Family cruiserr

The trend that I hate is what I call dumbing-down the boat. By this I mean designing the boat for maximum appeal at the dock, 2:30 Saturday afternoon at the Annapolis boat show. Success in this context means impact and the ability to convince the buyer that you have covered every conceivable use option. There is a huge difference between the dumbed-down boat and the boat that will really work for you when cruising.

This boat is a fatso. With 13.22 feet of beam on an LOA of 37.5 feet, who could argue? The Kirie line is famous for shoal-draft boats, and this model is offered with a centerboard or a fixed keel. The shoal-draft version draws 2.3 feet when the board is up. This version uses twin rudders to help reduce draft. The draft of the deep-keel, single-rudder version is 7.22 feet. Given the importance of the shoal-draft version in this line, I can understand why the beam is generous.

This interior typifies the French accommodation plan. There are three staterooms, each with a double berth and two heads, on 37.5 feet of LOA. The galley is okay and uses a table-height, centerline island space for additional counter. The way the navigation station is worked into the main cabin will give this saloon a good feel. For fun, compare this saloon with that of the Morris boats. The Kirie's saloon looks like a nice place to hang out and swap stories. The V-ed double is a wee bit too V-ed for my big feet, but it will work. There is an option that pulls this berth aft, giving more toe space at the expense of losing the forward head. I'm not wild about cramped quarter "staterooms." I like ventilation.

This deck is very Euro and right out of the softened-wedge school of deck design. It's clear that the Briand and Kirie groups have worked very hard at shaping this deck into something new. It appears they have used some curved glass windows and very soft corner radii to create a sleek house. The curved glass will be a nice touch but it's not new; the new Morris yacht has curved glass too. Note the big skylight just aft of the mast. I only see one opening hatch on deck besides the companionway hatch. I like as many opening hatches as is reasonably possible.

The sailplan is very ordinary. There are two swept-back spreaders and a babystay. The sailplan gives a good overview of this boat's general look. Note the high freeboard and the way the designer has tried to hide it with high bootstripes. (I love designing paint jobs for my friends' boats.) This entire boat looks on the high side to me, but the overall look is surprisingly svelte considering its full-figured proportions.

I would assume this boat is aimed at the charter market in an area where shoal draft is at a premium. Three couples could enjoy this boat.