thoughts on a Columbia 23'??

[joes new addiction]

Took a friend out on my boat last weekend and now he is HOOKED!
He'd been on the fence for a while, has a powerboat he uses in Clayton N.Y. to fish, but WANTS a sailboat for @ here (lake) and up there (St. Lawerence River).
He stopped at a marina I guess close by a few weeks ago, his wife and him saw a Columbia 23'.
He asked me what I thought and me being a sophmore sailor didn't know squat.
My reply was "Get it and try it and if you don't like it sell it"! (I buy and try things ALL the time, freaks out my wife and friends cuz things roll in and out at my house with regularity, but hey! How are we supposed to know if it really works for you or not unless you spend time with it??
He's not like that .........
I looked on line and saw her, one thing that jumps out draft of 1'-11" (this model doesn't have a swing keel)?????
They state she's stable, but no keel to keep her from heeling?
Thoughts on her?
A good all @ boat, or what?
Thanks,
Joe
See, as we get older we search info instead of making it up! :dance:

 

[Merlin Clark]

The 800 lbs of led in the stubby keel will help with stability but I wouldn't anticipate great perfomance into the wind. http://www.columbia23.com/
If it fits the need, why not? It looks like a nice boat.

 

[kenn]

I've read some reviews that say the small Columbias and Coronados are built well.

The shallow draft will make launching and gunkholing easy. The keel is shallow but also fairly long. I would definitely want a test sail going upwind in medium strength wind, but I expect that pointing would be acceptable, especially for a first boat.

It could be a great 'weekender' at the lake. If well-equipped and at the right price, I'd snap it up.

 

[joes new addiction]

When I look at her specs against my PT 1/4, they are pretty close.
The Columbia is 11" wider, (that a BIG plus in my books), I have a bit more sail area, the same ballast, over all weight, I have maybe 5" more draft with my swing keel up.
We both like the "liveable" area below decks, (mine is a converted racing boat and is spartan to say the least below decks).
With Fever Dream, when the breezes come across her beam, and the keel up, she really scoots sideways and that was had me thinking....... the wind I've seem up at the St. Lawerence is alot steadier and more than where I call "my water", I was wondering how the Columbia would handle that enviroment??
Joe

 

[Daydreamer]

Looks a lot like my Oday 22 with the same shoal keel that draws just under two feet.

If the price is right and the boat is sound, Go for it!

 

[Dan Johnson]

Joe...

If you have the fin keel hull, then I think you have a Columbia 24, not a 23T. Coronado made a 23, 25 and a 27. Columbia made a 24 and a 26, all with fin keels. They were basically the same hulls. The Cor 27 I had was a full width cabin top on the Col 26 hull/interior.

If it is a Col 24, you have a very competitive boat in PHRF racing fleets. One at my club was a perenial winner in the hands of the original owner. A new owner has completely refurbished it and it is not only a "looker", but still a competitve boat.

 

[joes new addiction]

I'm SURE Jim isn't intrested in racing, just fishing, (he's got the fishing itch REAL bad, they go up to Clayton EVERY weekend, dawn to dust fishing the entire weekend).
He told me he's more intrested it traveling farther up river, fish, sleep there, fish and return, prehaps the same on the lake.
It was either this or a bigger powerboat, but this seems to fit the bill better (draft).
It could be a Col. 24, he told me 23, but I BELIEVE I read it's 23'11".
I was just curious about the keel and how'd she be sailing, (HE may NEVER really sail her, motor to and from)????
Joe

 

[Merlin Clark]

From sailboatdata, it looks like the 23 is the one with 1'11" draft and the 24s have 3'+.
http://sailboatdata.com/firstpage.asp