Feeling Yachts

[NigelFortune]

I am considering buying a Feeling 1100 1985. The yacht is some distance from home so I need o have the relevent info befor I set off. How do they rate against the other French Boats Beneteau, Jeaneau etc . Is there anything I should look for. Anybody with any info would be appreciated

 

[Poignard]

I know some people who have a Feeling [I don't know what model] and their headlining fell down after a spell of hot weather caused the adhesive to deteriorate. It cost a lot of money to get it re-done. Might be worth checking that before you buy.

 

[nigelhudson]

We considered Feelings of this vintage when we were looking to buy. We were warned off one because the bulkheads were starting to part company with the hull. I'm not saying that this is typical of the marque but it's worth looking for any tell-tale cracks or signs of movement. You could save yourself a survey fee if you spot anything.

 

[Bav34]

I have to agree with Nigel. Our Feeling was apparently held together with chewing gum! EVERY bit of wood that could detach itself from the inner hull did so. On a beat there was a large gap in the grey sealant that sat between the interior modules and the cabin sole. We actually had to have a shipwright in to glue/screw and bond strengthening bits of wood everywhere. It also leaked from places that we never found despite copious amounts of sealant and Captin Creakys Crack Cure. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I really don't like criticising what may be someone else's pride and joy .... but you did ask!

 

[Talulah]

I have sailed a Feeling 390 on several occasions. Great for entertaining but possibly the worst boat I have ever sailed. (Actually - change 'possibly' for 'without a doubt'.)

 

[Judders]

I've just bought a 1984 Feeling 720 having looked very closely at equivelent Benneteau, Jeanneau, Legend, Gibsea, Westerly & Hunter models, as well as some older boats. Without doubt, the quality of the fit-out below decks is better on the Feeling, although there are some lovely Gibseas about, it must be said. None one the others came close. They are lightly built and I guess that this could lead to the problems described. The thing with a boat of that age is that it will have been out of the factory a long time and any number of things could have happened to her in the meantime, so take each individual vessel on her individual merits.

 

[chrisgee]

Had a 346 once, huge amount of space below but like most Feelings a very tight cockpit. Depends what your use is -- the cockpit is a big failing for Med use when you spend 90% of your time in it. They sail ok but nothing special - I `ve sailed an 1100 and found it very quick to round up unless you take reefs in ( very) early. Better yachts around imho.

 

[colingr]

A mate had a feeling 41 with the lifting keel.

Fisrtly it was found to be out of true so the boat sailed wonky.
Second, it fell off whilst lifting it in Cowes.
Thirdly is seized completely in the half up position.

The cause of all this was apparently the hull flexing!

Boat sold after lengthy "negotiations" with Feeling.

In his word, avoid them like you would a large pile of something smelly on the pavement.

 

[wotayottie]

not convinced that anything reported here could not equally apply to other French boats of the period. at that time, the mass produced Brit boats were better and more solid - now the question doesnt arrise since there are no mass produced brit boats.

I havent got a feeling but when we were last looking at new boats I did form the view that they were marginally better made than ben / jeann.

 

[Barr Avel]

Just to express a different opinion, I chartered a recent Feeling 36 with lifting keel a few years ago. To be honest it was probably the most enjoyable boat I have sailed in terms of the comfort / performance / build quality compromise compared with boats of a similar size (sadlers, HRs, bavarias, beneteaus).

Unfortunately I don't know anything about the model you are looking at though...

Marc.

 

[rwoofer]

Just to add some balance I would say modern Feelings are a big step up from the Feelings of old. They are quite a bit more expensive than the BenJenBav boats and have been for quite a few years, so they must therefore be correspondingly better (or they'd be dead by now).

I think the transition happened when they were bought by Alliaura Marine. Alliaura make Privilege Catamarans what are considered to be very good quality cats, which is explains why tcm might have one.

 

[thalassa]

[ QUOTE ]
not convinced that anything reported here could not equally apply to other French boats of the period. at that time, the mass produced Brit boats were better and more solid - now the question doesnt arrise since there are no mass produced brit boats..

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, it certainly didn't apply to the Dufour boats of that period. Because of the then-radical design (no sheerline etc.) they were trashed by the British sailing press, and relatively few were sold in Britain consequently. But they were well build. We had a 2800 for fifteen years and had it work hard. Never did any structural fault turn up... The firm then was partly Governement-owned, and there were plenty of hands on the yard to put on an extra layer of fiberglass etc. Typically is the Dufour 31 :Manual (English) here

 

[chrisc]

( They are quite a bit more expensive than the BenJenBav boats and have been for quite a few years, so they must therefore be correspondingly better )

A very large assumption ! I compare it with the car market where cost seems to have very little to do with quality.

 

[moody1]

[ QUOTE ]

Well, it certainly didn't apply to the Dufour boats of that period. Because of the then-radical design (no sheerline etc.) they were trashed by the British sailing press, and relatively few were sold in Britain consequently. But they were well build. We had a 2800 for fifteen years and had it work hard. Never did any structural fault turn up... The firm then was partly Governement-owned, and there were plenty of hands on the yard to put on an extra layer of fiberglass etc. Typically is the Dufour 31 :Manual (English) here

[/ QUOTE ]

When Hubby and I were looking at changing boat some years ago - we looked at Dufours. They seemed to offer more size for size than some others. We found out why when we stood on the coachroof. Talking to a surveyor friend of ours confirmed our experience - compression of coachroof.
The eventual purchase we made of a similar age Uk built boat never has in all the years exhibited any signs of coachroof compression.