KIWI SPIRIT II - KNIERIM YACHTBAU FOR SALE

Conceived for solo world voyaging and effortless offshore living, the FC 53 is a standout 53-foot sailing yacht that proves its mettle on the Northeast racing scene, excelling in shorthanded disciplines—singlehanded and doublehanded challenges such as the Newport–Bermuda.

Built by the master craftsmen at Knierim, KIWI SPIRIT II unites precision performance with refined comfort, appealing to sailors who demand crisp handling and contemporary yacht styling. This versatile racer-cruiser balances bluewater cruiser confidence with offshore racer speed, making it a rare and compelling monohull for those who value both distance cruising and competitive sailing.

A bright, generous saloon offers an inviting setting for relaxation and conversation, while the well-appointed galley simplifies cooking underway or at anchor. Despite its athletic deck plan, the design provides clever, abundant stowage, ensuring practicality without compromising elegance—an ocean-going performance cruiser that delivers luxury with purpose.

Overview

The Knierim FC 53 was conceived for a solo circumnavigation yet refined to deliver a welcoming cruising interior for offshore living. In the Northeast it has proven a formidable competitor, excelling in single-handed events to Newport–Bermuda and in double-handed races alike. Under the meticulous stewardship of Knierim’s skilled team, KIWI SPIRIT II was born from a passion for excellence and an unrelenting desire to sail. She is a true cruiser-racer for those who demand uncompromising performance at sea without sacrificing the calm, contemporary comfort of a modern sailing yacht. Purpose-built to master both cruising and racing, she occupies a rare space in her class, equally at home on the starting line and on the horizon.

Inside, KIWI SPIRIT II rewards time spent aboard. A spacious, tastefully appointed saloon invites relaxation and convivial evenings, while a fully equipped galley makes cooking effortless whether alongside or in a lively seaway. Intelligent design utilizes every square inch, delivering generous storage despite the purposeful, athletic layout. Her high-performance cruiser-racer ethos is matched by an optional configuration for single-handed sailing, a fully realized cruising interior for comfort offshore, and a broad, secure cockpit crowned by a durable carbon fiber hard dodger for protection and poise.

Walkthrough

From the expansive cockpit you descend into the saloon, with the galley immediately to port and the head directly abaft it. Aft of this zone lie the workshop and the electrical cabinets. To starboard there is a second complete head with a dedicated stall shower, and abaft it a guest cabin whose single berths convert into a double with a filler. Between this guest cabin and the portside workshop sits the engine compartment, centralized for balance and service.

Forward, the saloon opens generously with a dinette to port and a couch to starboard. Carrying on into the bow, the master cabin presents a double berth to port and a hanging locker to starboard. Beyond the master lies additional storage and a watertight door leading to the forepeak, a purposeful space for sails and lines that keeps the yacht’s working gear cleanly segregated.

Salon

Step into the full-beam saloon and you are greeted to port by a U-shaped dinette and a generous dining table; to starboard, a comfortable couch with the navigation table immediately aft. KIWI SPIRIT II seats up to six guests with ease in this beautifully crafted, welcoming space. Abundant natural light pours through the hull portlights, amplifying the sense of volume and connection to the sea, while carbon fiber storm covers are on hand to shield the windows and preserve visibility and safety offshore when conditions build.

Galley

Positioned just aft of the saloon, the galley is engineered for passage-making with an electric two-burner induction cooktop, a Bomann oven, a stainless-steel double sink, a top-loading Isotherm fridge-freezer, and abundant provisioning capacity across five outboard cupboards. Everything is within easy reach, securely stowed, and ready for extended cruising.

Guest stateroom

To starboard of the navigation area, the guest cabin offers two single berths that convert to a double via a filler piece, giving couples or friends flexible comfort. It features its own ensuite bathroom and shower, doubling as a convenient day head accessible from the main saloon, with the shower enclosed in a dedicated stall for added privacy and practicality. For safety at sea, an emergency exit hatch is fitted at the aft end of the cabin.

Owner's stateroom

Forward of the saloon, the owner’s stateroom centers on a comfortable double berth, complemented by a fan and reading lamps on the bulkhead. Generous hull ports to port and starboard bathe the space in natural light, while a large overhead hatch further brightens and ventilates the cabin. Storage is comprehensive: to port, five spacious lockers and two large drawers beneath the berth; to starboard, four substantial drawers, a hanging closet, and a compact workspace create a refined, practical retreat.

Forward workroom

Just ahead of the owner’s stateroom, a dedicated storage area spans port and starboard with locker compartments closed by canvas covers, ideal for stowing lines, spare parts, and mission-critical equipment in an orderly, accessible fashion.

Bow/sail locker

Forward of the workroom, the forepeak is dedicated to sails, spare lines, and halyards. A watertight door can be sealed in the event of flooding for added security, while a deck hatch provides outside access and floods the space with light and ventilation, keeping gear dry and ready to deploy.

Communication and navigation equipment

The yacht’s electronics suite is comprehensively specified for offshore autonomy and racing clarity: two B&G autopilots work in concert with a B&G multi-function display, a B&G H 100 wireless handset, and a B&G H 50 wireless handset. A depth sounder, log speed, and wind speed and direction instrumentation deliver precise data to helm and nav station. Long-range communications are anchored by a Thrane and Thrane satellite phone, with entertainment via Sirius XM satellite radio and cockpit speakers. A carbon bracket supports the B&G radar, while Mantagua navigation lights, Mantagua spreader lights, and a Mantagua masthead light ensure conspicuity and reliability under any sky.

Mechanical equipment

Propulsion and critical systems are built for resilience and control, led by a Volvo D2-75 75hp diesel engine on a sail drive and a Next-Gen generator. Thrust is delivered through a Gori folding prop, size 20 x 15, three-bladed, balancing performance under power with low drag under sail. Twin watermakers support true bluewater independence. Fuel is carried in two diesel tanks of 78 gallons each—one port and one starboard—while fresh water is managed by two tanks with a total capacity of 188 gallons; deck fill is on the starboard side, and the port tank is filled by pumping from starboard to port. A hydraulic control system governs keel, backstay, and vang for precise sail shape, assisted by Sleipner bow and stern thrusters for close-quarters maneuvering. Electric bilge pumps provide rapid dewatering, and a Marco saltwater ballast system transfers water via an electric pump to tune trim and power. The twin rudder system uses independent gearing linked together so that a failure in one does not affect the other, and an emergency tiller stands ready. At the helm, a B&G multi-function display on the port wheel includes B&G autopilot control with backup, while the starboard wheel carries another B&G multi-function display with additional autopilot control and integrated bow and stern thruster controls. Ground tackle is handled by a Lewmar 24V anchor windlass.

Rig and deck gear

The rig is specified for strength, adjustability, and speed, beginning with a Lorimar rig and an Enerpac mast jack system that allows precise tuning dockside or afloat. Sail power comes from a 102m2 mainsail, a 70m2 genoa, a 39m2 staysail, and a 160m2 gennaker, with Doyle delivering a fully battened mainsail, a headsail on a furler, an asymmetrical on a furler, and a J2 on a furler. Control and reliability are enhanced by mast jammers for staysail, genoa, spinnaker, gennaker, and lazy jacks, by Kevlar runners, a carbon vang gooseneck, and a carbon gooseneck. Headsails set and furl on a Reckman Max J genoa furler with carbon foils and a Facnor staysail furler with carbon foils, while standing rigging is ECSIX. Displacement is 10,500 kg light ship and 14350 kg loaded, underscoring the boat’s purposeful balance between race-bred performance and bluewater robustness.

Cockpit

KIWI SPIRIT II welcomes you with a broad, easily accessed cockpit designed for offshore work and gracious living. Long settees run along both port and starboard with a substantial centerline table for socializing and secure stowage of drinks underway. Protection from sun, spray, and squalls is provided by a robust carbon fiber hard dodger, which also carries the solar panels to power life aboard. Primary engine controls are on the starboard helm. Between the twin wheels sits the hydraulic control station for the vang, the J2, and the mainsail winch, and all sailhandling lines are sensibly led aft into the cockpit for fingertip control with minimal effort.

Broker remarks

Freshly campaigned and readied for another lap of the planet, KIWI SPIRIT II is now available due to revised owner plans and could well be an ideal platform for the upcoming solo challenge in 2027. Lying in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, she benefits from a recently refurbished Volvo engine. Her cruising interior delivers comfort, speed, and ease of handling that suit a capable couple or a solo racer with world-girdling ambitions.

A two- or three-year lease/charter with a purchase option is on offer, presenting an exceptional, advantageous pathway into one of the most compelling cruiser-racers of her generation.

Electrical equipment

Designed for autonomy and quiet efficiency, the yacht runs dual electrical systems of 24V direct current and 230V alternating current. Energy generation and storage are robust, with two Watt and Sea Cruising 600W hydrogenerators and four 112-watt solar panels mounted on the hard dodger. A 12V 100Ah engine start battery supports reliable ignition, while the house bank comprises four MasterVolt MLI Ultra 24V 180Ah lithium-ion batteries. Power management includes two Mass Combi Ultra 24V/3500W inverter/chargers, a Mass GI 7 isolation transformer, a 24V MasterVolt Alpha 110A alternator, and a MasterVolt Alpha Pro II three-step charge regulator, plus four Watt and Sea MPPT hydrogenerator converters. Climate control is delivered by two air-conditioning units totaling 36,000 BTU: one unit in the engine room services the aft cabin and saloon, and a second unit in the starboard-side locker serves the owner’s stateroom forward.