BoatsColumbia 43

Columbia 43

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1969–1974

A William Tripp Jr. design featuring a high ballast ratio and a masthead rig, built for offshore performance

Designed by William H. Tripp Jr.

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

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 29 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 29
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.86
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 257
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 18.2
TenderStiff

50% of her weight is ballast — very stiff, carrying full sail in a blow.

Ballast 50%

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

  • Draws more than ~76% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2563 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
50.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.2
Displacement / length
257.5
Comfort ratio
29.1
Capsize screening
1.86
Hull speed
7.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1410
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1969–1974
Units built
153
Designer
William H. Tripp Jr
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.

Swan 43 (S&S)13.04 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthDrawn for the RORC rule, this masthead sloop features a high ballast-to-displacement ratio for a stiff, stable ride
Beneteau Oceanis 42 CC13.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA center-cockpit cutter designed by Groupe Finot, featuring a wing keel for shoal draft and a stable, comfortable motion
Beneteau 42 CC13.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA cutter-rigged cruiser produced from 2003 to 2007, widely utilised in the charter trade for its accessible layout
Sweden Yachts 4213.25 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13.25-metre fractional sloop featuring a 2.1-metre bulb keel and a 40% ballast ratio for balanced offshore performance
Ct-44 (Pilot House)13.16 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Tanton-designed pilot house cutter featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability
Hunter Marine 42013.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 42-foot cruiser with a performance-oriented fin keel and spade rudder, built for efficient coastal and offshore travel

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analysed. No noise.

Report an issue