Keel Options and Draft Profile
The model was built with different keel alternatives, and the choices shape where the boat can go. One option is a drop keel made of iron, drawing just 2.46 to 2.76 feet dependent on load, letting the boat enter even shallow marinas different keel alternatives. Another is a deep keel of lead drawing 6.07 to 6.37 feet, restricting her to major marinas. A third is a shallow iron keel drawing 4.43 to 4.73 feet, also allowing entry into shallow marinas. The spread from under 2.5 to over 6 feet of draft across the range means a used buyer's intended cruising ground should dictate which version to seek, and the iron keels versus lead deep keel is a material difference in both grounding behavior and ballast density.
Hull and Construction
The hull is made of fibreglass, with a solid fiberglass layup noted in the specification record and a solid fiberglass deck. The wetted surface is about 398 square feet, a broad footprint for a 34-foot hull that speaks to volume rather than racing fineness. The immersion rate of 1,161 pounds per inch means she sits heavily for her length, consistent with the 185.8 displacement-to-length ratio and the 2.95 length-to-beam proportion that yields a beamy, roomy midsection. The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 7.3 knots, matching the 7.24-knot hull speed in the design data.
Rig and Sail Handling
The fractional sloop rig carries a sail area of 667 square feet, and the standing and running dimensions are thoroughly documented. The jib and genoa sheets each run 33.5 feet at a half-inch diameter, the mainsheet is 83.7 feet long at the same diameter, and the spinnaker sheet is 73.7 feet mainsheet is 83.7 feet long. These are substantial trims for a boat this size, implying a cockpit led out for serious sail control rather than minimalist coastal use. The 22.45 sail-area-to-displacement ratio suggests she is built to move in a breeze without being overcanvased.
Accommodations and Layout Context
The 53-gallon water and 24-gallon diesel capacity, paired with the 20.17 comfort ratio, frame a boat sized for weekends and extended coastal passages rather than bare minimalism. The 2.11 capsize ratio and 39 percent ballast ratio together describe a stable, self-righting hull form in the modern cruiser class.
The Verdict
The Feeling 356 is a thoughtfully engineered 1990s cruiser whose three-keel strategy is her defining intelligence, letting an owner match draft to venue. She is solidly built in fiberglass with a lead-ballasted deep option and iron shoal variants, and her rigging is dimensioned for real sailing. A buyer should inspect interior and systems areas firsthand, but the core platform is coherent and capable.
Pros
- Three keel options from 2.46 to 6.37 feet draft match varied cruising needs
- 39 percent ballast ratio and 2.11 capsize ratio indicate stable hull form
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with documented rig dimensions
Cons
- Iron drop and shallow keels are more corrosion-prone than lead
- Shallow and drop keel versions excluded from many major marinas by draft limits of deeper ports
- Interior and systems details not established in available authority documents
