columbia 43 sailboat review

Columbia 43

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• Columbia 43

The Columbia 43 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Columbia 43 was designed by William Tripp Jr and built in the USA by Columbia Sailing Yachts. Her gentle sheer and flush deck make for a very attractive sailboat. From a purely aesthetic point of view, to me anyway - sailboat perfection.

Published Specification for the Columbia 43

Underwater Profile:  Fin Keel & Spade Rudder

Hull Material:  GRP

Length Overall:  43'3" (13.2 m)

Waterline Length:  32' 0" (9.8 m)

Beam:  12'4" (3.8 m)

Draft:  6' 11" (2.13 m)

Rig Type:  Masthead sloop, although 'Kailani' appears to have an inner forestay for a staysail or storm jib.

Displacement:  18,900 lb (9,769 kg)

Ballast:  22,000 lb (8,573 kg)

Designer:  William Tripp Jr

Builder:  Columbia Sailing Yachts (USA)

Year First Built:  1974

Number Built:  153

Owners Association:  Columbia Yacht Owners Association

Published Design Ratios for the Columbia 43 MkIII

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio:  18.2

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio:  50.3

3. Displacement/Length Ratio:  257

4. Comfort Ratio:  29.1

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   1.9

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Columbia 43

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 18,2 suggests that the Columbia 43 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 50.2 means that the Columbia 43 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 257, tells us the Columbia 43 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 29.1 suggests that crew comfort of a Columbia 43 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.9 tells us that a Columbia 43 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0. 

Any Questions?

What other versions of the Columbia 43 were built?

There were two main versions of the Columbia 43: the standard model and the centreboard model (Columbia 43 CB). The centreboard model had a retractable keel that reduced the draft from 6.5 feet to 4.5 feet, making it more suitable for shallow waters. There was also a MkIII version of the Columbia 43 that had a slightly longer hull, a taller mast and a lead-ballasted keel, but only a few of these were made.

What is the accommodation like in the Columbia 43?

The Columbia 43 has a spacious and comfortable interior that can sleep up to six people. The layout consists of a V-berth forward, followed by a head with a shower to port and a hanging locker to starboard, aft of which there are two further single berths. The main saloon has a galley with a stove, oven, sink and refrigerator to port and a U-shaped dinette to starboard that converts to a double berth.

What keel options are available for the Columbia 43?

The Columbia 43 has two keel options: a fixed fin keel or a centreboard keel. The fixed fin keel is made of iron and has a draft of 6.5 feet. It provides good stability and performance in deep water, but limits the access to shallow anchorages or marinas. The centreboard keel is made of fibreglass and has a draft of 4.5 feet when retracted and 8.5 feet when extended. It allows more versatility in sailing in different water depths, but adds some complexity and maintenance to the boat.

What is the Columbia 43 like to sail?

The Columbia 43 is a fast and agile boat that can handle well in various wind and sea conditions. It has a moderate-displacement hull that can plane in strong winds, but also has enough ballast to keep it stable and balanced in moderate winds. It has a responsive helm and good manoeuvrability, making it fun to sail both upwind and downwind. It can also perform well in races, especially in long-distance offshore events.

What is the average cost of a secondhand Columbia 43?

The average cost of a secondhand Columbia 43 depends on several factors, such as the year of manufacture, the condition of the boat, the equipment and upgrades installed, and the location of the boat. Based on some recent listings on YachtWorld, the price range for a used Columbia 43 can vary from $25,000 to $65,000 USD.

Is this boatbuilder still in business?

No, this boatbuilder is no longer in business. Columbia Yachts was founded in 1958 by Richard Valdes as Glas Laminates, producing fibreglass products such as camper shells and canoes. It later changed its name to Glass Marine Industries and then to Columbia Sailing Yachts in 1965. It became one of the largest sailboat manufacturers in the US in the late 1960s and early 1970s, producing models ranging from 20 to 57 feet. However, it faced financial and managerial problems in the mid-1970s and was sold to the Whittaker Marine Group, which also owned Coronado Yachts. The production of Columbia sailboats ceased in 1978, and the company was dissolved in 1980.

What other sailboats have been created by this designer?

This designer, William H. Tripp Jr., was a prolific and influential naval architect who created many sailboats for various boatbuilders, such as Hinckley, Pearson, Nautor's Swan, Baltic Yachts, and of course, Columbia Yachts. Some of his most famous designs include the Bermuda 40, the Columbia 50, the Swan 36, the Baltic 51, and the Tripp 47.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge,  we believe them to be accurate.

Other sailboats in the Columbia range include:

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Sunday 22 July 2012

The columbia 43: a classic tripp racer.

• Length: 43 feet 3 inches
• Beam: 12 feet 4 inches
• Draft: 6 feet 11 inches
• Waterline Length: 32 feet 8 inches
• Displacement: 22,200 pounds (one source says 18,900 pounds)
• Ballast: 9,500 pounds
• Sail Area: 806 square feet
• Sail Area/Displacement: 18.24
• Ballast/Displacement: 50.26 percent
• Displacement/Length: 257.49
• Theoretical Hull Speed: 7.5 knots 
• Vertical Clearance: 58 feet 4 inches
• Built between 1969 and 1974
• Number built: 153
• PHRF number: 102 (Columbia 43 Mark III has a PHRF number of 96)

26 comments:

In the interest of full disclosure I should tell readers that I purchased a Columbia 43 two weeks ago. It is most definitely a project boat, but I'm pleased with the purchase. The article is a result of the research I did before I bought the boat. Brandon Ford

This comment has been removed by the author.

Hey Brandon, I purchased a Columbia 43 (1973) in Detroit. If you have any questions or comments my email is [email protected] Captain Bob

Congratulations! That is a very handsome boat which looks as if it could go anywhere. The powerful looking bow is especially impressive in profile. It gives the impression it will just shoulder its way easily through any sea, like a night-club bouncer crossing a crowded dance floor.

Thanks Patrick. I'm looking forward to getting her in shape to face any sea. Long-distance cruising is in our near-term plans. I just have to get through a to-do list of about 1001 things. Then we're off.

I think you bought well Brandon, you know my thoughts and she's dam fine looking as well. look forward to reading more about her.

Thanks Max. Your great advice is much appreciated and played no small part in easing my mind when I handed over the check. The boat came with a basement full of parts and pieces -- some of them new. I think she will prove to be a good deal as well as a good boat.

I'd like to have hull number one, the one with the Columbia 50 deck. That's a nice looking boat, plus it doesn't have that aluminum H for the hull to deck joint.

Hey Brandon! I own Jiminy Cricket! Hull number 007. A Columbia 43 that was actually rigged as a yawl before I bought her. The decks have all been re done and she will be back in the water soon. email me if you want pics. Good choice my friend! She is a wonderful yacht. Fast and seaworhty! [email protected] Mark

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Hello, It's a nice information about boat repair part. Boat detailing is an important part of your overall craft maintenance that should not be neglected. It also helps in making your boat look nice and maintaining its original look. Thanks a lot....

Hi Mark, Sorry I'm so slow responding to your comment. How is Jimminy Cricket coming along? I would love to correspond with you about the work you are doing. Columbia 43s are wonderful boats. Where is your boat? Mine is in Newport, Ore. If you would like to look at the work I've been doing on her you can check out my blog: http://hagothlog.blogspot.com/. I would like the blog to include information about what other Columbia 43 owners are doing with their boats. Let me know! Thanks for the comment and I hope to hear from you soon. Fair winds and following seas, Brandon Ford SV Oceanus (I think she is hull number 81 built in 1971.)

Wow,that boat looks nice and captivating.I just wonder how much it cost for a boat like that. :) Columns

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I own C 43 on lake erie that I will finish complete upgrade summer of 2018 took me 4 summers and $$$

Just took a walk on shelter island in san diego and on an anchorage I spotted what appeared to be a shortened Colombia 50. Could this be hull #1? What a pretty boat.

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This blog is about a three-year total refit of Oceanus, our 1971 Columbia 43, turning this classic Bill Tripp racer into a comfortable and fast cruising boat. We left Newport, Ore., in February 2016 and sailed to Southern California and Mexico. We are now in Hawaii and plan to cruise these beautiful islands before returning to the Northwest.

Pages dedicated to the Columbia 43

• C-43 Designer Bill Tripp, Jr.
• Notable Columbia 43s
• Columbia 43 Numbers
• Columbia 43 Literature

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Columbia 43: a little history.

https://web.facebook.com/groups/643207779750079/

Columbia 43

The columbia 43 is a 43.25ft masthead sloop designed by william tripp jr. and built in fiberglass by columbia yachts between 1969 and 1974., 153 units have been built..

The Columbia 43 is a moderate weight sailboat which is a good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has a good righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a very short water supply range.

Columbia 43 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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COLUMBIA 43 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of COLUMBIA 43. Built by Columbia Yachts and designed by William H. Tripp Jr., the boat was first built in 1969. It has a hull type of Fin w/spade rudder and LOA is 13.18. Its sail area/displacement ratio 18.24. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Universal, runs on Gas.

COLUMBIA 43 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about COLUMBIA 43 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the columbia 43.

COLUMBIA 43 was designed by William H. Tripp Jr..

Who builds COLUMBIA 43?

COLUMBIA 43 is built by Columbia Yachts.

When was COLUMBIA 43 first built?

COLUMBIA 43 was first built in 1969.

How long is COLUMBIA 43?

COLUMBIA 43 is 9.75 m in length.

What is mast height on COLUMBIA 43?

COLUMBIA 43 has a mast height of 13.72 m.

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• Boat Type : Monohull Sailboats
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• Hull Material : Fiberglass
• Beam : 12'4"
• Length : 43'
• Net Weight : 19000 lbs
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• Sailboat Guide

Columbia 43 CB

Columbia 43 CB is a 43 ′ 2 ″ / 13.2 m monohull sailboat designed by William H. Tripp Jr. and built by Columbia Yachts between 1969 and 1974.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

How many of this centerboard version were built is unknown(to us).

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• Sailboat Reviews

Affordable Cruising Sailboats

Practical sailor reviews nine used boats over 35 feet and under $75,000..

In a search for a budget cruiser, Practical Sailor examined a field of used sailboats costing less than $75K and built between 1978 and 1984. We narrowed the field to boats with sufficient accommodations for four people and a draft of less than 6 feet. One way to approach a used-boat search is to look for sailboats with informed, active owners associations and high resale values. Practical Sailor’s quest for recession-proof cruisers led us to the Allied Princess 36, Bristol 35.5C, Endeavour 37, S2 11.0, Freedom 36, ODay 37, Niagara 35, C&C Landfall 38, and the Tartan 37. The report takes a more in-depth look at the Tartan, C&C Landfall, and Niagara.

Let’s say you’re looking to buy a boat for summer cruising along the coastal U.S. or on the Great Lakes, one that, when the time is right, is also capable of taking you safely and efficiently to Baja or the Bahamas, and perhaps even island-hopping from Miami to the West Indies. Like most of us, your budget is limited, so a new boat is out of the question. Let’s set more specifics:

• Passes a thorough survey by a respected surveyor and has been upgraded to meet current equipment and safety standards. (These are old boats, after all, prone to all sorts of potentially serious problems.)
• Fun to sail inshore (which means not too heavy and not too big).
• Sufficient accommodations and stowage to cruise four people for two weeks.
• Popular model (active owners support group for help and camaraderie) with decent resale value
• Under $75,000.
• Monohull (multihulls violate the price cap, anyway).
• Draft of less than 6 feet (for the islands, mon).

In the February 2008 issue, we examined 30-footers from the 1970s , which is just above the minimum length for the Big Three: standing headroom, enclosed head, and inboard engine. Too small, however, to satisfy our new criteria. So we need to jump up in size. As we culled through the possibilities, we found a fairly narrow range of boat lengths and vintages that satisfy the criteria. Of course, there always are exceptions, but basically it is this: 35- to 38-footers built between 1978 and 1984. Bigger or newer boats that meet our criteria cost more than $75,000.

Heres the list of nine models we came up with: Allied Princess 36, Bristol 35.5C, C&C Landfall 38, Endeavour 37, Freedom 36, Niagara 35, ODay 37, S2 11.0, and the Tartan 37. All were built by reputable companies in the U.S. or Canada, with underwater configurations ranging from full keels with attached rudders to fin keels and spade rudders. Displacements are mostly moderate.

Below we present notes on six of the finalists. Details of our 3 favorites are linked to the right of this page.

ALLIED PRINCESS 36

Allied Yachts developed an excellent line of cruising sailboats in the 1960s, including the first fiberglass boat to circumnavigate, the Seawind 30 ketch, which later was expanded to the 32-foot Seawind II. The handsome Luders 33 was the boat in which teenager Robin Lee Graham completed his historic circumnavigation. Arthur Edmunds designed the full-keel Princess 36 aft-cockpit ketch and the larger Mistress 39 center-cockpit ketch. None of these boats are fancily finished, but the fiberglass work is solid and well executed. They’re ocean-worthy, and affordable. The Princess 36 was in production from roughly 1972 to 1982. Wed look for a later model year; prices are under $50,000.

BRISTOL 35.5C

Bristol Yachts was founded by Clint Pearson, after he left Pearson Yachts in 1964. His early boats were Ford and Chevy quality, good but plainly finished, like the Allieds. Over the years this changed, so that by the late 1970s and early 1980s, his boats were between Buicks and Cadillacs in overall quality. This includes the Ted Hood-designed 35.5C. Its a centerboarder with a draft from 3 feet, 9 inches board up to 9 feet, 6 inches board down; a keel version also was available (named without the “C”).The solid fiberglass hull was laid up in two halves and then joined on centerline. It had an inward-turning flange on the hull, superior to the more common shoebox hull-to-deck joint. The 35.5C is very good in light air, but tender in a breeze. Pick one up for around $60,000.

ENDEAVOUR 37

The Endeavour Yacht Corp. was founded in 1974, and its first model was a 32-footer, built in molds given to it by Ted Irwin. Yup, the Endeavour 32 has the same hull as the Irwin 32. Its second model was the Endeavour 37, based on a smaller, little known Lee Creekmore hull that was cut in half and extended. Its not the prettiest boat in the world, and not very fast, but heavily built. Owners report no structural problems with the single-skin laminate hull. It has a long, shoal-draft keel and spade rudder. What helped popularize the Endeavour 37 was the choice of layouts: an aft cabin with a quarter berth, a V-berth and quarterberth, and a (rare) two aft-cabin model. Production ended after 1983. Prices are around $50,000.

After the Halsey Herreshoff-designed Freedom 40 that reintroduced the idea of unstayed spars, several other designers were commissioned to develop the model line-up. These included David Pedrick and Gary Mull; the latter drew the Freedom 36, in production from about 1986 to 1989. While the early and larger Freedoms were ketch rigged, models like the 36 were sloops, which were less costly to build and easier to handle. To improve upwind performance, a vestigial, self-tacking jib was added. Thats the main appeal of these boats: tacking is as easy as turning the wheel. The 36s hull is balsa-cored, as is the deck. Balsa adds tremendous stiffness, and reduces weight, which improves performance. The downside: Core rot near the partners on this boat could lead to a dismasting and costly hull damage. Interior finishing is above average. These boats sell right at our price break: low to mid-$70s.

This low-profile family sloop was second only to the ODay 40 in size of boats built by ODay under its various owners. Founded by Olympic gold-medalist George ODay to build one-designs and family daysailers, subsequent ownership expanded into trailer sailers and small- to medium-size coastal cruisers. Like the others, the 37 was designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates. The center-cockpit is a bit unusual but some prefer it. The cruising fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder are well suited to shallow-water cruising, and the generous beam provides good form stability. The hull is solid fiberglass, and the deck is cored with balsa. Owners report it is well balanced and forgiving. Early 1980s models are on the market for less than $40,000.

Built in Holland, Mich., the S2 sailboat line emerged in 1973 when owner Leon Slikkers sold his powerboat company, Slickcraft, to AMF and had to sign a no-compete agreement. The 11.0 was the largest model, introduced in 1977. The designer was Arthur Edmunds, who also drew the Allied Princess 36, though the two are very different. Edmunds resisted some of the bumps and bulges indicative of the International Offshore Rule (IOR), but still gave the 11.0 fine ends, and a large foretriangle. Two accommodation plans were offered: an aft cockpit with conventional layout of V-berth, saloon, and quarter berth and galley flanking the companionway; and an unusual center-cockpit layout with V-berth forward immediately followed by opposing settees, and then galley and head more or less under the cockpit. The master suite is in the aft cabin, of course. The hull is solid fiberglass and includes the molded keel cavity for internal ballast; the deck is balsa-cored. Overall construction quality is rated above average. Prices range from about $30,000 to $50,000.

NIAGARA 35: a handsome cruiser with Hinterhoeller quality.

Austria-born George Hinterhoeller emigrated to Canada in the 1950s and began doing what he did all his life: build boats, first out of wood, then fiberglass composites. He was one of four partners who formed C&C Yachts in 1969. He left in 1975 to again form his own company, Hinterhoeller Yachts. The company built two distinct model lines: the better known Nonsuch line of cruising boats with unstayed catboat rigs, and the Niagara line. About 300 Niagara 35s were built between 1978 and 1995.

Canadian naval architect Mark Ellis designed the Niagara 35 as well as all of the Nonsuch models. He gave the 35 a beautiful, classic sheer with generous freeboard in the bow, swooping aft to a low point roughly at the forward end of the cockpit, and then rising slightly to the stern. The classic influence also is seen in the relatively long overhangs; todays trend is to lengthen the waterline as much as possible, with near plumb bows, discounting the old belief that overhangs were necessary for reserve buoyancy. So the Niagara 35 has a somewhat shorter waterline than the others in our group of nine, but as the hull heels, the overhangs immerse and sailing length increases. The short waterline also accounts for the 35s moderately high displacement/length ratio of 329. There is a direct correlation between the D/L and volume in the hull, and for a cruising boat, there must be sufficient space for tanks and provisions. Unfortunately, tankage in the 35 isn’t that much: 80 gallons water, 30 gallons diesel fuel, and 25 gallons holding tank.

The cruising fin keel is long enough for the boat to dry out on its own bottom should the need arise, like drying out against a seawall in Bali to paint the bottom. (Sorry-just dreaming!) The spade rudder seems a little unusual for a cruiser. When asked about it, Ellis said that it provides superior control to a skeg-mounted rudder, and that skegs, which are supposed to protect the rudder, often aren’t built strong enough to do the job. Circumnavigator and designer/builder/developer Steve Dashew agrees that offshore, in nasty conditions, spade rudders are the way to go.

Construction

George Hinterhoeller and his associates at C&C Yachts were early advocates of balsa-cored hull construction, because it reduces weight, increases panel stiffness, and lowers costs. The worry, of course, is delamination of the core to the inner and outer skins should water penetrate through to the core. This is why quality builders remove balsa coring wherever through-hulls or bolts pass through the hull or deck, and fill the area with a mix of resin and reinforcements. Hinterhoeller was such a builder, but core integrity still deserves close inspection during a pre-purchase survey.

All bulkheads are tabbed to the hull and deck with strips of fiberglass, and this is an important detail for an offshore boat. Many mass-produced boats have molded fiberglass headliners that prevent tabbing bulkheads to the deck; rather, the bulkheads simply fit into molded channels in the headliner, which do not prevent them from moving slightly as the boat flexes in waves.

Hardware quality is good. One owner described the chocks and cleats on his Niagara as “massive.” Hatches are Atkins & Hoyle cast aluminum, which are about as good as you can buy. And the original rigging was Navtec rod. Owners report no structural problems.

Performance

With its moderately heavy displacement, conservative sailplan, and relatively large keel, the Niagara 35 is not a speed demon, and does not point as high as a boat with a deep, narrow fin keel. But thats not what were after here. The 35s specs are just about what we want for a versatile cruising boat. Owners say performance picks up quickly as the breeze fills in. If the sailplan were larger, for improved light-air performance, youd have to reef sooner, and reefing is work.

The long keel has another advantage, and that is improved directional stability over shorter keels, which means less effort at the helm. We tend to think that a powerful below-deck autopilot can steer any boat, but autopilots struggle, too. A boat thats easy for the crew to hand steer also is easy for the autopilot to maintain course.

A lot of Niagara 35s were equipped with Volvo saildrives rather than conventional inboard diesel engines. Advantages of the saildrive: improved handling in reverse and lower cost. Disadvantages: potential corrosion of aluminum housing and not as much power. Various inboard diesels were fitted: Westerbeke 27-, 33-, and 40-horsepower models, and a Universal M35D, all with V-drives. Owners rate access somewhat difficult.

Accommodations

Two interior layouts were offered: the Classic, in which the forepeak has a workbench, shelves, seat, and stowage instead of the usual V-berth; and the Encore, which has an offset double berth forward, and quarter berth and U-shaped galley aft. The saloon in the Classic, with settees and dining table, is farther forward than usual; the head and owners stateroom, with single and double berths, is aft. Both plans have their fans.

Headroom is 6 feet, 4 inches in the main cabin and 6 feet, 2 inches in the aft cabin. Berths are 6 feet, 7 inches long; a few owners say berth widths are a bit tight. A couple of thoughts on the double berths offered in these two plans: V-berths are subject to a lot of motion underway and so do not make great sea berths, but at anchor, ventilation via the forward hatch makes them far more comfortable than a stuffy aft cabin, where its much more difficult to introduce air flow. Offset double berths do not waste outboard space like V-berths do, but the person sleeping outboard must crawl over his/her partner to get out of bed.

Thirty-year-old boats should be surveyed thoroughly. Nothing lasts forever, but boats well maintained last a lot longer. Pay particular attention to the balsa-cored hull and deck. If either has large areas of delamination, give the boat a pass, because the cost to repair could exceed the value of the boat.

A few owners expressed concern about the boats handling off the wind, which surprises us somewhat. A test sail in lively conditions should answer that question.

We much prefer the inboard. If you prefer the saildrive, look for signs of corrosion and get a repair estimate.

Niagara 35 Conclusion

The Niagara 35 is a handsome, classically proportioned cruising sloop from one of the best builders of production boats in North America. It is not considered big enough these days to be a circumnavigator, but certainly large enough for a couple to leisurely cruise the Bahamas, Caribbean Sea, and South Pacific. We found asking prices ranging from around $54,000 to $89,000, with most in the $60,000 range.

C&C LANDFALL 38

As noted, George Hinterhoeller was one of four partners who formed C&C Yachts in 1969, at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The others were Belleville Marine, Bruckmann Manufacturing, and the design firm of George Cuthbertson and George Cassian. From the beginning, the emphasis was on performance. Indeed, the 40-foot Red Jacket won the 1968 Southern Ocean Racing Circuit (SORC).

In 1973, Cuthbertson retired to his Ontario farm, citing burn-out. Eight months later, he was back as president of C&C Yachts, telling staff that they ought to pursue more multi-purpose racer/cruiser models. C&C became the dominant boatbuilder in North America, with models ranging from the C&C 24 to the C&C 46, with models just about every 2 feet in between. The Landfall cruiser series was introduced in 1977, with the Landfall 42. It was followed by the Landfall 35, 38, and 48. Production of the 38 ran from 1977 to 1985, with about 180 built.

The C&C Landfall 38 is directly related to the earlier C&C 38. We wrote in our original 1983 review that the older hull design was “…modified with slightly fuller sections forward, a slightly raked transom rather than an IOR reversed transom, a longer, shoaler keel, and a longer deckhouse for increased interior volume.” The spade rudder is not everyones first choice on a serious cruising boat, but it does provide superior control. And the Landfalls have a higher degree of finish inside, along with layouts more suited to family cruising.

The Landfalls perform very well, thanks to lightweight construction and speedy hull forms. The Landfall 38s displacement/length ratio of 272 is the lowest of the three compared in this review.

Notable drawbacks: a V-berth that becomes quite narrow forward, and as noted in the 1983 review, “a hull that rises so quickly aft that C&Cs normal gas bottle stowage at the end of the cockpit is eliminated.” This on a cruising boat no less, where a hot meal is often the highlight.

Like nearly all the C&C designs, the Landfall 38 is attractively proportioned with sleek lines and a modern look, even several decades later. It appears most dated in the raked bow, but this better suits the anchoring duties on a cruising boat anyway.

Materials and building processes used in C&C Yachts are very similar to those of the Niagara 35, namely because of Hinterhoeller. Practices he established at C&C continued after he left, at least for the short-term. So what we said about the Niagara 35s balsa-core construction also applies to the Landfall 38, where it is found in the hull, deck, and cabintop.

The hull-deck joint is through-bolted on 6-inch centers, through the teak toerail, which gaves the Landfall series a more traditional look than the distinctive L-shaped anodized aluminum toerail Cuthbertson designed and employed on the rest of the C&C models. The joint is bedded with a butyl tape, which does a good job of keeping out water, but doesn’t have the adhesive properties of, say, 3M 5200. On the other hand, if you ever had to remove the deck-heaven forbid!-it would be a lot easier.

Deck hardware is through-bolted with backing plates or large washers, although some of the fasteners come through on the underside, where the core transitions into the core-less flange. We also saw this on our old 1975 C&C 33 test boat. It means two things: water migrating down the fastener after the bedding fails can contact a little bit of balsa, and uneven stresses are placed on the fastener, which above deck can cause gelcoat cracks.

Proper bronze seacocks protect the through-hulls, and hoses are double-clamped for added security. The mast butt is not deep in the bilge where it can corrode in bilge water, but rests on two floor timbers in the sump, above any water that would typically collect.

The external lead-ballast keel is bolted through the keel sump in the hull. Its run is flat, and the boat can sit on its keel, allowing it be careened against a seawall for bottom painting, prop repairs, or other work in locales where boatyards are rare.

In our earlier review, we noted that the engine compartment has no sound insulation, despite its proximity to the owners berth, but gluing in some lead-lined foam is within the capability of most owners.

Despite being 2,000 pounds heavier than the C&C 38, the Landfall 38 is still a quick boat. Its old PHRF rating of 120 is just a little higher than the Cal 39 at 114, and less than the Tartan 37 we’ll look at next.

The mast is a little shorter than that of the C&C 38, but as with most boats of the IOR era, the Landfall 38 has a large foretriangle of 385 square feet. A 150-percent genoa measures 580 square feet, which is a handful for older crew. Roller furling with maybe a 135 percent genoa would be a logical way to minimize the effort required to tack this boat.

Strangely, the Landfall 38 did not come standard with self-tailing winches; a highly recommended upgrade. The main halyard, Cunningham, and reefing lines are led aft to the cockpit, while the headsail halyards run to winches on deck near the mast.

The boat is stiff and well balanced. Owners like the way it handles and appreciate its speed.

The standard engine was a 30-hp Yanmar diesel. The early Yanmar Q series had a reputation for being noisy and vibrating a lot. At some point, C&C began installing the Yanmar 3HM which replaced the 3QM. Power is adequate. The standard prop was a solid two-blade. Engine access leaves a lot to be desired.

The interior is pushed well into the ends of the boat to achieve a legitimate three-cabin accommodation plan. The standard layout was a V-berth forward with cedar-lined hanging locker. The berth narrows quickly forward so that tall people might not find enough foot room. Moving aft, there is a dinette and settees in the saloon, U-shaped galley and large head with shower amidships, and a double berth in the port quarter, opposite a navigation station. In rainy or wild weather, youll want to close the companionway hatch and keep weather boards in place so that water doesn’t spill into the nav station. Installing Plexiglas screens on either side of the ladder will help.

Oddly, there is no place to install fixed-mount instruments outboard of the nav table; that space is given to a hanging locker, but could be modified. Other than this, about the only other shortcoming is that the toilet is positioned so far under the side deck that persons of average size cannot sit upright. And, the head door is louvered, which compromises privacy.

There is not a lot to complain about with the Landfall 38 that we havent already said: the V-berth forward is tight, theres no sitting upright on the toilet, theres no place to install electronics at the nav station, and the nav station and aft berth invite a good soaking through the companionway.

Construction is above average, but have a surveyor sound the hull and decks for signs that the fiberglass skins have delaminated from the balsa core. Small areas can be repaired, but our advice is not to buy a boat with widespread delamination.

Landfall 38 Conclusion

The Landfall 38 is an excellent family boat and coastal cruiser. Its popularity in the Great Lakes region is not surprising. Island hopping to the Caribbean is also within reach, but any longer cruises will likely require more tank capacity and stowage. Standard tankage is 104 gallons water and 32 gallons of fuel. Prices range from around $55,000 to $65,000.

TARTAN 37: shoal draft and S&S styling.

In the early years of fiberglass boat construction, the major builders-Columbia, Cal, Morgan, Tartan, and others-commissioned well-known naval architects to design their models. Today, this work is more often done by a no-name in-house team over which the company has more control. Tartan Yachts of Grand River, Ohio, relied almost exclusively on the prestigious New York firm of Sparkman & Stephens; they’d drawn the Tartan 27 for the company’s antecedent, Douglass & McLeod, and were called on again to design the Tartan 37, which had a very successful production run from 1976 to 1988.

The Tartan 37 has the modern, clean, strong lines that typified S&S designs. The bow is raked, and the angle of the reverse transom is in line with the backstay-an easily missed detail that nevertheless affects the viewers impression of the boat. Freeboard is moderate and the sheer is gentle. In an early review, we wrote: “Underwater, the boat has a fairly long, low-aspect ratio fin keel, and a high-aspect ratio rudder faired into the hull with a substantial skeg.” In addition to the deep fin keel, a keel/centerboard also was offered. A distinctive feature is how the cockpit coamings fair into the cabin trunk. Its displacement/length ratio of 299 and sail area/displacement ratio of 16.1 rank it in the middle of the 9-model group (see table, page 9), so while it looks racy, its not going to smoke the other nine.

From its beginning, Tartan Yachts set out to build boats of above average quality, and this can be seen in both the finish and fiberglass work. Some unidirectional rovings were incorporated in the hull laminate to better carry loads; like the vast majority of boats of this era, the resin was polyester. Vinylester skin coats, which better prevent osmotic blistering, had yet to appear. Some printthrough is noticeable, more on dark-color hulls. The hull and deck are cored with end-grain balsa, which brings with it our usual warnings about possible delamination. The hull-deck joint is bolted through the toerail and bedded in butyl and polysulfide. Taping of bulkheads to the hull is neatly executed with no raw fiberglass edges visible anywhere in the interior. Seacocks have proper bronze ball valves. One owner advises checking the complex stainless-steel chainplate/tie rod assembly, especially if its a saltwater boat.

Shortcomings: Pulpit fasteners lack backing plates. Scuppers and bilge pump outlets have no shutoffs.

Under sail, the Tartan 37 balances and tracks well. As noted earlier, its not a fireburner, but not a slug either. Its no longer widely raced, but the few participating in PHRF races around the country have handicaps ranging from 135-177 seconds per mile. The Niagara 35 now rates 150-165, and the C&C 38 126-138.

The deep fin-keel version points a little higher than the keel/centerboard because it has more lift, however, the deep draft of 6 feet, 7 inches is a liability for coastal cruising.

Because of the large foretriangle and relatively small mainsail, tacking a genoa requires larger winches and more muscle than if the relative areas of the two were reversed. For relaxed sailing, jiffy reefing of the main and a roller-furling headsail take the pain out of sail handling.

The 41-horsepower Westerbeke 50 diesel provides ample power. Standard prop was a 16-inch two blade. A folding or feathering propeller reduces drag, thereby improving speed. Access to the front of the engine, behind the companionway ladder, is good. Unfortunately, the oil dipstick is aft, requiring one to climb into the starboard cockpit locker-after you’ve removed all the gear stowed there.

The layout below is straightforward with few innovations: large V-berth forward with hanging locker and drawers; head with sink and shower; saloon with drop-down table, settee, and pilot berth; U-shaped galley to starboard; and to port, a quarterberth that can be set up as a double. To work at the navigation station one sits on the end of the quarterberth. This plan will sleep more crew than most owners will want on board, but its nice to have the option. Pilot berths make good sea berths but often fill with gear that can’t easily be stowed elsewhere.

The fold-down table, like most of its ilk, is flimsy. Underway, tables should be strong enough to grab and hold on to without fear of damaging it or falling-thats not the case here. And the cabin sole is easily marred trying to get the pins in the legs to fit into holes in the sole.

Finish work in teak is excellent, though this traditional choice of wood makes for a somewhat dark interior. Today, builders have worked up the nerve to select lighter species such as ash and maple.

Eight opening portlights, four ventilators, and three hatches provide very good ventilation.

The standard stove was alcohol, which few people want anymore, owing to low BTU content (which means it takes longer to boil water), the difficulty in lighting, and almost invisible flame. Propane is a better choice, but there is no built-in stowage on deck for the tank, which must be in a locker sealed off from the interior and vented overboard. (You could mount the tank exposed on deck, but that would not complement the boats handsome lines.)

Theres not much to pick at here, but we’ll try. Centerboards come with their own peculiar set of problems: slapping in the trunk while at anchor, broken pendants and pivot pins, and fouling in the trunk that inhibits operation.

Often what sets apart higher-quality boats from the rest of the fleet is the cost of materials and labor in making up the wood interior. They look better than bare fiberglass, work better because they have more drawers and stowage options, and are warmer and quieter. The unnoticed flip side is that the joinerwork tends to hide problems, like the source of a leak. When all the fasteners are neatly bunged and varnished, it takes courage to start pulling apart the interior!

Checking engine oil is unnecessarily difficult, and to operate emergency steering gear (a tiller) the lazarette hatch must be held open, which could be dangerous. Lastly, the companionway sill is low for offshore sailing; stronger drop boards would help compensate.

Tartan 37 Conclusion

The enthusiasm for this boat is strong. In fact, theres a whole book written about it, put together with the help of the Tartan 37 Sailing Association (link below). You’ll pay in the mid- to high-$60s, which ranks it with the Niagara 35 and Freedom 36 as the most expensive of our nine. While Tartan 37s have made impressive voyages, and are as capable as the Niagara 35 and C&C Landfall 38, like them, its not really a blue-water design. We view it rather as a smart coastal cruiser and club racer. Good design and above-average construction give it extra long life on the used-boat market.

Classic Cruisers For Less Than $75,000

Niagara 35 Sailnet Forum

C&C Photo Album

Tartan Owners

Tartan 37 Sailing Association

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

27 comments.

Great article, but why did you leave out your namesake build – Camper Nicholsons Nicholson 35. Very similar to the Niagara 35, except that it trades the (less than useful – my opinion) quarter berths for two GIGANTIC cockpit lockers. And I find the transverse head on the Nic a civilized alternative to telephone booth head/shower combinations.

While the Nic claims 6 berths, you’ll never find that many on ours. Cocktails for 6, dinner for 4, sleeps 2 is our mantra

This is great information and a good guideline to go by. Thanks for the heads up on theses vessels.

Every time Practical Sailor does a review of boats in the 35- to 38-footers built between 1978 and 1984, they always leave out the Perry designed Islander Freeport 36 and 38. Many people are still cruising in these great boats, and among Islander Yachts designs this one is a wonderful cruiser.

I was also sad to see that. We sail a ’79 I-36, and it is stiff, fast, forgiving, and a very comfortable cruising platform. While many of the 800+ built are ready for the wrecking ball, there are some excellent, well cared for boats available. They are lovely sailors.

Couldn’t agree more, with Islander Freeport 36 & 38 raised coachroof that opens up all sort of possibilities and transom based swim ladder, her utility is unmatched.

These are all nice boats. I have sailed most of them. I owned a Tartan 37 for 4 yrs. As A US Sailing Cruising instructor, I have sailed and cruised hundreds of boat. This is one of the best balanced and behaved boats that I have sailed. She will sail on jib alone with no lee helm and sail main alone with minimal weather helm. Few boats will do this. She tracks quite well in a seaway. There are only 2 instances that you need to put the centerboard down: clawing off a lee shore or racing upwind. Otherwise she is just fine with board up. I have not had problems with the board slapping in a rolley anchorage. I keep the board up tight all the way and no problem. And my boat a 1983 had a built in propane vented locker. Also my dipstick was forward port and easy to reach, but not so for the filter so I remote mounted it forward. S & S did a great job on this design. And a 4 foot draft is wonderful and special feature for a boat that sails so well.

Surprising that the author did not address the obvious question, “if you had to pick one of these for a bluewater cruise, which one would it be?”

I too would appreciate the author’s response to this question.

Every time I star liking one of these I see the word ‘balsa’

Why did you not look at the Catalina 36. They are sea kindly; easy to repair and get parts; there’s a lot of them; and newer ones are in the price range you are talking about.i.e. my 2002, well fitted, is $72500.

Good article, thanks.

Pearson 365 conspicuously missing from this list.

Excellent article with factors that almost all of us who own vintage older cruising sailboats have considered at one time or another. However, when making my choice and before putting my money down, I also included PHRF as a factor. Without degenerating into a large discussion of pros and cons of PHRF (or any other indexes of performance), I think that you should consider performance in the equation. While livability is important (and I am a comfort creature), the ability to run away from a storm or handle tough conditions, is also important, you don even mention it. Paraphrasing Bill Lee, “faster is fun”. After weighing all of the factors discussed above, and adding considerations for performance, I purchased a 1984 Doug Peterson designed Islander 40 for $65,000 and am still in love with the boat 15 yrs later. It still is a “better boat than I am a sailor” and is also very comfortable. The only drawback is that it draws 7’6″ which in SF Bay, is not a problem. On the “right coast” that might be a problem, but on the “correct coast” it has not been.

Hate to be picky but you left out of this old list a high quality design and blue water capable cruiser designed and made by quality Canadian company–Canadian Sailcraft, namely CS 36 T. A Sailboat 36.5 feet with all the necessary design and sailing numbers needed to be attractive , safe, and fast.

No one likes to see their favorite boat left off a list like this, but it must be done. But my Ericson 38 has almost none of the cons of the boats in this article, and most of the desireable pros. After 13 years of ownership, it hasn’t even hinted at breaking my heart. Great design pedigree, glassed hull/deck joint, ahead of its time structural grid, points high, extremely liveable interior, and the list goes on…so much so that I’m glad I didn’t buy ANY of the boats in the article instead.

Missing are the CSY 37 and 44. Ernest M Kraus sv Magic Kingdom CSY 44 walkover cutter

Very useful article. Thanks! I’d love to see the same framework for a selection of length 40′-50’ft coastal cruisers.

I know that it is hard to include all boats, but you missed a boat that fills all the requirements. I’m speaking about the Bob Perry designed and Mirage built 35. It has all the capabilities and handling characteristics that you would want in a capable cruiser and the speed of a steady over-performing racer-cruiser. It has 6’5″ headroom and all the standard features that are a must in a strong well built beauty with 5 foot draft, light but rigid and strong. Great for the Chesapeake bay or other depth challenging bodies of water.

Great publication through the year’s. Still miss my print version to read on rainy day. Owned a Cal 27 T-2 and Irwin Citation over the years. Sailed on the Chesapeake. The Irwin ended up in Canada. JA

We have a Swallow Craft Swift 33. The boat was made in Pusan Korea in 1980. For a 33′ boat it is cavernous. We live aboard 1/2 the year. I thought it might be a boat you would be interested in looking at. I call it a mini super cruiser.

How about the Pearson 367?

Surely this is a joke. I’ll put the Nonsuch 30 Ultra against anyone.

Good article, but another vote for the CS36T. No better value for an offshore capable, fast cruiser and built to last.

Great article

The list looks familiar to the list I was working with back around 2004. Back then the prices were even higher of course. To fit my budget, I got a great boat… Freedom 32. That is a Hoyt design from TCI. All I really gave up was some waterline. Below deck, the boat is as roomy as many 35-36 footers due to the beam. I find it to be a great boat for me. I do not see a move up to the sizes on this list to improve my lot. I could be tempted by a Freedom sloop over 44′ but that is retirement noise.

which edition of month/year of the PS Magazine is this covered in please, it would be great to know?

A great article, but what about the Young Sun 35 Cutter! a great offshore boat that I have sailed single handed from Canada to Hawaii and back, single handed, in rough conditions, but which was an incredible 30 days each way. Overall 40 ft. and 11 ft. beam. I believe also built by Bob Perry!

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Does anyone know anything about this boat? 1974 Coronado 45

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I am researching a Coronado 45 1974. I was wondering if anyone can give me some info pls. If your an owner would love to hear from you? Just some basic info would be awesome. Thanks  

Very weak keel sump. Take a hard look at the keel bolts and backing plates. Any fractures in the FRP ... Walk !  

Thank you boatpoker.  

I believe the Coronados were built by Columbia. Maybe look also at Columbia 45  

The Columbia 45 is a center cockpit motorsailor and the Coronado 45 ( though built by Columbia) is an aft cockpit masthead sloop. Go to the Columbia owners site Columbia Yacht Owners Association and you'll find the specs for all Columbia's and a link to the Coronado models.  

Thanks Col45  

I own hull #2, purchased in 2007. We did a major refit from 07-08 and moved aboard with 2 kids. In 2012 spent a year cruising Mexico. During Covid we decided not to shelter in place onboard so this is the longest I have not been on my boat. I used to be very active on the CYOA group but disappeared for the last few years. It's been a few weeks since your post, what did you decide to do?  

Talked to a guy who helped build the Cornado 45 they used gallons of 5400 then set the keel then the bolts. In his opinion the bolts just helped the 5400 cure better. Bolts pretty much could break after that and the keel would not budge.  

I respectfully suggest that your acquaintance meant 3M 5200, an adhesive sealer, rather than 3M 5400 which is essentially a primer or Locktite 5400 which is only a thread compound. 3M 5200 was widely used for keel to hull joints and hull to deck joints back in the day. But I would also respectfully suggest that it is unlikely that your friend is correct about the keel bolts "Just helping the 5200 cure better' . Properly applied, 5200 has a sheer strength around 360 pounds per square inch. The anchor bolts have a safe working strength around 24,000 pounds per square inch. A Coronado 45 probably had 1 1/4" diameter keel bolts each with a safe working load strength in the 29,400 pound range. Applying the same safety factor to the 5200 as the bolts, it would require roughly 120 square inches of bonding surface to equal the usable strength of one bolt. My best guess is that the Coronado 45 had two bolts every 16 to 20 inches. It would require a perfect bond over a 12 to 18" wide flange to achieve a strength equal to that of the bolts. Where your friend may have been correct that many value oriented manufacturers (like Coronado) relied on 5200 to join the hull to the deck. In other words, the bolts being were only secondary to the 5200 in connecting the hull to deck joint. Typically hull to deck joints had bond areas that are proportionately large compared to the bolt area, and the actual unit loads at any one point are pretty small. Jeff  

I have seen several keels trying to be removed on boats that were a combination of bolts and 5200. They all had the devil of a time getting the keel unbonded from the 5200 after the bolts were removed, and removal caused some glass damage. However, Boatpoker above referred to the weakness of the keel sump, not the keel attachment itself. Doesn't matter how much glue and bolts you use on the keel attachment if the sump/stub itself fails. Mark  

My guess is that the mast step is galvanized steel and not stainless steel, but I don't know that for certain. You might reach out to SailNet member @SloopJonB , who did an extremely high quality restoration on a Columbia 43. Also see post #5 above. Jeff  

Thanks so much for the info. If you don't mind me asking where are you located?  

This whole thread is a bad joke. I've been sailing for sixty years and have owned Columbia boats for about 40. Has anyone ( I mean Anyone) had a keel fall off a Columbia? This is the stupidest hoax since everyone is 1) concerned the sky is falling, or 2) That , like cutting edge composite racing boats, their keel is going to fall off 1000 miles off shore. Please have someone provide honest to god evidence of a keel failure.  

Sounds like third person hearsay. " I heard a guy did...."  

Second person actually - he claimed to have been involved.  

"I can't provide sworn testimony but when I was purchasing my C-43 in San Rafael one of the boatyard guys said there had been an incident in Sausalito fairly recently (then, 2003) where a C-43 had its keel drop off in the slip because the bolts had corroded away. I can't provide sworn testimony but when I was purchasing my C-43 in San Rafael one of the boatyard guys said there had been an incident in Sausalito fairly recently (then, 2003) where a C-43 had its keel drop off in the slip because the bolts had corroded away." Sounds like " a boatyard guy" in San Rafael reported an event in Sausalito that transpired "fairly recently". We would expect that there would be substantially more evidence of keels "dropping off" if it were a prevalent problem. I think more damage is done in groundings than spontaneous shedding of ballast.  

You didn't ask about "prevalent problems" and I didn't post about them - because to the best of my knowledge there aren't any.. I posted about a single fairly credible report I was given years ago by a person who claimed to have been involved in the recovery. Suffice it to say that keels falling off only became a phenomenon long after Columbia went out of business.  

figure of speech  

Coronado 45 — Sailboat Guide you all may wish to see this.. columbia didnot build coronados.. coronado yachts did that..columbia was a different company. coronado yachts did borrow one of hank mckunes molds for the coronado 34. the olympian 34 and coronado 34 are same essential boat with minor modifications. i was friends with hank. he talked a lot about how and who helped whom and why during the 60s and 70s.. very interesting character. . the times were very convoluted as far as who did what, but the companies building were individual companies with their own personalities. columbia yachts also used hanks molds for some models.  

Whittaker, which owned Columbia at the time, bought Coronado in the late 60's or early 70's. Coronado was kept as a separate brand for a while, and most were built in the Colombia factories in California and Virginia. Some models shared hulls and were almost identical, but with different brand names. Yes, Colombia built Coronados, and they were the same company for much of the time. Mark  

hank mc kune allowed them to use his molds yet the boats are not called yorktown or olympian or other mckune trade names either.....he also helped butler. many of the costa mesa and lost angels yards of creation of sailing boats used hanks molds.  

Not sure of your point. Columbia produced over 50 models from 13'-57' using 9-10 different designers. They built most of their molds in-house. Coronado produced 17 models from 14'-45'. Many boat companies got their start by using another's molds, either with or without permission. The Coronado Aurora 21, Victory 21, and Super Satellite 14 were Ted Carpentier designs, and built by Coronado with McCune. I don't know the relationship between the two shipyards. If any of McCune's molds were used by Coronado, it was these small early boats produced between 1959-1960. After that, Coronado (and Columbia) were completely separated from McCune and building their own tooling and boats. The McCune Yorktown 35 was first produced in 1974 by McCune shipyard, while the Coronado 34 was designed in 1966 with production ending in 1974, so it looks like it was the other way around regarding whose molds were used there. Mark  

It's old, but damn beautiful  

Sailing Dad said: I own hull #2, purchased in 2007. We did a major refit from 07-08 and moved aboard with 2 kids. In 2012 spent a year cruising Mexico. During Covid we decided not to shelter in place onboard so this is the longest I have not been on my boat. I used to be very active on the CYOA group but disappeared for the last few years. It's been a few weeks since your post, what did you decide to do? Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I don't think Sailing Dad has been active on the forum for a few years. Feel free to post questions (and answers) about your refit. There is a ton of knowledge on this forum.  

Well I have some fiberglass damage I need to fix on the starboard side midship. I'm going to have to remove the Aluminum plate that covers the hull to deck join inside. I'm also going to have to cut it unfortunately to remove it. They install this at the factory before all the mold etc go in. So my question is will screwing it back beo satisfactory after I remove it or should I also have it welded back together?  

It's not an aluminium plate, it is the inside of the Columbia H-joint. It is a fairly complex aluminium extrusion. The upper edge of the hull fits into the lower channel of the H and the lower edge of the deck fits into the upper channel of the H and then they are both riveted together. The rivets are covered by the PVC rub rail. Before you start cutting that channel, look up Columbia H-Joint so you know what you are dealing with - it is the only thing holding the hull & deck together.  

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