbours. Two additional iron fin-keel options draw 1.80 to 1.90 metres and 1.90 to 2.00 metres respectively; the deeper version also restricts the boat to larger ports.
Her ballast ratio is 41 percent, higher than that of 54 percent of comparable sailboat designs. A length-to-beam ratio of 2.94 makes her beamier than 76% of similar designs. That hull provides genuine interior volume, though at some cost to ultimate motion comfort: her Motion Comfort Ratio of 20.8 exceeds only 21 percent of her peers.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Feeling 1040 has a masthead sloop rig carrying an estimated 557 square feet of sail. Control-line dimensions follow predictable mid-size cruiser dimensions: jib and genoa sheets are about 10.7 metres long and 14 mm in diameter, the 14 mm mainsheet is 26.6 metres long, and the spinnaker sheets measure 23.4 metres.
Under power, a shaft drive turns the propeller. Maximum speed is 7.0 knots, just below the theoretical displacement hull speed of 7.2 knots.
A DL-ratio of 209 places the 1040 among moderate racers, with a Relative Speed Performance of 58. Her capsize screening value is 2.12, which means she wouldn’t qualify for ocean racing under that metric. Wetted surface is about 36 square metres, while an immersion rate of roughly 213 kg per centimetre (1,195 lb per inch) indicates how heavily the boat settles as cruising gear comes aboard.
Accommodations
The interior is finished in wood, as was common among production cruisers of the period. No berth count or layout plan survives, but the design ratios suggest that the broad hull provided above-average living space for the class. With an 11-foot-10-inch beam and a length of about 35 feet, the available volume points to a conventional aft-cockpit cruising arrangement rather than a minimalist racing interior.
Known Issues and Ownership Considerations
The keel options are the main variable for prospective buyers. Iron keels require routine vigilance against corrosion, while the wide range of drafts means the particular keel must suit the owner’s intended cruising grounds.
A boat’s actual keel and draft should be confirmed rather than inferred from the model name, as Kirie used several different castings. The drivetrain is a straightforward shaft-drive arrangement.
The Verdict
The Feeling 1040 is a thoughtfully proportioned mid-1980s cruiser. Its range of keel options allowed the same basic Harlé-Mortain hull to serve both deep-water and shallow-water sailors. She is beamy and well-ballasted for her length, though she won’t provide the softest motion in a seaway, and her masthead rig is straightforward to handle.
The central caveat is that “1040” covers a family of drafts and keel metals rather than one uniform specification. Each boat therefore needs to be judged by its actual keel.
Pros
- Beamier than 76% of similar designs for her size
- Ballast ratio higher than that of 54% of comparable boats
- Choice of shallow, deep, and fin keels for different cruising grounds
Cons
- Motion Comfort Ratio better than only 21% of peers
- Capsize screening value excludes ocean-race eligibility under that metric
- Iron keel options require attention to corrosion
