Columbia Yachts
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Boat building |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Founder | Richard “Dick” Valdes, Maurice V. Threinen |
| Headquarters | Southern California , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Vincent Valdes (President and CEO), Justin Wallin (COO) |
| Products | Sailboats, motor yachts |
Columbia Yachts is an American sailboat manufacturer headquartered and operating production facilities in Southern California.
History
In 1958, Richard “Dick” Valdes and Maurice V. Threinen established Glass Laminates, a company specializing in fiberglass contract manufacturing. Their early product lineup included camper shells and canoes produced for Sears. The business soon shifted focus toward sailboats, rebranding as Glass Marine Industries (GMI) and selling vessels under the Columbia name. Initial offerings featured the Columbia 24 and Columbia 29, both designed by Sparkman & Stephens. By 1964, the company’s revenue surpassed $2.5 million.
The year 1965 marked GMI’s transformation into Columbia, accompanied by the introduction of the Columbia 50, which was at that time the largest fiberglass production sailboat worldwide. Praised for its design excellence, comfort, and sailing capabilities, it achieved strong commercial success. In addition to sailboats, Columbia produced several motor yachts during the mid-1960s.
By the end of the 1960s, Columbia had become the leading global manufacturer of fiberglass sailboats, operating multiple production sites internationally. Founders Valdes and Threinen sold the enterprise to Whittaker, a publicly traded company on the NYSE; however, Valdes stayed on as president of Columbia Yacht Corporation and played a key role in expanding Whittaker Marine Group’s portfolio. This group included brands such as Bertram Yachts, Trojan Yachts, Riva, Desco Marine, Kettenburg, Balboa Marine, and Coronado Yachts. In the early 1970s, Whittaker Marine Group reported sales between $250 million and $350 million. An important note is that Frank Butler from Coronado Yachts joined Whittaker through this acquisition but soon departed to establish Catalina Yachts.
Following Valdes’s departure from Columbia Yachts in 1972, company operations were relocated to Virginia. In 1979, ownership transferred to Hughes Boat Works based in Huron Park, Ontario, followed by a sale to Aura Yachts in 1982. During the mid-1980s, Canadian naval architect Howard Hughes regained control of the brand before Columbia eventually disappeared from the market.
Columbia Yachts today
The Columbia Yacht Corporation was reestablished in September 2001 with Vincent Valdes—son of original founder Dick Valdes—as President and CEO, alongside co-founder Justin Wallin serving as COO. Their first offering was the Columbia 30 Sports Sailor, designed by Tim Kernan and featuring a Southern California OWC PHRF rating of 51. Presently, Columbia Yachts manufactures models including the Carbon 32 and Antrim 25.
Classic models
- Columbia 10.7
- Columbia 21
- Columbia 22
- Columbia T-23
- Columbia 24
- Columbia 24 Challenger
- Columbia 24 Contender
- Columbia T-26
- Columbia 26-1 IB
- Columbia 26-2 IB
- Columbia 26-2 OB
- Columbia 28-1
- Columbia 29-2
- Columbia 30
- Columbia 31
- Columbia 32
- Columbia 34-1
- Columbia 34-2
- Columbia 36
- Columbia 38
- Columbia 40
- Columbia 43-1
- Columbia 43-2
- Columbia 43-3
- Columbia 45 Sloop[1]
- Columbia 45 Ketch[1]
- Columbia 5.5
- Columbia 50
- Columbia 7.6
- Columbia 8.3
- Columbia 8.7
- Columbia 9.6
- Columbia Sabre