Columbia 57 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Columbia 57 means chasing a genuinely scarce Tripp-designed flagship: only eleven or twelve were built, and most change hands quietly rather than through high-volume listings. The boat was introduced in 1969 as the nation's largest production fiberglass sailboat, and its combination of CCA-rule heritage and offshore capability still draws experienced buyers who know what the hull represents.
Layouts on the Used Market
On the used market, owner three-cabin layouts are the more common arrangement, though both layout types do appear. The 56-foot-6-inch hull with a 13-foot beam gives these layouts real volume, and the three-cabin owner version tends to be the one most readily found when a boat does surface.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
A transatlantic completion is commonly fitted across the fleet, reflecting the 57's capacity for serious passage work rather than mere coastal cruising. Beyond that, the builder's original dual-surface steering with a keel-mounted trim tab remains a defining system buyers should understand and survey carefully, as it is integral to the boat's helm behavior. The masthead rig carries a 1,400-square-foot sloop sail plan, and any buyer should confirm rigging diameters against the established specs — halyards at 14 mm and sheets at 16 mm — since owner upgrades over decades can depart from original tuning.
What to Inspect
Earlier magazine advertising listed the waterline at 40 feet and displacement at 42,000 pounds versus the later established 40'8" and 45,000 pounds anchor; sources differ on the early figures. Verify the actual displacement and waterline on any candidate rather than trusting period collateral. The solid fiberglass hull and lead fin keel are straightforward to survey, and the balanced spade rudder with trim tab should be checked for play and corrosion at the linkage.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical market for these boats is Greece. For a shopper, the practical checklist is short but demanding: confirm original versus revised specifications, inspect the trim-tab steering mechanism, verify rigging sizes, and accept that drafts around 8 feet will restrict marina choices. A Columbia 57 is a commitment to a rare, elegant offshore platform — not a turnkey club racer.
- Confirm waterline and displacement against later specs, not old ads
- Survey keel-mounted trim-tab steering for wear
- Check masthead rigging diameters (14 mm halyards, 16 mm sheets)
- Budget for 8-foot draft marina limitations
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Columbia 57. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 26 | 1 | $98,336 | — |
Where they're listed
Columbia 57 listings appear across 1 country. Greece has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | $98,336 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
2 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowman 57/58 | 57' | $ 299,000 | 3 | 0 |
| Columbia 57You are here | — | $ 98,336 | 1 | 0 |