Design and Construction
Tripp's hull is a heavily applied hand-laid fiberglass shell, and most if not all of the approximately 150 boats built between 1969 and 1974 had their hulls further strengthened by matts of hand-laid fiberglass anchor. Above the waterline the boat carries a balsa-cored deck over a heavy-duty hull, with a graceful sheer, flush deck, and low doghouse that still reads as striking today. The centerboard variant — the CB of the model name — was offered alongside a full-keel version, and the standard underwater profile otherwise pairs an iron-ballasted fin keel with a spade rudder. The MkIII revision lengthened the hull by six inches, substituted a lead-ballasted keel for the iron original, and stepped a taller mast for more power.
Rig and Handling
As a masthead sloop the Columbia 43 carries a keel-stepped mast and a 10-foot-long aft cockpit that gives the helmsman room to work anchor. The deck plan places a large teak deck box in front of the mast, and the original winches and deck-mounted rigging have held up to the test of time. The MkIII's taller mast built on that baseline with meaningful additional sail power, while the centerboard model's retracting board preserves the shallow-draft utility of the form without abandoning the fin-keel directional bite.
Accommodations
Below, the boat was laid out to sleep eight, a generous count for a 43-foot hull of the era. The galley sits to port and is built around a small sink, an alcohol stove, and an icebox, with slate-look countertops that lend a tailored note to the workspace. Forward of the main saloon the head is fitted with a full shower, a feature that underscores the cruising intent behind the racer-cruiser label. The flush deck and low doghouse keep the exterior profile lithe, but the interior volume was clearly prioritized for liveaboard use rather than stripped-out racing.
Propulsion and Tankage
The original specification called for a Universal Atomic 4 four-cylinder gasoline engine, with a Palmer gasoline engine fitted in some cases anchor. Fuel capacity was planned at 45 gallons against 35 gallons of water, figures that suit coastal cruising more than long offshore passages but are consistent with the boat's racer-cruiser brief.
The Verdict
The Columbia 43 remains a compelling expression of Tripp's early fiberglass thinking: a light-displacement hull that could win races on Saturday and carry a family of eight in comfort on Sunday. The hand-laid glass hull, balsa-cored deck, and durable deck gear give the design a structural and operational foundation that has aged better than many contemporaries, while the MkIII's lead keel and taller rig refined the concept. The iron-ballasted fin keel on earlier boats and the modest galley appointments are the main caveats for the modern buyer.
Pros
- Light-displacement racer-cruiser with documented speed and cruising comfort
- Heavily hand-laid fiberglass hull with additional matting reinforcement
- Sleeps eight with a full-shower head and port-side galley
- Durable original winches and deck rigging
- MkIII brought lead ballast and taller mast
Cons
- Early boats used iron-ballasted fin keel rather than lead
- Galley is compact: small sink, alcohol stove, icebox only
- 45-gallon fuel and 35-gallon water suit coastal use, not extended passage-making
