BoatsColumbia Yachts 8.7

Columbia Yachts 8.7

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1976–1987

An Alan Payne-designed masthead sloop with a skeg-mounted rudder that saw a turbulent production history across three builders

Designed by Alan Payne.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

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 beamy beam gives 25 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 25
CoastalBluewater

1.96 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.96
LightHeavy

305 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 305
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.1
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
41.2%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.1
Displacement / length
305.1
Comfort ratio
24.7
Capsize screening
1.96
Hull speed
6.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
828
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1976–1987
Units built
380
Designer
Alan Payne
Builder
Columbia Sailing Yachts, Hughes Boat Works

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.

Catalina Yachts 288.69 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1991 masthead sloop featuring a 38% ballast ratio and multiple configurations including wing keel and tall rig options
Ericson Yachts 298.71 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1970s masthead sloop with a 1.32-meter draft and a 45% ballast ratio, balancing coastal stability with shoal access
Shannon Yachts 288.53 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA fin-keeled cutter with a transom-hung rudder, built for coastal cruising with a stiff 38% ballast ratio
Cal 2-298.84 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn upgraded cruising variant of the standard 29, featuring enhanced equipment and a masthead rig
Seafarer Yachts 298.75 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn IOR half-ton racer configuration offered alongside standard trunk cabin and raised-deck cruising models
Islander Yachts 288.51 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop with over 400 built, favored by the designer himself for her balanced performance

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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