New Owner of a Kells 23 Coastal Cruiser

Nov 22, 2019
4
kells 23 coastal curiser it is a trailerable boat
Good afternoon. I just purchased a 73 Kells 23 Coastal Cruiser. It is in pretty good shape, it does have some fiberglass work that needs done, but nothing too crazy. It has the sink and it is intact, but i cant find the fresh water storage tanks. Does anyone know where they were stored in this boat. the drain hose, and the supply hose are both located under the sink, but there are no water tanks. Thanks in advance
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,159
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Welcome @ahostler to the forum. I have not sailed on a Kells 23. So sailors like me getting on a boat like your Kells would have to do some detective work. They say follow the money when looking for an accounting issue. On a boat it is follow the wires for electrical or follow the hose/pipe for plumbing. It sounds like you found the exit hose (drain) that it goes to a through hull
(
the drain hose, ..... located under the sink,
)
So if you follow the supply hose it should lead you to a tank. Is there a faucet for the sink? Is there an opening on the deck that says "water" so you could fill a tank? Is there a bench inside the boat that could hide a tank under the seat?
Screen Shot 2019-11-22 at 11.25.33 AM.png

Here is a draft of the design. It could give you clues.

We might be more helpful if you took some pictures and posted them here.
 
Nov 22, 2019
4
kells 23 coastal curiser it is a trailerable boat
Thanks Jssailem. I will post pictures this weekend. I did not see a fill hole on the deck, but there are several places in the cabin that could store water. I was worried about the tank placement, i didn't want to put the weight of the water tanks in the wrong spot. I do have storage under the Vbirth, order the sink itself, or under either of the bench seats in the cabin. again, i will post pictures this weekend to get some good opinions as to where to place them.
Thanks again
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,159
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Are you installing a sink?

Sailing in fresh water or salt. Perhaps you do not want a sink. All depends on how you are going to use the boat. On my M15 trailer boat, I used a dish pan avoiding the all the sink issues of water storage and disposal. It was camping like back packing. Drinking water was carried in a 5 gallon thermos (like you see on a contractors rig). There are many ways to keep the boat light and trailerable.
 
Nov 22, 2019
4
kells 23 coastal curiser it is a trailerable boat
we are going to use it like a camper, but my wife is going to want water. It will be used for long weekends, and some day sailing. I think we are going to slip it at the lake we bought it from, so it will mostly be used in fresh water, but i am sure if my wife has her way, it will make trips to salt water. Salt water kind of makes her relax a bunch.
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,159
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
A relaxed wife makes a sailor happy.

So you are going to install water storage and a pressure system. Thinking cold fresh water. I am going to bet you are designing a first of it's kind, for the Kells 23 owner group. In most modern boats Pex is used to design a water system. A pressure pump, available at many on line retailers, provides the water pressure. Any faucet that fits your decor can be used. Unlikely, you want to add a hot water system, as that would entail a 2 tank storage system. Easier to boil water to heat it.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,492
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
A pressurized system is going to take some work. My Mac 26S had a jug under the sink that ran to a hand actuated pump faucet. It was simple and worked greata
 
Nov 22, 2019
4
kells 23 coastal curiser it is a trailerable boat
that was the general idea, but i did kick around the idea of installing a propane tankless hot water system. they are very inexpensive, and look like it would do a nice job. it would not require 2 tanks, and could be hidden pretty easily. the one i found can be mounted inside the cabin, according to the manufacturer, and only requires D batteries to spark the igniter. we will see, i am a long way from that.
 
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jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,159
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Propane... Nice... Boats have certain safety issues with propane... BE CAREFUL!
WORST CASE SCENARIO...
:yikes:
 
Dec 11, 2017
9
Kells Coaster Bar Harbor
Hello Ahostler :),

I have a '81 Coaster and mine has the fixed shoal keel. Did you ever sort out your water tank issue? Mine also has a sink and there are water tanks under the starboard side cockpit bench as far forward as possible. So far forward that had I not been seriously looking for them I wouldn't have seen them. There is a fill fitting on the coaming just above where my tanks are located. My tanks are are actually 5 gallon plastic olive barrels that I assume a prior owner installed, although looking at the details of the mounting system I'm not sure. Although it's possible the boat had two similar size tanks and the prior owner did a refit. Either way, as much work as I've done on her: chart plotter, radio, wiring, motor, lighting, refinished all of the exterior teak, I have yet to "deal" with the water "system" and typically just bring water with. After all, she's a small boat and although I live and sail on the coast of Maine, I don't anticipate going so far I can't get more water. :)