In the French design tradition, the boat’s name and trademark blue stripes are molded into the fiberglass. At the owner’s request, the logo can be left blank or replaced by the boat’s registered name.
Design and Construction
The Kelt measures 27 ft 3 in overall and 24 ft 11 in on the waterline, with a beam of 9 ft 5 in and a displacement of 4,500 lbs. A shallow bilge, narrow fin keel, wide beam carried far aft, and high freeboard give the hull a distinctly European profile. There’s no teak on deck.
The hull and deck have interlocking molded flanges. These are bonded with a lightweight polyester, bolted every six inches, and finished with an anodized aluminum toe rail. The builder claimed the joint was strong enough to suspend the boat from it. The deck is a Divinycell sandwich, with wire mesh reinforcing the stress points.
The iron keel receives two coats of coal-tar epoxy and fits into a recess in the hull. It’s secured with 11 1/2 inch studs and 2 inch by 2 inch stainless washers to spread the load. The French-built version had a wooden rudder, but the Canadian boat received a molded fiberglass air foil rudder that adds lift and eliminates vibration.
Rig, Keel Options, and Handling
The Kelt is a masthead sloop with Isomat spars, internal halyards, Easy-Lock halyard stoppers, and a stainless steel handrail on deck. Cleats are recessed into the coaming for comfort. The mast step incorporates sheaves for the halyards and lifts, while three halyards, the pole lift, and the downhaul run aft to stoppers.
The fin-keel model carries 1,765 lbs of ballast and draws 4 ft 3 in. The centerboard version carries 1,950 lbs and draws 2 ft 5 in with the board up or 5 ft 3 in with it down.
Testers found the helm extremely sensitive. Because the small keel has little lateral area, the boat can be very fast with the right direction and sail trim. That speed depends heavily on the skipper’s know-how, however. She’s so sensitive to weight placement that she can just as easily be slow.
A PHRF rating of 225 puts the Kelt alongside the C&C 25 and Tanzer 26. Owners also demonstrated the boat’s racing pedigree. A Kelt won the season overall in the 200-plus class at the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club, and Kelts took first and second in a 19-boat fleet at Bronte Harbour.
Accommodations
Below, the Kelt is surprisingly roomy for her length. The layout includes a forward cabin separated from the main saloon, a galley, a compact head, and generous stowage. The Canadian review describes a V-berth, main saloon, galley, and enclosed head aft, with four to five berths and maximum headroom of 6 ft 1 1/2 in.
Light-colored Aframosia trim gives the cabin a warm appearance. It’s oiled rather than varnished and complemented by a soft, short-nap carpet headliner. Four-inch foam cushions on the V-berth and settees are plusher than the usual three-inch cushions. Details such as the stainless steel weldments on the saloon-table bracket are impressively solid. A 15 imperial gallon water tank serves the cabin.
Production, Refit, and Ownership
The most significant factory-level refit distinction is the rudder. The European wooden blade gave way to a molded fiberglass air foil rudder on the Canadian-built boats, which owners of the later version received as standard.
The builder limited production to a maximum of two boats per week. One report linked that deliberate pace to securing supplier confidence. Period reviews noted both the boat’s rugged French-market origins and the North American version’s character, though the precise aims were left unfinished in the source.
The Verdict
The Kelt 7.60 is a small cruiser-racer with a distinctly French character: light, beamy, and quick when sailed attentively, but demanding of careful trim. Construction is thoughtful for the class, with a bolted hull-to-deck flange and a cored deck. Below, the finish is warmer and more substantial than the price point might suggest.
This is a boat that rewards an engaged skipper and punishes a careless one—just the character a Berret design built in some numbers for both sides of the Atlantic would advertise.
Pros
- Rugged French-market pedigree, with a strong hull-to-deck joint and cored deck
- Roomy, well-finished interior with thicker cushions than typical
- Quick and race-proven in knowledgeable hands
- Centerboard option for shallow-water gunkholing
Cons
- Extremely sensitive helm and trim-dependent speed
- Small keel with little lateral area hinders upwind work
- Demands skipper know-how to avoid being slow
