# Looking at a Columbia 29 MKII



## souljour2000 (Jul 8, 2008)

I am looking at a '66 Columbia 29 MK II...not the flush-deck Defender...but the more traditional cabin.It seems to be pretty solid...the rigging is in good shape from what I can tell..(not able to check swages up on mast head and mid-mast yet) The guy wants $2,000... I am pretty sure I get him to come in at $1,700. The chopper gun was used on these but there is roving underneath I am almost certain... Going to take another look at her tomorrow and really crawl all over her..
There is some termite damage in some of the plywood inside which I heard Columbia didnt use marine ply during this period. think the termites wouldnt care either way ..ply is ply to them I am sure...though they avoided all the mahogany and teak as far as i can tell. This boat seems built like a tank..the mast ...everything down to the toe rails seems thick and heavy. Whatcha''ll Think?.Penny for your thoughts...This buying stage with boats is really great fun except for the stomach indigestion and overall cellular death from stress.Thanks in advance,,the penny is in the mail...


PO.S. This is not the same boat..it is the same style and model...this one pictured is a '67...I'm looking at a '66.


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## HDChopper (Oct 17, 2010)

Sounds good to me ,, BTW all my research on Columbias has been the MKII are flush deck "Bubble tops " which I like very well the Tripp design ones...


wish you luck & great price!


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## MARC2012 (Mar 17, 2008)

Do not chopper gun used in 66.marc


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

MARC2012 said:


> Do not chopper gun used in 66.marc


I was thinking the same thing. I don't think the chopper gun came into use until the early 70's or very late 60's. My Coronado is a '69 and it's cloth. Columbia bought Coronado soon after.

There is a very active Columbia forum on Yahoo, you can get a lot of answers there. They're pretty friendly.

Those boats were so solidly built, that the termites could probably eat all of the wood with a minimal loss of structural integrity (tounge in cheek)

And for $1700.00? It's probably a safe bet. Crawl around like you say, maybe print out a copy of SailingDog's boat buying checklist. Check the thru-hulls and seacocks. Are they the original gate valves or have they been replaced?

Oh- regarding the standing rigging. Obviously you should check it all, but the top fittings/swages are usually in better shape than the bottom ones because water runs downhill and collects on the lower ones. 
When I unstepped my mast this winter, the tops were shiny and new looking while the lower swages weren't quite as nice.

Were the chainplates on these 'glassed into the knees or are they accessible? Something else worth checking.

Good luck!


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## souljour2000 (Jul 8, 2008)

Thanks for the comments...Bubblehead I am not sure..I seem to remember that the chainplates went thru the deck onto the forward bulkhead with straps shaped like ones you usually see outside on the hull. Marc..good to know there was roving and not strictly chopper gun..I was pretty sure there was roving at least on the earlier Columbias but had forgotten to actually take a look around for the tell-tale print of roving when I was last on the boat. There are some nasty Columbia rumors but I think alot of the rumors concern the later boats made in the Virginia factory....and there was some sketchy contruction techniques done in the 70's by Columbia for sure.
The boat is missing the starboard winch possibly unless he has it somewhere and the boat does not have the original motor or any motor inside. Instead a fairly robust aluminum outboard bracket was made by some past owner though and there are two swim platforms sorta to either side that I really like. I am going to hammer out alot of details today...The main seemed to be in good shape and had a cover over it. He says he has the jib and maybe a yamaha 9.9 that has an electrical issue....I have a 9.8 I can slap on there that is cranky and has issues but starts sooner or later every time that I can use in the meantime hopefully...until the Yamaha can be repaired..


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## souljour2000 (Jul 8, 2008)

*1966 Columbia 29 MK II cont.*

Okay... Well...I decided I am up for another project...after looking at the boat again today....I decided I am up for the challenge. I will post pics soon..forgot the camera this morning but will be back out to her on Friday. Will take alot of pics as I can post.of as much as I can...and try to photo-document her restoration or at least a complete snapshot of her condition 45 years after her original build date in order to get more info about what happens to a boat of this vintage and build quality over the years.

I think the Columbia 29 MK II has been overlooked by some...the Defender 29 had the same hull but the flush-deck left something to be desired aesthetically but was probably a better sailor and bluewater boat. There are other boats who have also slipped through the cracks. I think one reason this one did is due to the problems with some of the later Columbia's and due to the BIG-box reputation that Columbia had much like Hunter has endured now since Columbia passed the torch to them in the late 70's/early 80's

I have heard the similar-constructed Alberg 30's had problems with their laminated compression posts...the similar one on my boat looks good. I also heard that Alberg 30's often had iron keels..that is also not an issue with this boat..It is 4,200 lb lead keel and a overall disp. of 8,400 lbs. I expect to have a major project here that will consume several years to get her right...I will be doing most of not all the work myself ...

I know there is alot of work to do and expenses ahead but I have learned alot in forums like this from folks much more experienced in all phases of sailboats. I hope to learn more and at least improve the condition of this boat alot while I own it and ...like the Hippocratic Oath... at very least..."do no harm"....to a boat that I think Sparkman and Stephen's must have been proud of....Okay..termites be warned.!!!...I am soon heading to the aisle section of Walmart to buy some termite bombs...just to be sure...wish the lovebugs would skedaddle as well..they are simply thick down here in SW FLorida this year...


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## souljour2000 (Jul 8, 2008)

I bought the boat...there is some termite damage but it seems mostly to have been confined to the place with the most wood...the galley cabinetry. There is some water damage to the forward bulkhead shoulders where the chain plates bolt onto the bulkhead. I know this is very serious but it may allow me to do some mods that might improve the spaciousness of the forward vee berth entrance.(spin). The boat is 45 years old and 1700 bucks....and there is alot of stuff that is good...crispy mainsail..thick teak toe rails are solid and good..so are the teak coaming boards amazingly...original teak cockpit lockers are solid and well varnished. Not much water in the bilge..rainwater no doubt as there are no companionway dropboards it seems. Forward hatch is original and mostly intact. Companionway hatch is okay. New large salon window glass (those big windows kinda bother me..I liked the earlier 29's style better...probably have to get the seals for these windows if they are still available in Columbia Yachts forum...as I hear the new windows leak some....

There is a very robust tubular aluminum motor bracket/mount on the transom that allows for two mahogany swim platforms..one to either side of where the motor sits...someone spent some $$ on that project. The forestay turnbuckle looks about shot but the swaged end of the wire and the wire rope itself seem okay. I have a good heavy ss turnbuckle that should be just right handy and that will be an early fix. The rest of the rigging/swages seem okay. It's going to be quite a ride...but at least I have a live-aboard with some head room finally..I been living on my Seaferer 24 for almost 2 months and it wasn't working for me as you might expect...The motion comfort number is good for this boat so it should at least be good to sleep on and not rock and roll as much as some of these boats in the field....2 tons of lead down low....she might not rock much but she'll roll...and initially very well I imagine . Anyways...I'll try to post some pics when I get back online ...and we'll let the drama unfold some more then I am sure... no internet for awhile except the public library....


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

Since you mention the compression post- How is the deck area around the mast? Is it showing a lot of deep, radial cracks? Hopefully not, but if so, it could indicate problems with the compression post.

I'd be interested in seeing photos of the shoulders/chain plate water damage. Except for that area, it sounds like the boat is in pretty good shape.


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## souljour2000 (Jul 8, 2008)

Thanks for the advice about checking the deck for stress cracks around the mast base Bubblehead...I will take a look...the compression post looked good but I only glanced at it the other day more or less...I'm headed out to the mooring field today and I will take a look...and take some pics of her...lots and lots of pics and try to post stuff that I may need help with analyzing...I will definitely get some pics of the bulkhead at the chain plates areas too...and post those...


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## herezjohnny (Apr 29, 2011)

I had a 1968 Columbia 28. I loved that boat but I had gone in partners with a guy and it ended sour. it was a very well built resin bucket and quite fast.


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## nemier (Jul 9, 2005)

Congratulations Souljour!
Look forward to seeing the photos.


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## souljour2000 (Jul 8, 2008)

Thanks guys! Hope to get out to her and take some pics today. The Columbia 28 had a bit more room I hear than her slightly longer older sisters (C-29 series). That was a nice looking boat and her windows were a bit smaller or at least split into two sections in the salon which I like...I love the airy big windows of the MK II but I think it limits the boat to shorter offshore passages of only a couple or three days at most unless they were re-done some how..or protective thick sheathing sections of ply bolted over them or something...


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## snook91901 (Oct 17, 2011)

I realize that this is an old post. But I just purchased a fixer upper Columbia 29 (MkI though) and wanted to hear how you felt about the boat now that I assume you've been sailing it.


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