The design later became the basis of the Coronado 23, which had a new coach-house roof. The hull was also licensed for construction abroad, including a 1976 example built in Melbourne by a company called International.
Design and Construction
The Columbia 22 is a recreational keelboat built predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim. The hull has a slightly raked stem and a nearly plumb transom.
Columbia offered three keel configurations. The standard boat has a fixed fin keel, draws 3 feet 2 inches, and carries an internally mounted spade rudder controlled by a tiller. A shoal-keel version reduces draft to 2 feet 6 inches. The stub-keel-and-centerboard model draws 2 feet 6 inches with the board up and 4 feet 10 inches with it down, but it was produced only in small numbers.
The standard boat displaces 2,200 pounds and carries 1,006 pounds of iron ballast. The builder cited its 50-percent ballast ratio as the reason the boat remained stiff and dry. Test sailors also found that the cast-iron keel, when properly faired, added measurably to race-course performance.
Boats built from 1970 onward have different hatch locations and an outboard motor well, distinguishing later production from the earliest hulls.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Columbia 22 is a masthead sloop with 232 square feet of sail and a vertical clearance of 30 feet 4 inches. Roller reefing on the mainsail was advertised as providing all the sail control needed without requiring crew gymnastics.
The boat has an average PHRF handicap of 186. Its long waterline and low wetted surface led testers to judge it fast relative to competitors in the small-racer class, while its light displacement makes it an agile club racer.
Trailering comes with a practical caveat. Reviewers noted that the fin keel and draft of more than three feet might give problems at the launch ramp.
Accommodations
The standard interior sleeps four. A double V-berth fills the bow cabin, while two straight settees provide additional berths in the main cabin. A dinette table combines with one settee, though the dinette is less than 30 inches wide. It’s comfortable for two people, not four.
The galley is on the starboard side, just forward of the companionway ladder, and includes a stove, ice box, and sink. An optional head fits beneath the forward V-berth. Water capacity is 12 gallons, and headroom is a modest 4 feet 7 inches.
Not every Columbia 22 follows this plan. One owner’s Australian-built 1976 example has a V-berth and two benches, along with a simple door rather than a sliding hatch or pop-top. Its small forward hatch is only large enough for a child to enter and is used for jib storage. The boat has no kitchen, water, or sink, and its center toilet was removed. This example is a reminder that Columbia 22 layouts can vary.
Kit Boats and Known Issues
The main anomaly on the used market is structural incompleteness resulting from kit assembly. A number of boats were sold under the Sailcrafter Custom Yachts label as kits for amateur builders. Some completed examples have unusual omissions, such as no sliding main hatch or no outboard well, where the home builder chose not to install those parts.
One surveyed boat, hull number 75, has neither cockpit hatches nor an engine well, confirming this pattern. The deep fin keel also makes launch-ramp trailering more difficult.
Ownership Considerations
Buyers may encounter any of the three keel configurations: the standard fin keel, the shoal keel, or the rare centerboard model. Each behaves differently when grounding, launching, and trailering.
Original sails remain on some early hulls, and the large, self-bailing cockpit was a period selling point. Because some kit-built boats lack an outboard well, prospective owners should verify the auxiliary mounting arrangement against the standard used from 1970 onward before committing to a motor.
The Verdict
The Columbia 22 is a thoughtfully proportioned Crealock racer-cruiser. Its long waterline and low wetted surface provide surprising speed for a 22-foot boat, while the interior offers four berths despite limited headroom.
Its kit-built history makes a careful, hull-specific survey non-negotiable. A properly completed example, however, remains a tidy, trailerable club boat.
Pros
- Long waterline and low wetted surface provide fast relative performance, with an average PHRF handicap of 186
- 50-percent ballast ratio keeps the boat stiff and dry under sail
- Four-berth layout with a galley and optional head in a trailerable package
- Three keel options suit different cruising and launching needs
Cons
- The dinette is less than 30 inches wide and seats two, not the four suggested by the overall berth count
- The fin keel’s draft of more than three feet complicates launch-ramp trailering
- Kit-built examples may lack a sliding hatch or outboard well
- Headroom of 4 feet 7 inches limits standing comfort below
