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SEAMER

  • SEAMER is a truly unique yacht—quite possibly the last Columbia 56 still actively cruising. Exceptionally practical, robust, and reliable, she represents a rare balance between classic yacht design and modern functionality.

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    The Columbia 56 was designed by William Tripp Jr. as a conservative, offshore-focused cruising yacht, built during a period when Columbia Yachts was synonymous with safety and structural integrity. The design brief was clear: deliver a yacht capable of serious passagemaking without compromising comfort. While very different in concept, it is worth noting that Steve Dashew selected Columbia’s custom division during the same era to build his expedition yacht Beowulf, further reinforcing the yard’s offshore engineering pedigree.

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    Purpose-built as a world cruiser, SEAMER underwent an extensive refit and was recommissioned in 2022. The scale of the works is significant, with investment exceeding USD 275,000 beyond the original budget. Virtually all major systems have been replaced or upgraded within the past five years, including electronics, electrical systems, sails, and hull coatings above and below the waterline. Importantly, much of the original teak joinery has been retained, preserving her classic character. As part of this comprehensive upgrade, the yacht was converted from a ketch to a sloop rig—a logical evolution given that the Columbia 57 shares the same hull design and was originally configured as a sloop.

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    Previously known as “Lusty” until 2023, SEAMER is constructed with 1-inch solid fiberglass below the waterline and balsa coring above, exceeding Lloyd’s laminate specifications at the time of build. She features a substantial encapsulated keel (approximately 10 tons), a progressive bow design, and a stainless-steel skid plate beneath her semi full keel. Steering is via a skeg-hung rudder with hydraulic linkage to the cockpit, providing both protection and directional stability offshore.

    SEAMER offers a compelling blend of high-latitude capability and tropical cruising comfort. The elevated centre cockpit, complete with a hard dodger, gas-strut-assisted opening hatch, and full hardtop, is a standout feature. It provides a protected, spacious social area capable of comfortably accommodating up to eight guests. In warmer climates, it offers excellent sun protection, while the full enclosure system shields against weather and insects. The port-side command console, equipped with a modern B&G electronics suite and dedicated helm seating, allows for safe and comfortable operation in challenging conditions. All sail handling systems are led aft to the cockpit, enabling efficient short-handed sailing without the need to leave the helm.

    ​

    Originally conceived as a motorsailer, SEAMER is powered by a Detroit Diesel 4-53 engine delivering 136hp, paired with a new ZF transmission and a five-blade 28-inch bronze propeller. This configuration provides exceptional thrust and reliability, particularly in adverse conditions such as strong headwinds or challenging tidal passes. Under power, she cruises efficiently at 6–7 knots (1300 rpm) and can achieve approximately 8 knots at 1800 rpm, with fuel consumption around 1 gallon per hour—offering a range of up to 3,000 nautical miles. Under sail, her hull speed is approximately 9 knots, with recorded top speeds of up to 14 knots during offshore passages.

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    Despite her displacement, SEAMER performs impressively under sail, combining speed with exceptional stability. Designed for manageable single-handed operation, she inspires confidence with her wide foredeck and substantial 36-inch stainless steel guardrails. She has proven her capability in sustained 30–40 knot conditions and heavy seas, maintaining a dry and secure cockpit environment. Reefing and sail adjustments can be handled entirely from the cockpit, ensuring safety in deteriorating conditions.

    Over more than 15,000 nautical miles, SEAMER has maintained an overall average speed of 6.2 knots, with typical passage speeds between 6.5 and 8 knots. Daily runs of 160–200 nautical miles are consistently achievable in 15–25 knots of wind. She performs well upwind, achieving approximately half the true wind speed from around 11 knots onward. Downwind, equipped with a Parasailor, she offers excellent stability and reduced rolling, maintaining speeds of 8.5–9 knots with ease.

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    SEAMER has long held a reputation for capability and resilience—famously acting as a “tugboat” when required. The current owners have upheld this legacy, including towing a vessel offshore to New Zealand over a distance of approximately 220 nautical miles without strain. She has also supported other vessels with fuel, water, and escort assistance, reflecting both her capacity and onboard systems.

    ​

    Fully equipped for offshore passagemaking, SEAMER has recently completed an extensive cruising program from Mexico to New Zealand, including a circumnavigation of New Zealand, exposure to the demanding conditions of Fiordland, and voyages through the South Pacific to Fiji and back. She is currently located in New Zealand, ready for her next chapter. While originally being prepared for further high-latitude exploration, including Patagonia and Antarctica, the owners have since decided to transition to a larger vessel to accommodate a growing family.

  •  

    • Launched Year: 1980

    • ​Refit year: 2022

    • Builder: Columbia Yachts 

    • Model: Custom 

    • Hull & Deck material: GRP

    • 3 Staterooms(7 berths) / 2 Heads

    • ​Construction: Solid Fiberglass 1 inch thick below waterline

    • Ballast Type: Lead Keel (encapsulated)

    • Designer: William Tripp jr.

    • LOA: 56.50 ft / 17.22 m 

    • LWL: 40.67 ft / 12.40 m

    • Beam: 13.00 ft / 3.96 m 

    • S.A.: 952.00 ft2 / 88.44 m2

    • Draft (max): 8.00 ft / 2.44 m

    • Tonnage: 66 000 lb/ 30 000 kg (fully loaded)

    • Ballast: 22,000 lb / 9,979 kg

    • S.A./Disp.: 12.09 

    • Bal./Disp.: 48.89 

    • Disp./Len.: 298.64

  • LATEST UPGRADES OR REFIT 2023-2026 (Over 100K USD)

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    • All new Coppercoat antifouling (Feb 2026)

    • Zinc bolt through hulls replacement (2026) zinc on propeller shaft

    • Propeller removed and rebalanced by a propeller specialist (2026)

    • Prop speed applied to the propeller (2026)

    • Life raft Plastimo 6 persons +24h and custom SS cradle (2023)

    • New Predictwind Data hub (2024)

    • All new Silvertex Upholstry in the cockpit and deck saloon (2025)

    • 50% of steering hydraulic hose lengths preventatively replaced in 2025, replaced one kept as spare

    • New autopilot hydraulic pump B&G (2025) kept Octopus for backup

    • 2 New diaphragm fresh water pumps (2024)

    • 2 new Seawater pro membranes, new high-pressure pump and Motor (2025-2026) and relocation of watermaker in engine room

    • Rain collection system on hardtop 1gpm filtered (2025)

    • Total rebuilt of windlass (2025)

    • New drogue / towing line 50ft (15M) bridle and 350ft (110m) rode fully spliced and pad eyed (2024)

    • New MOB Horseshoe (2024)

    • New raw water pump on Northen lights generator (2024)

    • New spare 90 amps alternator (2024) backing up to the dual alternator on engine

    • Revarnished teak in Bunk and aft cabins and both heads (2024-2026)

    • Serviced Both fridge and freezer compressor and new fridge thermostat (2025)

    • AC ducts and vents brought into Aft and bunk cabin, decksaloon and galley (2024)

    • 2 Stainless Steel Gas struts for hard dodger forward hatch (2025)

    • All cabinet hinges replaced (2026)

    • Standing Rigging (All new in 2021-2022)

    • New 316 Stainless Standing Rigging

    • All Sta-loc Fittings and Turnbuckles

    • Schaffer 4300 Roller Furler 2021

    • Tides Marine Strong Track Sail Track System (spares in V Birth)

    • New Spreaders (2026)

    • Detroit Diesel 4-53, 136 HP (2400 hours since rebuilt)

    • Dual alternator, each charging respective battery banks (house/Engine) with House bank alternator kill switch at helm

    • 170A Balmar Alternator and Regulator (rebuilt 2025)

    • Rebuilt universal-joint on transmission axle (2026)

    • 28 inch 5 blade propeller (Balanced and Propspeed painted in 2026)

    • New Oberdorfer centrifugal bronze raw water pump and alternator belt alignment (2024);

    • Northern Lights 10kw Generator 2900 hours since rebuild (new raw water pump and fuel pump assembly, new electronic card, new engine mounts (2024-2026)

    • Honda 2200 watts generator Euro (2024) (emergency generator)

    • 41gph Seawater Pro Watermaker (2022) (2) new membranes in 2025, new high-pressure pump and motor (2026)

    • Bow Thruster, Side-Power SE130, 12V, Twin 5-blade Props 286 lbs of Thrust

    • Oil Exchange Pump

    • All Top of the Line Triton Hoses 2021

    • PSS Dripless Shaft Seal (seal replaced, rebuilt coupling and new collars 2026)

    • Dual racor 2021

    • Fuel primer pump and tank exchanger 2021

    • Water and black tanks monitoring on Cerbo and Gx Touch / Plotter

    • Double electric and automatic Rule bilge pump 4000 gph, one spare in spare locker

    • Quantum Sails cruising tri radial triple reef main 52.7 m2 (2021), serviced 2024 and March 2026 by North Sails in Opua, NZ

    • Quantum Sails cruising tri radial 135 genoa 73 m2 (2021), serviced Nov 2024 and March 2026 by North Sails in Opua, NZ

    • 169 m2 Parasailor (excellent condition, but has been repaired in 2024 by a professional), new guys and sheets spliced with snap shackles (2024)

    • Over the head leech tension system back to cockpit control (2025)

    • New mainsail bag (North Sails) 2025 with bottom mast zip control

    • 3rd reef control in cockpit (Garhauer block and 8-line deck organiser – new spinlock triple cam (2025)

    • All lines to cockpit (2025)

    • All new running rigging (2025)

    • New Main and Genoa haylards and Genoa sheets (March 2026)

    • 2 Selden barber haulers on Marlow 12mm double braided poly lines, 1 Ronstan on same line

    • Andersen Electric winch 56 in cockpit (2021) + 2 Barlow 32 + Lewmar 43

    • Custom spliced boom preventers (2025)

    • New cockpit captain’s chair (2024)

    • New upholstery (2025)

    • Integral solid laser-cut and polished 316 stainless steel toerail (3 inches high)

    • 32" Stainless Steel solid Double handrails (2022) (36 inches high)

    • Full Custom Solar Arch with Davit Dinghy Lift on electric winch (2022)

    • Stainless Steel Boarding Ladder (2022)

    • Cockpit table seats 7 adults comfortably

    • Raised center cockpit providing 360° view while operating and enjoying sundowns

    • Sunbrella Cockpit Enclosure (with dual tracks for windows or bug screens)

    • Infinity Woven Vinyl Flooring in cockpit over the kiwigrip flooring

    • Extra running rigging locker full of spares lines, clothes line, runners...

    • Milwaukee 48 volts angle drill for electric winch spare, battery and charger

    • All new AC and DC Wiring (All of it in 2021)

    • Custom AC/DC Breaker Panel (2021)

    • LED cabin and cockpit Lights (2021)

    • All interior LED lights on dimmable touch switches (2021)

    • Bow, stern, masthead LED running lights (2021)

    • 1,120AH LiFePo4 Batteries (4) EVE LF280K, 280 amp/h each(2022)

    • 2400 watts of solar (1980w installed in 2021, upgraded to 2.4 kw in 2024)

    • (2) Victron Multiplus 3000-120 charger Inverter, (2) Victron 100A MPPT (2021)
      Victron Cerbus, (2) Victron Lynx distributor and battery protect, upgrade in high voltage DC wires, GX Touch (2023-2024)

    • Full NMEA 2000 Backbone (2021)

    • Victron Orion DC/DC charger for thruster battery bank - 2 lifeline AGM batteries (2024)

    • Renogy DC/DC charger between engine and main battery banks

    • New engine battery bank – 2 lifeline AGM batteries (2024)

    • New Bow thruster battery bank – 2 lifeline AGM batteries (2024)

    • 120 Volt shore power and 2 new 30Amp cord 15m and 10m (2024)

    • Victron Centaur 100amp/h and new shore power 15amp for “rest of the world” voltage (2024), 75ft cord.

    • B&G suite 2021 Vulcan 12R

    • (2) B&G Triton Multi-Function Display

    • B&G Triton Autopilot & Controller

    • Octopus hydraulic autopilot pump 2021 (spare) New B&G hydraulic pump (2025)

    • NAC-3 autopilot computer (2021)

    • B&G Precision 9 compass and sensor

    • B&G 4G Radar

    • B&G Wireless Wind Sensor

    • Navico depth/speed/temperature triducer

    • New 2025 B&G Class B AIS Transceiver V60 VHF (old one as Spare 2021) + 1 handheld wireless B&G Radios and charger at helm

    • B&G GPS Antenna

    • Fusion NMEA Bluetooth Stereo with inside/outside speaker zones (Bose marine)

    • Starlink Maritime High-performance dish (2024)

    • ARC automatic EPIRB (registered in Canada-2023)

    • Diesel tanks : 2 x 175 gal (total 350 gal – 1300 litres)

    • Drinking water : 2 x 100 gal (total 200 gal – 900 litres)

    • Black tanks : 2x 50 gallons (200L)

    • Gray water : 2 tanks on gulpers pumps, no holding

  • Forward cabin

    • 2 king single births in spacious V style

    • Teak floor and walls + cabinets and hanger closet

    • Very nice teak bookshelves and storage

    • Tons and tons of spare parts under births

    Midship bunk cabin

    • 2 single berths (teak)

    • All teak flooring, walls and hanger closet, Infinity Woven Vinyl Flooring

    • Marine Webasto air conditioning / revers cycle heating under bunk birth

    • Sink and faucet

    Aft Cabin (Master)

    • Full size queen bed

    • Teak floors and siding

    • Residential dryer under bed

    • TV wall mount for movable tv

    • Teak Drawers and side dressers

    • Dessing table

    Work bench area/7th berth

    • Located in front of the aft head and bunks’ room is a generous work bench area (25x83 inches)

    • The whole space under and over this workbench is a series of cabinets and drawers ideal for all tools and spares

    • This work area is converted into a berth during passages

    • Just off this work bench is a wall where the GX Touch, windlass breaker, tank selectors, generator controls, AC panel, DC panel, and charging switches for the generator or shore power are all clustered. That could be called the central nervous system of the boat: a compact area where tanks, power, charging sources and the generator are monitored and easily controlled. The VHF radio is immediately adjacent to this wall. This area of the boat is one of the most well thought of on the boat from a practicality standpoint. 

    • Infinity Woven Vinyl Flooring

    • Settees in Silvertex (2025)

    • Dining table and coffee table

    • Two assorted teak and Silvertex chairs

    • All lighting is led on touch and dimmable switches throughout the boat;

    • Space under the settee area around the salon table is used as food storage that goes deep

    • Behind the salon table is a vast storage area that goes deep and all the way to the hull under the deck

    • The space under the sitting area on port side is where the main LiFePO4 battery bank is as well as other electrical components

    • Navigation table has storage

    • Infinity Woven Vinyl Flooring

    • 43 inches smart TV (2024)

    • Gimbaled oven (convection and air fry) and induction cooktop (2023-2024);

    • New kitchen cabinets (2024) with Meranti marine plywood as facings throughout the galley area

    • Seagull Fresh Water Filter System (for drinking water) (+spare filter)

    • Shoulder deep Custom Front Opening Fridge /Freezer with heavy duty handles, cooled by Danfoss Fridge /Freezer Compressors (serviced in 2025), spare compressor computer (2025)

    • White subway ceramic tile backsplash

    • Residential washing machine

    • Infinity Woven Vinyl Flooring

    • All 120 volts kitchen appliances: hand blender, vitamix, juice maker, waffle maker, rice maker, bowls, quality pans, glasses, knives and other miscellaneous kitchen accessories.

    • Forward head located before the forward cabin. It can be used as a wet head where one showers, has a sink and plenty of storage for cleaning products and the likes. Has a fully electric toilet (2021), teak flooring and fiddles

    • Aft head is located before the aft cabin, in front of the work bench. It has a full standing shower, fully electric toilet (2021), sink, with cabinet under the sink, Infinity Woven Vinyl Flooring

    • Ground tackle and mooring

    • 125lb Mantus Anchor & Swivel

    • Mantus bridal (large)

    • 300ft 3/8" Chain G4

    • 75lbs danfort secondary anchor on 150 ft rode and chain

    • Mantus M1 10 lbs for dinghy

    • Custom spliced bridal and 450 ft ¾ rode for 5 cone drogue and towing line (2024)

    • Refurbished windlass (2025)

    • 5 Polyform Ht-4 fenders (black)

    • 5 dock line braided 1 inch x30ft

    • Inmar 370R flat bottom aluminum RIB Hypalon

    • New Suzuki 20hp 4 strokes (2025) + 2 maintenance kits and 2 spare props (pitch 7-8 and 9)

    • 1 Mantus sand anchor and 1 coral anchor

    • New bottom paint and Keel guard, refurbished seats (2026)

    • Refurbished Hypalon accessories (2026)

    • Residential washer (galley) and dryer (aft cabin)

    • 16,000 BTU Webasto FCF Air Conditioning Unit - Cool with Reverse Cycle Heat (vents in aft cabin, midship cabin, saloon and galley

    • Sailrite z1 sewing machine 120volts and accessories for sails repair

    • 11 gallons Quick Nautic Boiler B3 1200W w/Heat Exchanger on generator (2025)

    • (2) Crown Raritan Marine Elegance Electric Toilets (2021)

    • All Whale Gulper Pumps (4)

    • New upholstery in saloon (2025)

    • New 43-inch smart TV in saloon (2024)

    • Cockpit shower with hot and cold water (2021)

    • Fore and aft fresh and salted water outlets (2021)

    • Sunbrella Shade Covers (bow to stern)

    • Infinity Woven Vinyl Flooring Throughout the boat and in Cockpit (2021)

    • Manship hatches all throughout the boat (2021)

    • Large amounts of spares and hardware, paints lubricants, boat and house cleaning products.

    • All bed sheets and covers, cushions

    • Tons of Extra hardware, screws, bolts and nuts, extra shackles, 5200, sealants, gaskets maker, spare VHF antenna.

    • FISHING GEAR: 2 Shimano tld-25 reels on Aquatips rods, 3 rod holders, many boxes of fishing gear and tackles, 3 Penn Wrath Combo casting rods and rod holders in deck saloon

    • Complete Pacific islands courtesy flags set

    • 2x 30m garden hose and all necessary accessories (2025)

    • The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

    • Project World Sail is pleased to assist you in the purchase of this vessel though the vessel may be listed with another brokerage company.

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Get In Contact

Please get in contact if you would like more information about this yacht, would like to arrange a viewing or get a video tour.

COLUMBIA YACHTS 56 CUSTOM

ASKING PRICE - $270,000 (USD)

  • 6

YEAR

1980 / 2022

  • 5

MODEL

56 Custom

  • 2

LOCATION

Fiji 

  • 4

LENGTH

56.50 ft / 17.22 m 

  • 3

DRAFT

8.00 ft / 2.44 m

  • 1

TAX STATUS

Not Paid (canada)

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