# Kirie Elite 30S



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

What can anyone tell me about these boats. They are extemely light, are they well built?


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

I have always been impressed with Kirie as being better put together than Beneteau and engineered more solidly. The parts tend to stay attached to each other and not flex as much. The gelcoat, even in older boats, tends to look good and to hold up well. The Elite 30 is VERY light. She feels like a dinghy when you step aboard, and will obviously be sensitive to weight placement, whether cruising or racing. Though I haven''t been out sailing on one, there is enough sail area to move her along, and the spars, look like they''re well thought out and sized appropirately. Below, the aft quarter cabin and head are snug fits, but this is a 30'' boat, not 40''. The galley and nav table have what''s needed, and though the cabinetry is light, it isn''t flimsy. The open, "U shaped" saloon is quite comfortable. Check the V-berth to make sure it''s big enough for whoever plans to sleep there. Since they''re less well-known than Beneteau (though I believe Beneteau now owns Kirie), they can be a good bargain for a nice boat.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

do you know if the boat was originally a tiller or did it have a wheel option?


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I believe that the Elite 30''s could be purchased either way. The one I sailed on had a wheel.

Jeff


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

Hello, we are in the process of purchasing an Elite 30 and can't wait to get her moved to our lake!! Dec. 16 weather permitting. We are very happy w/ our choice and excited to sail her.


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## MARC2012 (Mar 17, 2008)

Gee never heard of these & two in one day.Welcome.marc


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

Hello Marc, Seems I drummed up a very old thread on here.haha I joined the community here hoping to find some fellow Kirie owners and make some new online friends! Hard to find info on our Elite 30. I was able to find a manual download for the Volvo Penta 9hp motor, but would love to know more about the rest of the boat as well. Guess it might be time to contact Bennateau and see what they have laying around from the buyout!


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## MARC2012 (Mar 17, 2008)

Hadn't realized old thread.You might try on cruisers forum,one member"GORD MAY"(sp?) ,is able to find almost anything.Good luck.marc


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

I've sailed more than a few races on an Elite 30s. Boat was a good performer but with some caveats. Boat I sailed and drove had a tiller. Cockpit was incredibly small when tacking since you needed to have the main trimmer in cockpit to manage the main and traveler located on the bridge deck. Harken windward sheeting car helped but the headsail trimmer and main trimmer would collide on tacks. Boat is a bit under ballasted. It will perform well with 6 crew which are required to hold the boat down when winds are over 12 knots and flying a 155%. The KE 30 has flat under body sections and will pound in steep chop.

Since you will be sailing in Oklahoma (Thunderbird?) a lot of these issues won't matter. Boat is pretty good in light air. I would imagine steep chop is probably not much of a problem in Oklahoma. Interior holds up pretty well. Watch out for alignment problems on drive shaft which were an ongoing problem on my friends boat. Unfortunately he passed a couple of years ago and I have lost track of the boat. Oh yeah, one thing I forgot. Boat will auto tack in gusts and roundup easily on spinnaker reaches. If you feel a significant gust coming on rapidly pump the tiller a couple of times to keep flow attached on the rudder to maintain control.

Go Sooners, beat the "pokes" in Bedlam tonight.


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## MARC2012 (Mar 17, 2008)

There is a yahoo group but looks out of date.marc


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

Thanks Sandusky, We are very happy w/ the boat. Delivery is on the 16th of Decemeber, brrr. We will be primarily cruising for pleasure and maybe the occasional race down the lake. We will be on Grand, which can produce some chop w/ the cigarette boats, but there are areas of the lake that are better to sail and they don't go there. We are relatively new to sailing, have two good friends that grew up doing so to guide us on our way. We have a family of four and will use her mostly for entertaining. We can't wait. She is in excellent condition other than paint and rigging. Have my paint and new ropes all picked out. Just waiting to measure old lines for keeping costs accurate. The interior is gorgeous and only needs new cushion covers and curtains to fit our tastes. Sailed over the years and have a good handle on it so far. Have been watching lessons on reefing and the use of the particular sails.


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## sailor25b (Jun 2, 2006)

Try this one: eliteowners : Kirie Elite Owners Group

I have a 1986 Kirie Elite 346. Sometimes I think mine's the only one around!


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

Thanks Sandusky, We are very happy w/ the boat. Delivery is on the 16th of Decemeber, brrr. We will be primarily cruising for pleasure and maybe the occasional race down the lake. We will be on Grand, which can produce some chop w/ the cigarette boats, but there are areas of the lake that are better to sail and they don't go there. We are relatively new to sailing, have two good friends that grew up doing so to guide us on our way. We have a family of four and will use her mostly for entertaining. We can't wait. She is in excellent condition other than paint and rigging. Have my paint and new ropes all picked out. Just waiting to measure old lines for keeping costs accurate. The interior is gorgeous and only needs new cushion covers and curtains to fit our tastes. Sailed over the years and have a good handle on it so far. Have been watching lessons on reefing and the use of the particular sails.


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

Hey thanks Sailor25b, Most of the people we talk to go a what, Kirie? We found ours shopping around online and fell for the roomy cabin and light air sailing. We can have some powerful winds around here but one can always sail w/ a reefed main and still enjoy the day!!


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

Sailor25b, I also find that like the Vivacity line made in England, there are few Kiries here in the states. We found three 30's for sale and chose this one for various reasons, mostly that she had been a freshwater boat and the other two were lifelong in the saltwater.


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## sailor25b (Jun 2, 2006)

In the US, they were called "Elite," but in France, they were called "Feeling."
Mine is an Elite 346 (or a Feeling 1040). The company was bought years ago by Alliaura Marine, but I don't think you'll get much support from them today for your boat. Get used to fixing things and replacing parts with substitutes (usually hard-to-find metric sizes).
My 346 is a great cruiser/racer, and I give Beneteau First 36.7s a scare in local regattas (with time). My PHRF is 126 - not bad for a 34' Mainly, though, I sail all over and around Long Island - what a blast!

Enjoy your unique sailboat. Get used to answering the question, "What boat is that?"


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

I did find info about the different names, but had assumed they were just different lines. I had read that Beneteau purchased Kirie in several places, so I emailed them and asked about info. I got a very snide reply email back from them. Even if I get rich and can afford one, over such a rude remark, I would not buy one. And you go beat that Beneteau next summer!!! You know the Elite 30 prototype won the '83 International 1/2 ton Cup!?!?

There is a great yahoo group that has replaced the one mentioned above by Marc, I will post the link below. They have some resources for most models and around 90 members I guess. I have already found the needed manual pages for elec., fluid system, rigging, and sail dimensions. Seem to be a helpful group of gentlemen over there!! 
Getting our p's and q's in place while we await the moving date for ours. Enjoying all kinds of extra unknown costs and such of buying a sailboat.haha Can't wait to get her on a run!!!

eliteowners : Kirie Elite Owners Group


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

ok, Sailor, forgot you linked the new group, tried to edit the above and it wouldn't so, yes, it was a momentary lapse of reason.


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

Sailor, Alliaura has full Kirie manuals available. Took less than 12 hours to have it in my email. try [email protected] !


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## ceol (Apr 15, 2007)

i am a member of the Kirie yahoo group. we are not super active, but there are enough Kirie's out there that you will get a few emails a month. i have a 29CB. pretty much the same boat except for the rig and shorter transom. the 30's came in both an S and a R version. the R having a fractional rig. i have posted a lot of documentation about the 29 and some 30 stuff from my boat purchase up on the Yahoo group. i really enjoy the boat. fits perfectly for family cruising. i have added a bow sprit for asymmetrical kite flying. mine has the wheel, but i am sure mine was added later. i have done just very light racing with it. my kids really enjoy the v-berth. 

if you are looking for more info, then searching for the Feeling 850, 960, 286 should get you a few more hits. it seems nobody can figure out exactly what size they have, so broadcast netting may be your best bet. 

in the cockpit you should have a metal build plate, what does yours say? mine says Feeling 850. this plate should give you the hull form, more info for searching. 

G~


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## kindsail (Nov 27, 2010)

Since found out she's the 30R. Brought her up from Arkansas last Tuesday and have her on the trailer looking for a place to paint inside. Now that's a challenge. Still trying to figure out where the swim deck came from. Maybe that too is a 30R feature, open transom.


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