Columbia Owners

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Comment by Banana Wind on September 28, 2009 at 11:05pm

Gary ,,,,did you ever get your project vessel sold? We put the word out ..but due to the volume of "practically free" project sailboats available down here since the wrath of Hurricane IKE - there arent going to be any takers from these parts ....i must admit sadly that it IS good to see boats moving around down here again ....even if they dont belong to the original owners.....hope you found a good home for your Columbia ...

Comment by Larry Wilson on August 6, 2009 at 11:40pm

I'm going to attempt another planned cruise on the Chesapeake in September. Sheila (wife,Admiral) and I on our Columibia 8.7, and Martin Duffy on his CS27, possibly one other couple on their Hunter 46 (?). Any and all are welcome. No set agenda as yet, just attempting to sail as far north as possible in a couple of weeks. Our starting point will be Urbanna, Duffy will be Deltaville. Anyone to the south or east can meet up with us in Dville area, or along the northern route, probably on the western shore. It would be great to make it to Baltimore with stops at St Mary's, Solomons, Annapolis. Perhaps more or less. Then back down the eastern shore , Oxford, Onancock, Tangier? Just playing it by ear at this point.
Start date, Sept.21,2009.

Comment by Gary B on June 24, 2009 at 10:55pm

I just posted the following on the yahoo columbiaowners group:
I have been working slowly on a Columbia 33 ('Imram' in the list). It has a Perkins Perama M30 diesel with 0 hours since rebuild sitting on the cabin sole, ready to put back into the boat. It needs:
- reinstallation of the rudder block onto the hull - area is now prepped and ready
- reinstallation of the engine stringer system - area prepped and ready
- rebuild the companionway hatch (it's all removed, all old parts still on the boat)
- cabin top relamination - the plywood core has split over a large area, allowing water to migrate. I believe it is all dry now.
- pretty much everything on top of the cabin leaks.
- new chainplates (best done outside the hull)
- replace water system - original hoses were a mess
- general refinishing, paint, etc.
- I'm not real thrilled with the rube goldberg waste plumbing either.

Yes, it's a LOT of work. The boat is presently shrink-wrapped. The standing rigging appears to be in reasonably good shape. I had the boat in the water a year ago, and it was a dry boat as far as the hull is concerned. I have never sailed the boat, as I bought it as a project myself.

I spent about $3500 having the diesel gone through, and the boat has 5500 lbs. of lead so I figure it's worth somewhere north of $3500 just in parts. I'm offering it here first, for someone who wants to make it sail again. I'll include most of the accessories - anchors, lines, etc. I have lots of pictures of the boat (since I've owned it) and the work on the boat.

Make me an offer, as I need the money for boat parts and I'd like to see it go to a good home ... see, I bought a bigger better boat! :)

Comment by dave landsman on May 21, 2009 at 6:43am

We have gone from livaboard to houseabound,so now New Beginning sits behind an apartment complex 4 minutes from the house always ready to give a little day sail on St.Andrews Bay,or Shell Island. It's a bit of an indulgence to own a house and a fully equipped cruising boat.The one good thing I did was sell the watermaker off,those gadgets DO not like to sit idle. I had a great idea, lease it out for a year to a couple that wants to experience cruising but doesn't want to make the 100k commitment. for just one year of cruising. Interesting thought. Hope all is well with others.Just remember what "BOAT' means break out another thousand. regards Dave

Comment by Banana Wind on May 20, 2009 at 7:07pm

Dave ..the wife and I enjoyed our honeymoon down at Panama City Beach ..and I have to say you are right ...some of the most beautiful beaches around are there. Sounds like being a liveaboard there is VERY reasonable ....hope all that new commerce doesnt mess up your good deal!

Comment by Gary B on May 20, 2009 at 9:11am

Well, columbia sailors, things have moved along in my boat restoration project. I have removed the rudder, taken out the big wood rudder support block that was badly glassed in, unsealed and soaking wet. I'm ready to replace it. Opinions differ - some think I should just dry out the old block, some think I should build a new one out of 'any old wood', some think I should use stacked marine plywood, some think I should just build up a block out of filled epoxy, and I actually thought about using stacks of Trex decking, shaved flat.

At the bottom end one half of one of the two bronze hinges has worn to paper thin so I'll have to find or fabricate a replacement. (The bottom hinge is a cup, that holds the bottom of the rudder shaft, just above that is the second hinge, a two piece design, with one piece worn.)

Once that is done, we can finish rebuilding the engine bed and the various bits and brackets to go with the engine reinstallation. Then there's the new chainplates to install.

But I'm now in the throes of acquiring a newer, bigger boat. So if all goes well, this boat is going to be on the market. I plan to finish getting it ready to go back in the water, even though that is probably going to be sunk cost. So if anyone is looking for a project boat at a great price, make me an offer. I spent $3500 having the Perkins Perama M30 diesel engine torn down, cleaned and inspected. The engine was newly rebuilt previously. The only new parts needed were an exhaust riser and a couple of external parts - alternator bracket, etc.

Comment by Gary B on March 28, 2009 at 3:16pm

Thanks Dave, That confirms my impression from internet searches etc. One of the reasons I like centerboard boats in principle is the shallow draft, and looking at the west coast of FL and the panhandle, a lot of that is pretty shallow. I'm a gunkholer by nature - I've always liked to take random trails to see where they go.

Comment by dave landsman on February 11, 2009 at 7:29pm

Hi Gary; We didn't pick panama city it picked us. When we came from cruising we were looking for a place somewhere in Fla,that had good schools and relatively affordable housing.I landed a job here and so did my wife,it turned out to be the place we were dreaming about small southern town with water on our doorstep with boat rents we could easily afford. In Ft.Pierce we were paying about 850.for liveaboard here its 350. Its called the forgotten coast but not for long they are building a new international airport,which once this economic bump is done it won't be hidden anymore. Its the home of the worlds most beautiful beaches. Dave

Comment by Gary B on February 11, 2009 at 10:13am

Sigh. I found a new problem, to go with the old problems. It appears that the wooden block that is glassed into the hull to support the rudder got wet, expanded, busted the glass, and then shrunk again. The hull is OK, just the glass 'cover' where it attaches to the hull. I suppose the right way to fix this is to remove the rudder system, cut off the old glass, remove and replace the wooden block, re-glass, and re-install the rudder. Or I could just squoosh a bunch of epoxy in there and clamp it together.... It's too cold to do anything now anyway, so I have time to contemplate.

Dave - I've been hearing about the house prices down there in FL, and I've thought maybe I should wander down there and grab me one. How did you pick NW FL? I've never been down there, would like to have a base that is good to sail from (with a centerboard boat). Any suggestions about different areas?

Comment by Larry Wilson on February 10, 2009 at 8:20pm

dave,
good to see you here. I have a particular soft spot for the 41. Stay down there, and keep her away from me. lol . Hope you'll be a frequent visitor and will share your 20 years of Columbia knowledge with the rest of us.

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