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Columbia 45 Ketch
Designer: William Tripp Jr  ·  Builder: Columbia Yachts  ·  First built: 1971
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About the Columbia 45 Ketch

Built during Columbia Yachts' productive era, this substantial ketch represents the yard's commitment to creating capable cruising vessels for serious sailors. The 45-foot length places her squarely in the realm of serious coastal and offshore cruising, offering the space and stability needed for extended passages while remaining manageable for a small crew. The ketch rig configuration provides excellent sail handling flexibility, particularly valuable when cruising shorthanded or in challenging conditions. This split rig allows for easy sail reduction and better balance in varying wind conditions, making her well-suited for long-distance cruising where versatility matters more than pure performance. The mizzen sail proves invaluable for heaving-to and maintaining control in heavy weather. Columbia's reputation for building solid, seaworthy vessels carries through to this model, which was designed with practical cruising in mind rather than racing performance. Her construction reflects the era's emphasis on durability and reliability over light weight, resulting in a boat capable of handling offshore conditions with confidence. The generous interior volume typical of this size range makes her suitable for extended liveaboard cruising or comfortable coastal exploration with family and friends.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 45.25 ft / 13.79 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 34.50 ft / 10.52 m
Beam 12.33 ft / 3.76 m
Max Draft 7.25 ft / 2.21 m
Displacement 25,000.00 lb / 11,340 kg
Ballast 10,300.00 lb / 4,672 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 779.00 ft² / 72.37 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Ketch
Construction FG
Designer William Tripp Jr
Builder Columbia Yachts
First Built 1971
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
14.64
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
36.09
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
1.69
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.87
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
1.55
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1.0
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 45.0
J (Foretriangle Base) 17.9
P (Mainsail Luff) 36.33
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.5
SA Fore 402.75
SA Main 263.39
How It Compares

vs. Cape Dory 45, Columbia 45, Endeavour 43, Irwin 43 Cc Mkii, Morgan 45 4

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
45.3 ft
Cape Dory 45
45.3 ft
Columbia 45
45.3 ft
Endeavour 43
45.3 ft
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
45.5 ft
Morgan 45 4
45.3 ft
LWL
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
34.5 ft
Cape Dory 45
33.5 ft
Columbia 45
34.5 ft
Endeavour 43
35.0 ft
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
35.5 ft
Morgan 45 4
36.8 ft
Beam
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
12.3 ft
Cape Dory 45
13.0 ft
Columbia 45
12.3 ft
Endeavour 43
14.0 ft
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
13.6 ft
Morgan 45 4
13.4 ft
Displacement
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
25 lbs
Cape Dory 45
24 lbs
Columbia 45
25 lbs
Endeavour 43
33 lbs
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
26 lbs
Morgan 45 4
22 lbs
Ballast
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
10 lbs
Cape Dory 45
9 lbs
Columbia 45
10 lbs
Endeavour 43
12 lbs
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
8 lbs
Morgan 45 4
9 lbs
Sail Area
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
779 sq ft
Cape Dory 45
935 sq ft
Columbia 45
698 sq ft
Endeavour 43
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
1 sq ft
Morgan 45 4
902 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
Cape Dory 45
120 s/nm
Columbia 45
120 s/nm
Endeavour 43
132 s/nm
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
Morgan 45 4
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
14.6
Cape Dory 45
18.1
Columbia 45
13.1
Endeavour 43
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
18.7
Morgan 45 4
18.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
Cape Dory 45
Columbia 45
41.2 %
Endeavour 43
36.4 %
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
30.8 %
Morgan 45 4
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
36.1
Cape Dory 45
32.9
Columbia 45
36.1
Endeavour 43
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
32.4
Morgan 45 4
27.8
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
1.69
Cape Dory 45
1.81
Columbia 45
1.69
Endeavour 43
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
1.84
Morgan 45 4
1.91
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
Cape Dory 45
Columbia 45
271
Endeavour 43
343
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
259
Morgan 45 4
Hull Speed
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
7.9 kts
Cape Dory 45
7.8 kts
Columbia 45
7.9 kts
Endeavour 43
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
8.0 kts
Morgan 45 4
8.1 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Columbia 45 Ketch ★
1.6
Cape Dory 45
1.7
Columbia 45
1.6
Endeavour 43
Irwin 43 Cc Mkii
Morgan 45 4
2.8
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