BoatsKells 23 (Coaster 23)

Kells 23 (Coaster 23)

Masthead Sloop · Fin w/transom Hung Rudder · First built 1971

A masthead sloop with a 0.71m draft and high sail-area-to-displacement ratio, built for trailerable performance

Designed by Paul A. Lindh.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/transom Hung Rudder

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 draught shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draughtDraws 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.

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

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

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 sailboat0:49from SEILmagasinet
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/226.86 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Rod Johnstone, built for competitive one-design racing and day sailing
Sailing a J22 in Newport Beach, CA (July 2022)0:30from keeldragger
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 #2510:15from Hashtag Sal
Bavaria Yachts 6066.50 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA lightweight 6.5-metre fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited coastal sailing
Captain's Log Day 3: Things That Go Bump in the Night (3/10)4:19from Be The Captain
J Boats J/706.93 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Alan Johnstone, with over 1,100 units delivered for one-design racing
From Olympic drama to flying motorboats: Petter Mørland Pedersen in "Peiling på Seiling"22:59from SEILmagasinet
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/247.32 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA legendary Rodney Johnstone design that defined the modern one-design racer with its high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
The Scariest Dangers at Sea (And How to Survive Them)31:46from The Sailing Doodles Podcast

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

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

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Kells 23 (Coaster 23)

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