Design and Construction
What makes the 396 DI beachable is not merely the board but the flatness of the hull itself. Hull sections are basically flat from stem to stern to minimize the depth of the underbody, and at the bottom of the boat the solid glass layup runs a full inch thick to support beaching. The hull is fabricated of solid glass with chopped strand mat and woven roving in a polyester resin matrix, while the deck is cored with end-grain balsa and longitudinal stringers and athwartship frames are glassed in for structural rigidity. Structural skegs on either side of the centerboard trunk and at the propeller protect those critical areas, and in lieu of one high-aspect, balanced-spade rudder are two shallower elliptical foils canted port and starboard; each one is engineered to accept the weight of the whole boat when on the hard. The lifting foil itself is constructed of fiberglass, weighs less than 300 pounds, and pivots around a heavy-duty stainless pin secured through bushings.
The ballast scheme is the clearest tell of the design's priorities. To compensate for the elevated center of gravity aboard the lifting-keel version, Kirié jacked belly ballast up to 6,680 pounds — a cast-iron pan affixed externally into a recess in the underbody, fair with the bottom — producing a 39-percent ballast ratio against a 15.4 SA/Disp figure. The fixed-keel alternative carries a 5,400-pound cast iron foil externally affixed with conventional keelbolts, giving that version a 35-percent ballast ratio and a 16.9 SA/Disp. A reviewer voiced concern over the suitability of cast iron as belly ballast in the shallow-draft 396, noting it is vulnerable to rust and corrosion in the marine environment, though Kirié appears to have covered its bases by keeping the metal external and beefing up the hull schedule where it attaches.
Rig and Handling
The mast is deck-stepped, with lines led aft through organizers and stoppers to cabin-mounted self-tailers, and topside the 396 presents a low-profile cabintop and flush foredeck. In light air on flat water the boat moved along effortlessly, tracked well and dug to weather nicely with the board deployed, and connected to the wheel by a Whitlock rack-and-pinion system the dual canted rudders provide excellent response at the helm. The fixed-keel version trades the beaching trick for a 5-foot 11-inch ballasted fin.
Accommodations
The interior is offered in two layouts: a two-stateroom version with a double berth in the bow and another double berth in a full-width cabin aft, or a three-stateroom version in which port and starboard cabins occupy the stern. Woodwork is rendered in elm for a light, airy look, and both versions include two heads with showers, one forward and one aft, each with its own dedicated stainless steel holding tank. The main saloon features L-shaped settees port and starboard with a central dinette that folds out to accommodate both seating areas, while a very secure galley with double stainless sinks and a microwave is tucked in on the port side to the left of the companionway; to the right sit the after head and a well-appointed forward-facing nav station and electrical/electronics control center. Three decent hanging lockers are distributed through the boat, and cabin headroom is 7 feet.
Equipment and Systems
Access to the 40-horsepower Yanmar is through convertible front and side inspection hatches below the companionway, and underneath the cabin sole sits the battery bank in a custom-fabricated fiberglass casing — one engine start battery and two deep-cycle house batteries. Electrical distribution is organized at a panel in the nav station with 16 12-volt breakers and six European 220-volt breakers, while pressurized hot and cold water is available in the galley and heads and a deck shower is provided in the cockpit. Forward are double anchor rollers and a generous chain locker with a mechanical windlass installed, and the cockpit features a removable helmsman's seat that opens onto a swim platform. Fuel capacity is 66 gallons and water capacity 105 gallons, with holding in two tanks of approximately 18 gallons each.
Known Issues and Ergonomic Trade-offs
The beachable brief extracted a real penalty in the cockpit. The cockpit itself is rather small, compromised by a wide bridge deck that occupies the space between the cockpit and the main hatch, and going below becomes a climb-out-of-the-cockpit maneuver that leaves a crewmember vulnerable in rough offshore situations. That vulnerability is the direct cost of the fairweather-lounging bridge deck and the low-profile cabintop that serve the shoal-draft mission; the boat is superb at what it was built to do and less forgiving when the weather turns while a watchkeeper needs the cabin.
The Verdict
The Feeling 396 DI is a specialized cruiser-racer-adjacent hull conceived around shoal draft and intentional beaching, executed with a flat solid-glass underbody, external cast-iron belly ballast, and twin canted rudders that double as shore stands. It sails cleanly in light air, steers with uncommon helm precision for a twin-foil arrangement, and offers a flexible two- or three-cabin interior in elm with secure galley and redundant heads. The trade is a compromised cockpit and a corrosion-watch item on the external belly ballast — acceptable if the owner's waters and habits actually use the 2-foot 11-inch board-up draft.
Pros
- Beachable 2'11" board-up draft from a 7'4" board-down foil, on a flat one-inch-thick solid-glass underbody
- Twin canted elliptical rudders engineered to accept the boat's weight on the hard
- Excellent helm response via Whitlock rack-and-pinion to the dual rudders
- Flexible two- or three-stateroom elm interior with two dedicated stainless holding tanks
- Secure port galley with microwave and double sinks; 40-hp Yanmar with convertible inspection hatches
Cons
- Small cockpit with a wide bridge deck making below-decks access a vulnerable climb in rough conditions
- External cast-iron belly ballast vulnerable to rust and corrosion per period review concern
- Lifting-keel version carries a heavier 17,680-lb displacement than the fixed fin
