Manufactured by:
Whittaker Corporation
According to John Broughton's notes, there were 7 C52's built in 1972 and 1973. A friend wrote:
I just got back from a trip to San Diego where I saw an advertisement for a 1971 Columbia 52. The boat was described as Bill Tripp's last boat, and that only 7 were made. The boat is flush deck with standup, two person, two hands coffee grinders instead of traditional winches (these also appeared on the C57). I follow and collect info on Columbias, but I have never run across this boat before. It looks very similar to the C57 without a cabin.
David Callender writes (March '02):
I believe that 10 Columbia 52's were made. The last one was cut in two and lengthen. I have #9. I purchased it has a "bare" hull. The keel (Tribute's original one - Tribute was the first 52) was attached. Deck was on. Diesel was installed. The inside was a bare fiberglass cavern. I purchased the hull from Columbia as they were going out of business in fall of 1973. I launched Victoria on 18 August 1974.
For many years I sailed her out of Los Angeles Yacht Club.
She is now at Apollo Beach, Florida. I expect to sail her to Galveston, TX early this summer and then truck her back to the West Coast. With a draft of 8 feet, the West Coast of Florida is not for Victoria.
I've been told that the first C-52 made was called Tribute in honor of the then recently deceased Bill Tripp. I was also told that it was for sale in southern California in '98.
An interesting construction detail that I received from a former Columbia employee is that the keel was poured molded lead over a steel backbone.
