Anyone have any experience or knowledge of the 80’s era fiberglass canoe built by Old Town called a Columbia? I am seriously thinking of selling my Royalex Tripper for this Columbia that looks virtually NEW even though it was made in 1985. It looks like a longer,.sleeker Mad River Malecite!!
Looks like FE might have got this one
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=1360660
so could perhaps give you feedback.
Columbia
OT’s Columbia was taken from Sawyer’s Cruiser. Seth Gray cut the Lynn Tuttle designed, 17.75’, Cruiser in half and stretched it on a cradle, filling in the middle. Then he filled in the excessive cheek a little.
Unfortunately, he didn’t switch Bondo hardener colors between applications. One of the stern hollows missed a coat and retained greater indent than the other, so the boat had a tendency to turn towards that side. If I could remember to which side I’d be ready to die happy, but I’d guess left.
Columbia was not the first or the last hull to be “borrowed” from another builder’s existing design.
I wouldn’t sell that Tripper unless you
plan to paddle tandem only below the Fall Line. Tripper is a better poling boat, too. I know it’s heavy, but I’m sorry I sold mine.
Columbia
– Last Updated: Nov-08-11 12:59 PM EST –
Power an' inteenet finally back....
http://tinyurl.com/74watug
FE
Thanks for the info and another ?
Thanks guys for the responses! Hey FE the Columbia I am looking at is exactly the same color as yours. Thanks for the pic and BTW when was the last time it was paddled? Hey G2D thats certainly true about the fall line here in SC. I wouldn’t take the Columbia anywhere around boulders or rocky rivers. Thinking low-country and bays and maybe Edisto and Congaree through the Park!! Hey CEWilson, looks like you have some intimate knowledge of this canoe’s origins and construction! Do you think ALL the Columbias will have the same manerisms as yours? HMMM!