Design and Construction
Alliaura Marine's in-house approach produced a hull with a very distinct chine aft, which the designer intended to increase interior volume in the aft cabins. The substantial freeboard and the beam carried far aft give the 48 a wedge-shaped footprint on the water, while the centerboard configuration keeps her shoal-friendly with the board raised yet capable of 10-foot-1-inch draft when lowered. Stubby twin rudders and a solid fiberglass hull with iron ballast place her in the modern cruising idiom rather than the balsa-cored Kirie-era Feeling builds of the 1980s.
Rig and Handling
The rig is a typical swept double-spreader fractional type with outboard chainplates, and a self-tacking jib track runs on the front face of the raised house, though the track itself is on the short side. The mainsheet is mounted on the bimini structure over the cockpit, and primary and halyard winches sit right next to the steering stations for short-handed control. A sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.23 from brochure figures places her in the moderately powered cruising range, and the very short bowsprit keeps the anchor off the plumb stem without extending the waterline.
Accommodations
Buyers could choose from three accommodation plans. The two-stateroom layout places double berths in the forward and aft cabins, with fore and aft heads both fitted with circular shower stalls. The aft staterooms are helped by the immense beam in the stern, making them genuinely usable. The forward area can be divided into a pair of compact staterooms, the port one holding berths stacked one above the other, or the aft section can be divided for a four-stateroom arrangement while keeping the two-stateroom forward plan. One quirk: the forward stateroom has no hanging lockers. In the saloon, a spacious navigation area sits to starboard and a large galley to port carries a front-opening refrigerator aft with ample locker space.
Cockpit and Deck Layout
The big cockpit carries twin forward wheels and aft settees, opening to a broad and deep swim platform. The deck carries eight hatches and a distinctive indentation in the topsides with unusual hull windows. The short bowsprit, self-tacking jib track on the house front, and winches adjacent to the helms make the working deck compact and navigable.
The Verdict
The Feeling 48 is a purpose-driven cruising design whose centerboard, beamy wedge hull, and flexible three-plan accommodation set make her a versatile coastal and offshore candidate. The chined stern and aft-carried beam trade some classic elegance for real cabin volume, and the shoal board-up draft broadens her cruising grounds.
Pros
- Centerboard gives 4'2" board-up draft and 10'1" board-down draft
- Three accommodation plans including a four-stateroom option
- Aft cabins benefit from immense beam carried well aft
- Twin wheels, nearby winches, and self-tacking jib aid short-handed sailing
Cons
- Forward stateroom lacks hanging lockers
- Self-tacking jib track is on the short side
- Distinctive styling with high freeboard and unusual windows not to all tastes
