The Columbia 7.6 is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

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trailerable

sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...

that was designed by Australian

Alan Payne Alan Undy Payne (28 January 1903 – 16 August 1977) was an English cricketer. Payne was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace. He was born in Witney, Oxfordshire and educated at St Edmund's School, Canterbury and Jesus ...

as a

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

and first built in 1976.Henkel, Steve: ''The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats'', page 335.

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, 2010.

Production

The design was built by Columbia Yachts, part of the

Whittaker Corporation Whittaker is a surname of English origin, meaning 'white acre', and a given name. Variants include Whitaker and Whitacre. People with the name include: Surname A * Aaron Whittaker (born 1968), New Zealand rugby player *Al Whittaker (1918–20 ...

, in the

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and later by

Hughes Boat Works Hughes Boat Works was a Canadian boat builder based in Centralia, Ontario. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of fibreglass sailboats. The company was founded by brothers Howard and Peter Hughes in 1963 and closed in 1991. H ...

and Aura Yachts in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, with production from 1976 to 1986. Some boats were supplied as kits for amateur construction.

Design

The designer described the goals for the boat, "as with the other Supercruisers, the design was planned to suit the real and practical needs of America's cruising families. Consequently, the balance of qualities in the 7.6 retains the stability and controllability needed to give confidence and security in strong winds and rough seas, while the lines have been adjusted to suit smooth waters and light breezes. In the design, we have used wide beam and a heavy, well-placed chunk of ballast, which assures the stability. The bow and stern shapes have been carefully studied so as to produce a boat that doesn't fight the helmsman with a strong steering bias when heeled, and this quality is the principal factor in the boat's obedience. Under full sail, the boat is lively in a light breeze, but she is also quite happy with the smaller jib in a freshening breeze, or in a real gale with sail reduced to the reefed mainsail only. A special characteristic of the boat is that the skeg hull form, adopted to contribute to good sailing performance, also provides an accessible location for an inboard engine, where it does not intrude into the cabin." The Columbia 7.6 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig, a

raked stem The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. Description The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to ...

an angled

transom Transom may refer to: * Transom (architecture), a bar of wood or stone across the top of a door or window, or the window above such a bar * Transom (nautical), that part of the stern of a vessel where the two sides of its hull meet * Operation Tran ...

, a transom-hung

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...

controlled by a

tiller A tiller or till is a lever used to steer a vehicle. The mechanism is primarily used in watercraft, where it is attached to an outboard motor, rudder post or stock to provide leverage in the form of torque for the helmsman to turn the rudder. ...

and a fixed fin

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

. It displaces and carries of ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard keel. The boat is normally fitted with a small outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. A Japanese Yanmar

inboard An inboard motor is a marine propulsion system for boats. As opposed to an outboard motor where an engine is mounted outside the hull of the craft, an ''inboard motor'' is an engine enclosed within the hull of the boat, usually connected to a pr ...

diesel motor The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-calle ...

was a factory option. The design has sleeping accommodation for four people, with a double

"V"-berth A berth is a bed or sleeping accommodation on vehicles. Space accommodations have contributed to certain common design elements of berths. Beds in boats or ships While beds on large ships are little different from those on shore, the lack ...

in the bow cabin and a straight settee on the port side in the main cabin that can convert into a double berth. The

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...

is located on the starboard side just forward of the

companionway In the architecture of a ship, a companion or companionway is a raised and windowed hatchway in the ship's deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins. A companionway may be secured by doors or, commonly in ...

ladder is equipped with a two-burner stove and a sink. An ice box is located on the port side opposite the galley. The

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...

is located just aft of the bow cabin and includes a hanging locker. The fresh water tank has a capacity of . Cabin headroom is . The design has a

PHRF Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) is a handicapping system used for yacht racing in North America. It allows dissimilar classes of sailboats to be raced against each other. The aim is to cancel out the inherent advantages and disadvantages ...

racing average handicap of 228 and a hull speed of .

Operational history

In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote, "a sales brochure calls her a 'wide-body supercruiser,' but that seems an exaggeration: her 'wide body' beam (9' 2") is exceeded by 20 other boats ... and her nterior spaceis respectable for her length but not extraordinary ... Best features: We see no special features that distinguish this vessel from her comp

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. Worst features: We would guess that the 7.6's stability may he slightly lower than her comps due to her lower ballast. Workmanship may vary considerably depending on the builder at any given time—especially among the individuals building kit boats."

References

External links

Columbia 7.6 brochure cover
{{Trailer sailers and Trailer yachts worldwide Keelboats 1970s sailboat type designs Sailing yachts Trailer sailers Sailboat type designs by Alan Payne Sailboat types built by Columbia Yachts Sailboat types built by Hughes Boat Works Sailboat types built by Aura Yachts

Production

Design

Operational history

See also

References

External links