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.

What the fleet has seen

The Columbia Yachts 50, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Columbia Yachts 50 is a 15.2-meter masthead sloop designed by William H. Tripp Jr. and built by Columbia Sailing Yachts from 1965 to 1972. It was the largest production fiberglass sailboat available in the US when introduced, offered in sloop, yawl, or schooner rigs, and also sold as a bare hull or kit under the Sailcrafter name. Aboard *Berthon International*, Steve and Linda Dashew sailed a Columbia 50 yawl named *Intermezzo* on long-distance cruises, identifying design flaws such as unbalanced steering and poor performance in adverse conditions.13:25 They observed that higher boat speeds reduced navigational risk in reef-strewn passages. *SVN solovelanet* demonstrated a New Generation Parasailor on a 1966 Columbia Yachts 50 near Porto Torres, Sardinia, noting the sail's hybrid wing system allows a wind range from 60 degrees apparent to dead downwind.1:09 The Parasailor handles winds over 35 knots, but dousing above 30 knots requires at least three crew.5:11 Fitment on older boats like the Columbia 50 may require a removable steel compression fitting for the tack point if the bow pulpit obstructs the anchor roller.8:05

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

On the water

The Columbia Yachts 50 on video

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
Aksel Magdahl on professional sailing in the time of corona.0:41from SEILmagasinet
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
Testing the Dufour 48, more space and luxury0:18from SEILmagasinet
Xc 4715.21 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA modern 15-metre fractional sloop featuring a high-stability bulb keel and a displacement-to-length ratio built for performance
Xc 47: Big words from X-Yachts5:21from SEILmagasinet
Hanse Yachts 50515.30 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 15.3-metre cruiser with a 13.45-metre waterline, optimized for efficient passage making and modern deck-stepped handling
OFFSHORE SAILING + WHY WE’RE LEAVING - Ep 1631:47from Sailing Jibsea
Dufour Yachts 500 Grand Large15.10 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 15.1-metre fractional sloop with a 2.3-metre bulb keel, produced from 2011 to 2015 before the 512 update
VENICE BOAT SHOW 2026 ⛵ the most interesting sailboats at the boat show in the Arsenal52:54from Alfredo Contaldo
Jeanneau Yachts 5115.38 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed fractional sloop balancing a high comfort ratio with a performance-oriented sail plan
But who are we? The story that brought us to the Fiji Islands (Ep. 15 2025)24:27from Ale & Max - Y2K Sailing Adventure

The family

Boats like this

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

Sailcrafter 50A William Tripp Jr. design, this masthead sloop is a kit-built version of the classic Columbia 50Columbia Yachts 52A 50-percent ballast ratio provides stiff stability for this 15.8-metre masthead sloop designed for offshore passageColumbia Yachts 57A William H. Tripp Jr. racer featuring a trim tab, later adapted for cruising and available as a schooner rigColumbia Yachts 56A motorsailer variant of the Columbia 57 hull, also produced in Italy as the Colitalia 56Columbia Yachts 45A raised deck motorsailer offering ketch or sloop rigs and a choice between full keel or shoal draft configurationsColumbia 43A William Tripp Jr. design featuring a high ballast ratio and a masthead rig, built for offshore performance

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