Kells 23 (Coaster 23)

BoatsKells 23 (Coaster 23)

See her sail

The Kells 23 (Coaster 23), on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 2.39 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 1,066 kg of hull, so roughly 1,650 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 1,066 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draft shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draftDraws 0.71 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 11 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 11

CoastalBluewater

At 2.36 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.36

LightHeavy

126 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 126

EasygoingPowered-up

20.4 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 20.4

TenderStiff

32% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 32%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

Lighter than ~80% of boats her size on file
Draws less than ~94% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1061 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Kells 23 (Coaster 23), as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Kells 23 (COASTER 23) is a masthead sloop designed by Paul A. Lindh and built by Kells Corp. from 1971 to the present. This 6.9-meter sailboat has a fin keel with a transom-hung rudder, a beam of 2.4 meters, and a draft of 0.7 meters, displacing 1065 kg. The COASTER 23 is the fixed-keel variant of the Kells 23, and it is trailerable.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model come up for sale.

1seen for sale

Listed on Blockett
from 59° North Sailingseen September 20241:04:00

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

31.9%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Masthead Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

20.4

Displacement / length

126.3

Comfort ratio

11.2

Capsize screening

2.36

Hull speed

6.0 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

567

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/transom hung rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

First built 1971

Designer

Paul A. Lindh

Builder

Kells Corp

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

J J/77.04 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 2024 fractional sloop with a shallow 1.16m draft and a high 23.55 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for responsive daysailing

J7: Finally an affordable sailboat0:49 from SEILmagasinet

Pogo 26.50 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 6.5-metre ultralight racer with a 37.87 sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for high-speed planing

Jonas Muro Gomes and the Mini Transat19:52 from Podcast Maré Sonora ®

J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/226.86 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio designed for competitive one-design racing

Sailing a J22 in Newport Beach, CA (July 2022)0:30 from keeldragger

Beneteau First 2357.11 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Groupe Finot-designed fractional sloop built for performance, featuring a light displacement and high sail area ratio

Sailing is Not Expensive - Full Cost Breakdown - ep 2813:07 from Lady K Sailing

Gilbert Marine Tequila7.20 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead sloop that claimed the 1971 Quarter Ton Cup with her prototype performance

Lost at Sea Sailing Couple From YouTube Dies in Life Raft - Ep 307 - Lady K Sailing0:45 from Lady K Sailing

Sirius 7277.27 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA development of the Sirius 24, this fractional sloop features a fin keel with skeg-mounted rudder for balanced handling

Two Different Ways Sailing Changes Lives | #SAL #2510:15 from Hashtag Sal

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Kells Corp. Coaster 23A fixed-keel variant of the Kells 23, this trailerable masthead sloop offers a shallow 0.71m draft for coastal cruising Kells 23A fractional-rigged swing-keel sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited light-air performance Kells 22A lightweight, trailerable masthead sloop with a swing keel, designed for easy launching and shoal-water exploration Kells 26Masthead Sloop · 7.80 m Kells 28An adaptation of the Trump 27, this masthead sloop was offered as a factory-finished boat or a kit for home assembly Devon CoasterA gaff-rigged ketch with a centerboard trunk, designed for shallow water exploration and classic handling

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