Design and Pedigree
Ron Holland drew the 1350 during a period of change for the builder. The Kirie yard acquired Kelt Marine in 1986 and absorbed its designs into the Feeling range.
The 1350 stood apart in the contemporary Feeling catalog because of her temperament. Yachting Monthly noted her racing success in the 1986 Route du Rhum and described her as much sportier than her smaller contemporaries. Her 40-percent ballast-to-displacement ratio and 2.01 capsize screen are consistent with a stiff, seakindly hull form rather than a soft cruising hull.
Hull and Construction
The Feeling 1350 measures 44 feet 3 inches overall, with a 36-foot 1-inch waterline and a beam of 14 feet 1 inch. She displaces 22,050 pounds.
Kirie built the hull in hand-laid fiberglass, using chopped strand mat and woven rovings with orthophthalic resin beneath a balsa-cored superstructure. The hull-to-deck joint is formed on a flush, horizontal inward flange. It is through-bolted, capped with an aluminum toe rail, and laminated over on the inside.
The 8,800 pounds of lead ballast sits in a fixed fin keel drawing 7 feet 6 inches, paired with a spade rudder. A displacement-to-length ratio of 209 and a comfort ratio of 26 place the 1350 firmly in the performance-cruiser band: substantial enough for ocean work, but light enough on her lines to reward careful sail trim.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The masthead sloop rig carries roughly 1,150 square feet of sail area against 22,050 pounds of displacement. That gives the 1350 a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 23.5—lively without being twitchy.
Her calculated hull speed is 8 knots, the natural ceiling imposed by the waterline. For a cruiser who still wants to sail, however, the light-air acceleration noted by period reviewers is the more useful trait.
A directly driven 50-horsepower Perkins diesel provides a sensible power margin for a boat of this size. Tankage comprises 47 gallons of fuel and 155 gallons of water, supporting extended passages.
Accommodations
Yachting Monthly characterized the interior as inventive but sparse. That’s an honest assessment of a boat whose brief favored sailing ability over floating-condominium comforts.
Versions were offered with four to eight berths, allowing owners to choose between guest capacity and stowage. The 14-foot 1-inch beam creates real volume amidships, but the overall approach remains restrained rather than lavish: attractive, functional, and uncluttered rather than opulent.
Verdict
The Feeling 1350 is a Ron Holland performance cruiser that earned her credentials in offshore racing and translated them into a capable, if understated, long-distance cruiser. She is quick for her length, well built in the Kirie tradition, and was offered with berth counts suited to either a couple or a charter-minded owner.
Pros
- Ron Holland-designed hull with proven Route du Rhum pedigree
- Stiff, seakindly proportions, including a 40-percent ballast ratio and 2.01 capsize screen
- Inventive, attractive interior available in four- to eight-berth layouts
- Strong sail-area-to-displacement ratio for a 22,050-pound boat
Cons
- Accommodation described as sparse rather than luxurious
- Fixed, deep fin keel limits shallow-water access
