My Boat
Columbia 24
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My Boat
Columbia 24
For it's size,
this is a great cruising boat. It is heavy, and it is wide. Internal balist,
and a full keel make it ride like it is on rails. The boat is sturdy
and heavily constructed. I can pound on the side with my fists, and get
nothing but a dull thump. The interior of the boat is all wood, and I have
made a number of modifications. There are a couple of stereos, a tv (12v
VCR coming soon), LORAN, a plotter (satnav coming soon), cb, vhf marine,
police scanner and other assorted toys on board. This boat is generally
kept at a mooring although I have rented slips some years. Columbia was
known for overbuilding their boats which makes this vessel very sturdy
indeed. I have a few hair raising tales of foolish things that I have done,
and I believe a lesser boat would not have gotten me through them as this
one did. The boat I have differs some what from the diagram. Mine has a
little dinette, which I use as a chart table/nav station. It also has an
engine compartment with an outboard well just behind the cockpit. The engine
compartment also contains my starting, and deep cycle batteries, as well
as my two fuel tanks, and my tools. This boat has a fuel range of about
150 miles, and I generally only have to fill the tanks once a year, as
I only use the motor for docking or heavy weather. There is a charging
system, and I have installed shore power, and wired the boat for 110v AC,
though there is not yet a generator or converter. I have had this boat
for about seven years, including my time at U.W.M., when I was a member
of the sailing club there.The Columbia company went out of buisiness in
the mid seventies, and this boat was made in1967.