Kirby 30

[noscreenname]

Jeff you mentioned the Kirby 30 as a possible good choice for a PHRF boat. I''ve located a few of them in Nova Scotia and was wondering what you Know about their construction? Do they have a good reputation as PHRF performers? It has nice lines and More headroom than my columbia Sabre=)

[Jeff_H]

I owned a Mirage built Kirby 25 and raced extensively against a well sailed Kirby 30. My Kirby 25 was a very early boat and while very simply was a very well constructed boat. I have been aboard a later Kirby 25 that did not seem as well built. All of the Kirby 30''s that I have been aboard seemed to be well constructed but I have never had a chance to spend as much time on Kirby 30''s as I have on the 25''s.

As to racing, the Kirby 30''s were competitive in a pretty wide range of winds in PHRF and MORC. Here on the Chesapeake where winds tend to be light, several of the Kirby 30''s were converted to masthead rigs which made them even more competitive. For light air lake sailing I would see if you can find one of the masthead boats although the fractional rigged boats were no slouch. They certainly should be more competitive than your Columbia Saber

Jeff

[sapper]

I have a kirby 30 hull #9 its a great boat. I race on the west coast of canada and for our light to medium winds in protected waters its great. For the price of a used kirby I got a lot of boat. You could spend a lot more and get less if racing is what you want to do. Watch out for balsa core rot in the deck. I had to recore half the deck core. Not a fun job.

Sapper

[francist]

Re your Kirby 30, there are quite a few here in Nova Scotia. The fact that some/most have been owned by good racers has kept them with a handicap that is a bit of a challenge here in our area. For a boat selling in the upper teens to low twenties the inboard diesel (mine uses abt 1 litre/hour) is a big plus. The interior suits only the most minimal and/or spartan of tastes. The J30 and the Aloha30 cost a a fair bit more, have significantly more accomodation, and are only marginally slower. I race a Kirby 30 with six, altho most like seven. The running backstays mean one needs six to do the stuff, with the seventh for the rail. I like the way the boat sails, had it 5 years,...hull#8 out of maybe about 100. Francis Tibbetts

[sailingdog]

Any reason in particular that you're reviving old dormant threads?