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Columbia 57
Designer: William Tripp Jr.  ·  Builder: Columbia Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1969
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About the Columbia 57

Designed by William Tripp Jr. and built by Columbia Yachts from 1969 to 1974, this substantial 56-footer represents an era when American builders focused on creating robust offshore cruising yachts. With only 11 hulls produced during its five-year production run, the Columbia 57 remains a relatively rare sight on the water. The yacht's impressive displacement of 45,000 pounds, combined with 22,000 pounds of ballast, creates exceptional stability and seaworthiness for extended offshore passages. Her fin keel and spade rudder configuration provides responsive handling while maintaining the directional stability crucial for long-distance cruising. The masthead sloop rig delivers reliable performance across varied wind conditions, making her well-suited for both coastal exploration and ocean crossing. Tripp's design philosophy emphasized comfort and capability over pure speed, evident in the boat's generous beam and substantial construction. The fiberglass hull construction ensures durability, while the moderate sail area provides manageable sail handling for smaller crews. Her comfort ratio of 50.29 indicates a motion that favors relaxed cruising over aggressive sailing, making extended voyages more pleasant for crew and guests alike. This design appeals to sailors seeking a dependable, seaworthy platform for serious cruising adventures.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 56.50 ft / 17.22 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 40.67 ft / 12.40 m
Beam 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
Max Draft 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Displacement 45,000.00 lb / 20,412 kg
Ballast 22,000.00 lb / 9,979 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 1,293.00 ft² / 120.12 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer William Tripp Jr.
Builder Columbia Yachts (USA)
First Built 1969
Last Built 1974
Number Built 11
Related Sailboats ["Columbia 56" · "Swan 57 Ss" · "Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl" · "Nicholson 58" · "Little Harbor 57"]
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 72
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
 16.42
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 48.89
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 298.64
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
 50.29
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
 1.47
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. 8.55 kn
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
 1.71
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. 1,889.14 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 16.42
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 62.80 ft / 19.14 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 56.00 ft / 17.07 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 21.50 ft / 6.55 m
SA Fore 690.80 ft² / 64.18 m²
SA Main 602.00 ft² / 55.93 m²
SA Total (100%) 1,292.80 ft² / 120.11 m²
Est. Forestay Length 66.54 ft / 20.28 m
How It Compares

vs. Nicholson 58, Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl, Swan 57 Ss

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Columbia 57 ★
56.5 ft
Nicholson 58
57.6 ft
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
55.3 ft
Swan 57 Ss
57.4 ft
LWL
Columbia 57 ★
40.7 ft
Nicholson 58
46.9 ft
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
38.5 ft
Swan 57 Ss
45.8 ft
Beam
Columbia 57 ★
13.0 ft
Nicholson 58
15.6 ft
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
14.2 ft
Swan 57 Ss
15.9 ft
Displacement
Columbia 57 ★
45 lbs
Nicholson 58
53 lbs
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
45 lbs
Swan 57 Ss
49 lbs
Ballast
Columbia 57 ★
22 lbs
Nicholson 58
20 lbs
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
17 lbs
Swan 57 Ss
18 lbs
Sail Area
Columbia 57 ★
1 sq ft
Nicholson 58
1 sq ft
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
1 sq ft
Swan 57 Ss
1 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Columbia 57 ★
72 s/nm
Nicholson 58
—
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
—
Swan 57 Ss
42 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Columbia 57 ★
16.4
Nicholson 58
16.7
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
16.9
Swan 57 Ss
17.4
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Columbia 57 ★
50.3
Nicholson 58
42.2
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
47.3
Swan 57 Ss
39.2
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Columbia 57 ★
1.47
Nicholson 58
1.66
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
1.59
Swan 57 Ss
1.73
Hull Speed
Columbia 57 ★
8.6 kts
Nicholson 58
9.2 kts
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
8.3 kts
Swan 57 Ss
9.1 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Columbia 57 ★
1.7
Nicholson 58
—
Swan 55 Ss 1970 Yawl
1.2
Swan 57 Ss
2.4
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