| I chose the Columbia 30 Sport Yacht for two reasons; it has the high performance that makes sailing fun and exciting, and it is uniquely versatile.
My Columbia 30 sails at planing speeds of 17-20 knots... It’s always a blast to race the boat with my friends, especially in big breeze. The deck is well thought-out and very functional. It has a comfortable interior with good sea berths, an enclosed head, a galley and stove; everything I need for the coastal races that I enjoy. The boat came with standard equipment that you usually have to pay a lot extra for (inboard diesel, folding prop, carbon mast, carbon foils, self tailing winches and more). The boat has a lifting keel, is trailerable and ramp launchable! At only 4,000 pounds, the Columbia 30 doesn’t need a giant tow-vehicle, either.
When I’m not racing the boat, I sail it with my wife and kids. The boat has a great cockpit with coaming seat backs so the family is safely on board and comfortable. That’s something you don’t get on a flush deck race boat. The builders have made it easy to reign in the large sail-plan, so that the boat is simple, fun and safe for family outings.
My wife and I like the interior. It has all of the accommodations we need and standing head room! I like the fact that I can sit in the salon, lean back, and not hit my head on the cabin-top. The quarter berths are roomy and the v-berth is over eight feet long. The quality, fit and finish and attention to detail are excellent.
We like to harbor cruise with our friends and the inboard power really makes that easy. I just turn the key and we’re off. I’ve owned boats with outboard motors and that just takes away from the fun of boating. They’re smelly, loud and then when you’re done using the outboard, you have to lift it and stow it somewhere - what a hassle! The Columbia 30 has an isolated engine compartment that reduces engine noise and prevents fuel odor from getting inside the boat. That’s smart.
Columbia Yachts is factory-direct, so I bought my yacht directly from the guys who built it. I visited the factory, and watched my boat under construction. When I have a question, they know the answer. There’s no “I’ll get back to you,” or “Let me contact the factory.” The company support has been second to none, a sentiment that I know is shared among all Columbia 30 owners.
I recently won the Columbia 30 One Design Nationals and I couldn’t be happier with my yacht. I would like to thank Columbia Yachts for producing the boat I have been looking for, for years.
Sincerely,
David Clarke
Owner, Hull #1 Cartel
Dave Clarke is a Southern California sailor and has sailed extensively over the years. He has raced in three TransPac’s, two Pacific Cups, two Coastal Cups, the Cabo Race and numerous day and buoy races. He is a member of and is currently serving as the Racing Chairman of Newport Harbor Yacht Club. He is a member of TransPacific Yacht Club and the Royal Hawaiian Sailing Association.
“Built for speed this boat defines what a sport boat should be.”
Robert Perry, March 2003 Sailing
“We took on a brand-new larger speedster from a well-known builder and beat it upwind and down…Crossing the boat was easy (whether driving or crewing), working the cockpit was easy and lounging dockside in that same huge, inviting cockpit? That was way easy.”
Kimball Livingston, April 2005 SAIL
“We were less than five minutes into our test sail when it became clear that the Columbia 30 is a sailboat which will appeal to those for whom sailing performance is the most critical ingredient in a boat. And, we applaud the sensible ideas of an accessible engine that won't stink up the interior, along with a retractable keel and rudder. Potential buyers who are intimidated or put off by the 30's aggressive appearance (stainless-steel tiller and footrests, tall rig, etc.), will be missing a chance to own a vessel that's more like a BMW than a Chevrolet."
- November 2005 Practical Sailor
“This boat is all about blistering performance and simple, practical accommodations. If you really like to sail fast, and your cruising isn’t all about the comforts of home, it’s worth going for a ride aboard the new Columbia 30.”
- Ralph Naranjo, April 2006 Cruising World
“The Columbia 30 is a sportster that manages to bridge what, in many cases, is the broad chasm between conventional production boats (performance cruisers) and purpose-built racers. In addition to collecting more than her fair share of trophies on the racecourse, she offers creature comforts adequate for overnighting.”
- March/April 2006 Good Old Boat
“The latest reincarnation (of Columbia Yachts) is a grand prix racer, with a lot of style and thought to being a family boat when needed…I found the boat to be a fantastic bargain for what you are getting – first rate design, cutting edge building materials and top shelf running rigging. Although I would never have thought that a boat under 50 feet long could be considered a Yacht, this boat does live up to its name.”
- May 2006 Santana
"We took Urge out for its first sail on Sunday with 13-18knts wind: what a performance! Hit double digits on the first spinnaker run and 7.2 driving up wind. The boat does much better than we expected in chop and loses very little headway. We had one of the Hendo (Henderson 30) foredeck guys on with us and he loves it- says that under those conditions, they would have been constantly changing headsails and rounding up all day. The spinnaker colors are great and what a massive kite for a 30'- beautiful shoulders on it too. Launches and douses were easy."
Guys- you built a great boat!
- James Gilmore,
Uncontrollable Urge, Columbia 30 Hull # 3
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