Part 2 - Columbia 29 refit, in the Rocky Mountains

[406Columbia]

Hello,

We have gotten a few comments that there was too much reading and not enough photos on our last thread and wanted to make the second part of this with all the photos and videos. Hopefully more enjoyable for folks to follow, I know I like tons of photos.


To recap this, my wife and I have wanted a sailboat for a very long time and finally took the plunge. We searched Yacht World, Craigslist, this forum, eBay, Etc. What we were looking for was a full or modified full keel and solid fiberglass construction.


Interior we wanted two quarter births and a dinette layout ideally which we didn't find. We bought a 32' Ericson that came with a trailer that was complexly gutted with hopes of rebuilding it. It ended up being way too much of a project so we got rid of the boat and kept the trailer which was a triple axle beast.


We ended up finding a guy in San Diego selling a Columbia 29 that looked like it might work but it had a trailer already and the seller didn't want to sell them separately. We didn't even bother going down to look at it even though the boat looked promising.


Fast forward several months I am now deployed overseas and one night just happen to open craigslist under boats for San Diego. It’s the Columbia 29 again but now without the trailer and the seller says $10 takes it. Said he was tired of paying insurance and slip fees and just needs it gone! I emailed him immediately and didn't hear back for a few days. He and his wife did eventually respond and provided a phone number. I called them and we spoke briefly and they ended up giving the boat to us for $10 even though they had received into the hundreds of emails in a short time.


We were over the moon to say the least and scrambled to send a check out, obtain bills of sale, seek insurance (thanks GEICO and Boat US), transferred the slip over to us, etc. When I got home from the deployment my wife and I packed up the two kids and two dogs and drove from rural Montana to San Diego to recover the boat and see it for the first time in person.


As you can imagine it was hectic trying to get everything sorted like new trailer tires, the haul-out, etc. But we got it done and ended up loving the boat as soon as we saw her. We motored a few miles up to the boat yard without much excitement, except the windex fell from the mast and almost impaled my wife and son. Getting the boat placed onto our trailer took forever though because I had miscalculated the blocks needed to support her.


That should give you all a little bit to work with and more to come, but we had almost no experience with boats and had gone sailing only a few times and online boating courses. So, what happens from here is we are getting the boat back to working order and looking good and ready for adventures with our family of four.


And yes, we are crazy with hopes of coastal cruising a family of four in a 29-foot sailboat.

Meet Sailing Vessel Endurance.

[newhaul]

Nice keep the pics and vids coming.

[406Columbia]

Here are a few photos of us in the boat yard in National City and trailering her back through Yellowstone National Park. Not sure when the last time the park had an ocean going/coastal cruising sailboat visit. Also a few photos showing the state of the interior when we got her, paint flaking, varnish in poor condition, etc.

Not surprisingly we got stopped several times by curious folks along the drive wondering where in the heck we were going with such a big boat.

Please be patient my rural Montana satellite internet is extremely slow. Also just to be clear we aren't sponsored by anyone but if you see us mention specific products or services its because they are awesome and worked well for us.

[406Columbia]

Thanks NewHaul.


The first order of business was to get new portlights installed. Lucky for us the boat came with 5 new in the box Beckson 512 portlights. The existing ones weren't opening and were a little bigger, and badly crazed. We had to glass in some marine ply and then mount the new portlights. Felt like a huge step for us even though its a small thing.

After that we got busy on having the Lewmar Ocean 60 hatch installed. There was some very classy black plastic trash bag and duct tape filling in the hole when we got her. She did come with an uninstalled solid mahogany hatch but that didn't really work for what we wanted to do.

We are going for less classic looks and more modern convenience and functionality on a classic boat. Maybe a good way to describe it would be a poor mans Island Packet? Anyway, this is what we think a good modern boat is, solid design with modern bits mixed in.

[newhaul]

I would love a couple of your old portlights if you still have them would make a nice upgrade to my head.

[406Columbia]

So here are a few more of the Lewmar 60 Ocean hatch, way better than the plastic hefty bag or the solid wood hatch. Thanks for the idea James Baldwin!

Also a big shout out to NewHaul and Don for all the help and input as well as a bunch of you all. Has been awesome when doing the glass work and trying to figure out what things are. Photos on the glass work to come.

[406Columbia]

Originally Posted by newhaul

I would love a couple of your old portlights if you still have them would make a nice upgrade to my head.

I will do you one better if it works for you. I can send you some brand new cast acrylic (I think) and cut it to size for your head if you want? Or I have four like new Beckson 512 lenses so all you would need is the frames. That way you could vent the head. Either way you let me know they are yours.

[Don C L]

Something you might consider also is creating an album of photos on your profile page and also you can post photos that show up under the avatar too. It's really great to chronicle this journey, not just for this particular boat, but for all those who have taken on a similar goal and get half way through and wonder if it will ever get done. The goal can be worth it, but also, the journey there can be worth it too.

[406Columbia]

just a few more interior photos and the new electrical panel set up.

Also the front of the dog house, notice the Beckson 512 portlight frame sticking way out? Ah yeah, the fiberglass is so thin there as that one was a new hole thus no marine ply. Ended up trimming off the excess with a Dremel with cut off wheel. Not my best work and may need to contact them for a new trim ring to have her looking beautiful.

[406Columbia]

more random photos and looking up into the outboard well. The boat came with a like new Tohatsu Sail Pro 6hp motor. Not exactly a power house and we had initially planned to ditch it and et a 9.9 or bigger if it would fit but the 6 is so darn nice.

When we motored to the boat yard it was about 12 miles and that little Tohatsu really did a pretty decent job.

Back to the well, its pretty chipped up from careless engine extraction. So the plan is to have our local LineX shop spray some white LineX bed liner around the area to better protect against abrasion in the future.

Also a few small cracks to address.

We have a 1980's era Honda 75 motor (7.5 hp) that we got from my wife's old Zodiac which we got rid of due to leaks. The plan is for me to rebuild the carb and put on our next dinghy whatever that is. We have looked at inflatables, porta-bote, etc. No firm decisions yet, will post up photos of the engine mount we made a few days ago to hold both motors up off the ground.

[406Columbia]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Something you might consider also is creating an album of photos on your profile page and also you can post photos that show up under the avatar too. It's really great to chronicle this journey, not just for this particular boat, but for all those who have taken on a similar goal and get half way through and wonder if it will ever get done. The goal can be worth it, but also, the journey there can be worth it too.

Don,

Will get that going too. I know the only reason we felt comfortable taking on this task is because all the other folks we saw doing similar stuff. We want to encourage our friends to do the same thing, get a small boat and have big adventures for not too much money.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by 406Columbia

more random photos and looking up into the outboard well. The boat came with a like new Tohatsu Sail Pro 6hp motor. Not exactly a power house and we had initially planned to ditch it and et a 9.9 or bigger if it would fit but the 6 is so darn nice.

When we motored to the boat yard it was about 12 miles and that little Tohatsu really did a pretty decent job.

Back to the well, its pretty chipped up from careless engine extraction. So the plan is to have our local LineX shop spray some white LineX bed liner around the area to better protect against abrasion in the future.

Also a few small cracks to address.

We have a 1980's era Honda 75 motor (7.5 hp) that we got from my wife's old Zodiac which we got rid of due to leaks. The plan is for me to rebuild the carb and put on our next dinghy whatever that is. We have looked at inflatables, porta-bote, etc. No firm decisions yet, will post up photos of the engine mount we made a few days ago to hold both motors up off the ground.

as to carrying 2 motors why ?
The tohatsu will do great on a tender as well as your main vessel.
I used mine for both on the islander.

[406Columbia]

In a small boat by our analysis we need every bit of storage we can get and to use what we have smartly while keeping things minimal. So we ended up cutting out some of the flooring inside the cabin toward the V-Birth to open up more space for chain or anchor, etc.

Photo of the Hefty hatch and Beckson's for good measure.

Anyone know how to inspect thru-hull fittings by the way? Posted a photo or two previously but need to check that out. Considering flush fitting thru-hulls that are through bolted as well but not sure its needed. Some of the nylon thru-hull fittings looking pretty awesome not sure how they last but no corrosion that's for sure.

That's dodger Bimini set up is from another C29 that was or still is for sale in Monterey, CA area. We want something like that one day. Too bad time and money aren't unlimited right?

The arched pieces of oak are for the Lewmar 60 hatch screen and black out combo by Ocean Aire. Its been a real chore for me to properly cut the right crown into it, since I'm no wood worker and have few tools to work wood. I hope to screw it together this week and rough fit it a bit more then glue it all up and have it glassed in in the next week and a half.

[406Columbia]

Originally Posted by newhaul

as to carrying 2 motors why ?
The tohatsu will do great on a tender as well as your main vessel.
I used mine for both on the islander.

Hadn't considered that to be honest. It seems a bit long at 25 inches for a planning dinghy though.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by 406Columbia

Hadn't considered that to be honest. It seems a bit long at 25 inches for a planning dinghy though.

Give it a try at the lake and see how it goes btw you dont need to go at light speed.
I actually use a 2 hp on mine (10ft bombard rib ) not fast but faster than rowing.