BoatsColumbia Yachts 24 Contender

Columbia Yachts 24 Contender

Masthead Sloop · Fin Keel · 1963–1968

A masthead sloop derived from the Islander 24, featuring a fin keel and a high sail area to displacement ratio

Designed by Columbia, McGlasson & Joseph McGlasson.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin Keel

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 1,633 kg of hull, so roughly 2,250 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draftDraws 0.99 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 18 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 18
CoastalBluewater

2.05 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.05
LightHeavy

264 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 264
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 19.6
TenderStiff

44% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 44%

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

  • Draws less than ~85% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~81% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1387 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
44.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.6
Displacement / length
264.4
Comfort ratio
18.0
Capsize screening
2.05
Hull speed
5.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
511
Hull
Hull type
Fin Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1963–1968
Units built
330
Designer
Columbia, McGlasson, Joseph McGlasson
Builder
Columbia Sailing Yachts

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.

Comet 7707.70 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA Jean-Marie Finot-designed IOR quarter-tonner with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited club racing
Cal 257.62 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA flush-deck masthead sloop featuring a pop-top companionway that became one of the most popular models in the fleet
Halcyon 236.93 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA triple-keeled masthead sloop by Alan H. Buchanan, offering shallow-draft versatility based on the earlier Crystal 23
Hurley 226.71 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA long-running Ian Anderson design with a heavy ballast ratio, produced by multiple builders over three decades
Puma 277.95 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA Ron Holland-designed masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for performance-oriented coastal cruising
Coronado Yachts 278.13 mSame hull family0.8 m longerA William Tripp Jr. design featuring a masthead sloop rig and fin keel, sharing a near-identical hull with the Columbia 27

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.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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

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