Columbia 56 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull type

Monohull · fin

Rig

Ketch

LOA

56.5' · 17.22 m

Displ.

45,000 lbs · 20,412 kg

First year

1974

The Columbia 56 stands as the ambitious flagship of the Whittaker Corporation era, representing the zenith of the "bigger is better" philosophy that dominated American yacht production in the early 1970s. Designed by the legendary Bill Tripp Jr., the 56 was a bold departure from the slender, traditional lines of the previous decade, leaning instead into a highvolume, centercockpit configuration that prioritized longrange comfort and liveability. At the time of its release, it was one of the largest production fiberglass sailboats in the world, often marketed as a "motorsailer" due to its massive internal volume and powerful auxiliary engine options. Its distinctive profile, characterized by high freeboard and a flushdeck aesthetic forward of the cockpit, remains an unmistakable silhouette in marinas today.