BoatsColumbia Yachts 50

Columbia Yachts 50

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1965–1972

A William Tripp-designed masthead sloop that debuted as the largest production fiberglass sailboat in the US

Designed by William H. Tripp Jr.

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

See her sail

The Columbia Yachts 50, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from SVN solovelanet

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 47 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 47
CoastalBluewater

At 1.52 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.52
LightHeavy

389 — very heavy for her waterline, a serious load-carrying cruiser.

Displacement / length 389
EasygoingPowered-up

15.6 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.6
TenderStiff

46% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 46%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Heavier than ~81% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~83% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1709 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
45.6%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.6
Displacement / length
388.6
Comfort ratio
47.0
Capsize screening
1.52
Hull speed
7.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1429
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1965–1972
Units built
62
Designer
William H. Tripp Jr
Builder
Columbia Sailing Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

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.

Swan 50 MS15.11 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens masthead ketch designed for blue-water comfort, later evolving into the Nautical 52
Valiant Yachts 5015.44 mSame hull family0.2 m longerAn evolution of the 47 hull featuring a bowsprit and a forward-shifted mast for improved balance on offshore passages
Dufour Yachts 4815.29 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 15.29-metre performance cruiser with a 4.85-metre beam and a 2.35-metre draft for offshore stability
Hunter Marine 4915.22 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 15-meter cruiser with a 1.68-meter wing keel, offering a stable 30.84 comfort ratio for extended offshore cruising
Orion 5015.09 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Gary Mull-designed staysail ketch built for offshore stability with a heavy displacement and skeg-mounted rudder
Dufour Yachts 500 Grand Large15.10 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 15.1-meter fractional sloop with a 2.3-meter bulb keel, produced from 2011 to 2015 before the 512 update

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.

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