Columbia 26 Mk II Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Tripp's Mk II measures 25' 7" overall on a 21' 8" waterline, with an 8' 6" beam that gives her a length-to-beam ratio of 3.01 and a notably roomy plan for a 26-footer of the era. The standard shoal-keel version displaces 5,900 pounds and carries 2,500 pounds of lead ballast for a 42% ballast ratio, while the optional shoal keel variant lists 6,600 pounds displacement and 3,200 pounds of ballast [0]1. Early builder literature claimed 5,000 pounds, but by late 1970 the figure was revised to 5,900, and weighed examples from the 1969 Detroit-area batch all exceeded that, one at 6,230 0. The hull is solid fiberglass with a fin keel, and the deck carries a moulded-in waffle nonskid and a colour stripe on every Mk II; the later 26 K substituted a bolted aluminium toe rail, coarser hand-applied nonskid, smaller plastic-framed cabin windows, and an optional hull stripe.

Rig and Handling

As a masthead sloop the Mk II carries 310 square feet of sail area, yielding a SA/D of 15.2 on the reference sail and 18.0 with a 135% genoa. The normal rig uses single lowers; a racing rig added double lowers, and accepted dimensions run I-31.5, J-10.5, P-26.3, E-11.0 0. Blair Arden's racing records show a 1981 PHRF of 228, a current local 219, and a 6-second credit for inboard boats, with the national average appearing between 225 and 228 0. The theoretical hull speed is 6.2 knots, and owner reports bear that out: one boat held a steady 6.5 knots with occasional 7-knot surges in 2–4 foot seas and 15 knots of wind, while a 10 hp Chrysler outboard pushed her at a steady 4.5 knots [0]1. The capsize screening value is 1.88 and the Motion Comfort Ratio 23.1, placing her among moderate racers with a displacement-length ratio of 266 1.

Accommodations

The Mk II's bubble-top deck gave Tripp's design a distinctive trunk-cabin profile, and the K variant later received a fabric overlay in the saloon between the shelf and deck underside as its main interior change 0. Beyond that trim difference, everything else on the K was identical to the Mk II, so the accommodation plan itself carried through the production run unchanged 0. Thirteen gallons of water capacity and the optional 9-gallon fuel tank supported the modest cruising intent of the layout 0.

Known Issues

The principal documented production variation is the late-run 26 K modification, where the moulded fiberglass toe rail became a bolted aluminium extrusion and the deck nonskid changed from a smooth waffle to a coarser hand-applied texture 0. Smaller plastic-framed cabin windows on the K are a tell-tale for identifying the final-year boats, and the optional hull stripe means a bare-topside K may be harder to date at a glance 0. Early brochure displacement figures understate real weight, so a buyer weighing a "5,000 lb" claim should expect closer to 5,900 or more 0.

Refits and Ownership

Power was optional from new: a 9.5 hp OMC thru-hull-drive gasoline engine or a 5 hp Patter AB1WM diesel could be specified, and many boats instead carried outboards such as the 10 hp Chrysler noted in owner reports 0. The running rigging lengths are well documented—main and jib halyards around 29–30 feet of wire plus 36-foot tails, an 80-foot mainsheet, and 60-foot jib sheets—so a re-rig can follow original spec exactly [0]1. With 950 built, the Mk II remains a populous Tripp design 0.

The Verdict

The Columbia 26 Mk II is a characteristically Tripp late-sixties design: beamy, lead-ballasted, and quick for her length, with a bubble-top deck that still reads as modern. The 950-boat run and the K variant's minor changes make her easy to find and identify, though the displacement confusion and K-specific trim details reward a careful look.

Pros