Columbia 5.5M
Description
The Columbia 5.5 Meter is a classic fiberglass racing sailboat introduced in 1963 by Columbia Yachts of Costa Mesa, California. It was designed as a more affordable, one-design alternative to the prestigious International 5.5 Meter class, which was an Olympic event at the time. The design originated from the Norwegian boat Carina, a 5.5 Meter winner of the 1958 Scandinavian Gold Cup, created by designer Sigurd Herbern. Columbia adapted it into a fiberglass production model (with modifications that prevented it from qualifying for international 5.5 Meter rules), building approximately 50 units between 1963 and 1965 by Glas Laminates in the USA. It gained popularity as a one-design racer on the U.S. West Coast in the mid-1960s. A cruising variant, the Columbia Sabre, was later developed with added accommodations like a trunk cabin, four berths, a head, galley, and icebox—around 300–400 were built from 1963 to 1969. A similar design was produced by Ericson Yachts as the Scorpion 32. In modern times, Columbia Yachts has reimagined it as a carbon-fiber, electric-powered "gentleman's bay racer" for eco-friendly classic racing.
Construction Details
| Designer | Sigurd Herburn |
|---|---|
| Builder | Columbia Yachts |
| Length | 32.420 ft |
| LOA | 32.420 ft |
| LWL | 22.580 ft |
| Beam | 6.250 ft |
| Displacement | 4500 lb |
| Ballast | 2800 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.330 ft |
| Year Built | 1963 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 30 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 8.50 ft |
| p | 34 ft |
| e | 11.42 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 ft | 8.50 ft | 34 ft | 11.42 ft | - | - | - | - |
Blueprints
Sails
Columbia 5.5M - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 34 ft - (10363 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11.42 ft - (3481 mm) |
| Leech | * 35.25 ft - (10744 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 35.49 ft - (10817 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | * 200.49 ft² |
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Columbia 5.5M - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 24.94 ft - (7602 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11.06 ft - (3371 mm) |
| Leech | * 22.06 ft - (6724 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.06 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 9.78 ft - (2981 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.03 ° |
| Area | * 121.95 ft² |
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Columbia 5.5M - GENOA
| Luff | * 29.62 ft - (9028 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 13.55 ft - (4130 mm) |
| Leech | * 28.09 ft - (8562 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 12.75 ft - (3886 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 188.81 ft² |
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Columbia 5.5M - SPINNAKER
| Stays | 29.146 ft - (8884 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | 22 ft - (6706 mm) |
| Foot | 24 ft - (7315 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 595 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.