Kells 23 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull Type

Monohull · wing

Rig

Fractional Sloop

LOA

22.58' · 6.88 m

Disp.

1,980 lbs · 898 kg

First year

1971

The Kells 23, a quintessential product of the 1970s American "pocket cruiser" boom, represents the entrepreneurial transition of Raymond F. Kells from a sales manager at Bristol Yachts to an independent manufacturer. Designed by naval architect Paul A. Lindh and produced between 1971 and 1980, the boat was engineered as an accessible, trailerable fiberglass monohull capable of both coastal exploration and family weekend use. According to researchers at Good Old Boat, the Kells Corp. operated out of Rhode Island and Delaware, producing approximately 200 to 300 hulls during its decadelong run. The model is most notably recognized in two distinct configurations: the standard Kells 23, typically equipped with a swing keel for shallowwater versatility, and its sibling, the Coaster 23, which utilized the same hull mold but featured a fixed shoaldraft keel.