| The yacht, from the Dutch word Jach,
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| | In the US, Catalina Yachts is a popular
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| which means to hunt, was originally
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| | builder of fiberglass monohull
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| defined as a light, fast sailing vessel
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| | sloop-rigged sailboats ranging in sizes
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| used by the Dutch navy to track pirates
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| | from eight to 47 feet in length. It was
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| and smugglers around and into the shallow
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| | founded in 1969 in Hollywood, California
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| seas of the Low Countries. The word was
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| | by Frank Butler. Catalina Yachts is one
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| later used to describe a wider range of
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| | of the largest boat manufacturers in the
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| vessels, usually of private use, and
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| | world, with over 80,000 boats produced to
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| powered by sail, power, or both, and used
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| | date.
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| for pleasure cruising or racing.
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| | Though Catalina constructs boats from as
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| Generally, powered yachts are referred to
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| | small as eight feet under their Capri
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| as motor yachts to distinguish them from
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| | nameplate, the company is best known for
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| yachts with sail propulsion.
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| | its production of mid sized cruisers. The
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| There are a number of yacht varieties,
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| | ocean-going Catalina 50 was their largest
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| namely Day sailing yachts, Weekender
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| | design, but has been discontinued and
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| yachts, Cruisers and Racing yachts. Day
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| | replaced by the 470. The boating firm is
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| sailing yachts are usually small, below
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| | known for supporting their older models
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| 20-foot (6 m) vessels. Generally called
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| | dating back to 1970 by providing any bolt
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| dinghies, they often have a retractable
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| | on parts. Most original models are still
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| keel, centerboard, or daggerboard. Day
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| | in production, with substantial
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| sailing yachts do not have a cabin.
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| | modifications, and there are examples of
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| Weekender yachts are small, below 30-foot
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| | every Catalina model still in use.
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| (9.5 m) vessels. They often have twin
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| | Columbia Yachts is another popular US
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| keels or lifting keels, and this enables
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| | manufacturer of sailboats, with offices
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| them to operate in shallow waters, and if
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| | and manufacturing facilities in Southern
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| needed, they could be "dry out" or become
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| | California. Formerly known as Glass
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| beached as the tide falls.
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| | Marine Industries (GMI), they marketing
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| Cruisers are by the far the most popular
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| | their boats under the Columbia nameplate.
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| yacht in private use, making up most of
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| | The early models included the Columbia 24
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| the 25- to 45-foot (7 m to 14 m) range.
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| | and Columbia 29.
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| These boats can be quite complex in
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| | By 1964, the firm's sales passed $2.5
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| design, as designers try to find a
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| | Million. In 1965, GMI changed its name to
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| balance between docile handling
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| | Columbia, and introduced the Columbia 50,
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| qualities, good light-wind performance,
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| | at the time the world's largest
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| interior space and on-board comfort.
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| | fiberglass production sailboat. The
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| Racing yachts are generally used to
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| | Columbia 50's elegant beauty, exceptional
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| reduce the wetted surface area, which
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| | comfort, and good race performance made
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| creates drag, by keeping the hull light
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| | this design a success. During the mid
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| whilst having a deep and heavy bulb keel,
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| | sixties Columbia produced a few motor
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| allowing them to support a tall mast with
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| | yachts.
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| a great sail area. Modern designs usually
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| | By the late 1960s, the company was the
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| have a very wide beam and a flat bottom,
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| | world's largest fiberglass sailboat
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| to provide buoyancy preventing an
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| | manufacturer with manufacturing plants
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| excessive heel angle. A racing yacht can
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| | throughout the world. In September 2001,
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| attain speeds of up to 35 knots,
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| | the firm was renamed the new Columbia
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| depending on good weather conditions.
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| | Yacht Corporation, and produced the
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| In the European yachting market,
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| | Columbia 30 Sports Yacht - with a
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| manufacturers such as Azimut-Benetti,
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| | Southern California OWC PHRF rating of
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| Feadship and Lürssen dominate the very
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| | 51.
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| top end of the yacht building market.
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