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Richard “Dick” Valdes and
Maurice V. Threinen founded Glass Laminates, a fiberglass contract company, in 1958. Among the early products were camper shells and producing canoes for Sears. The company eventually focused its development expertise on sailboats and became Glass Marine Industries (GMI),
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In
September, 2001 the new Columbia Yacht Corporation was incorporated, with Dick's son Vincent Valdes as President and CEO, co-founder Justin Wallin as COO and with Dick Valdes among the founding directors. The new company’s first offering was the Columbia 30 Sports Sailor, designed by Tim Kernan,
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In 1965, GMI changed its name to
Columbia, and introduced the Columbia 50, at the time the world's largest fiberglass production sailboat. The classic beauty, exceptional comfort, and race performance made this design a success. During the mid sixties Columbia produced a few motor yachts.
151:. Total sales of the Whittaker Marine Group reached between $ 250 and $ 350 Million in the early 70's during Valdes' tenure. A side note is that Frank Butler, the owner of Coronado Yachts came into Whittaker with the merger, but left about a year later to form
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marketing their boats under the
Columbia nameplate. Early models included the Columbia 24 and Columbia 29 (Sparkman & Stephens design). By 1964 company sales passed $ 2.5 Million.
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By the late 1960s,the company was the world's largest fiberglass sailboat manufacturer, with manufacturing plants throughout the world. Valdes and
Threinen sold the company to
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Following Dick Valdes' departure from
Columbia Yachts in 1972, the company offices and plant were relocated to Virginia, and eventually sold to
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143:(listed on the NYSE), but Valdes continued as president of the subsidiary Columbia Yacht Corporation, and helped to develop
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with a
Southern California OWC PHRF rating of 51. The company currently produces the Carbon 32 and Antrim 25.
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regained control of the company. Eventually, the
Columbia Yachts brand faded into history.
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also based in Huron Park, Ontario in 1982. In the mid-80s
Canadian boat designer
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44:Glass Laminates and Glass Marine Industries (GMI)
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79:Richard "Dick" Valdes and Maurice V. Thrienen
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392:List of sailboat designers and manufacturers
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639:Manufacturing companies established in 1958
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624:American companies established in 1958
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16:Sailboat manufacturer in California
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629:1958 establishments in California
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440:St. Petersburg Independent News
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644:Yacht building companies
370:Columbia 30 Sports Yacht
435:Columbia Yachts Website
87:28 September 2011
634:American boat builders
223:Columbia 24 Challenger
145:Whittaker Marine Group
102:Whittaker Marine Group
228:Columbia 24 Contender
178:Columbia Yachts today
460:at Wikimedia Commons
415:"Columbia 45 Review"
164:Huron Park, Ontario
34:Columbia 34 Mark II
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456:Media related to
318:Columbia 45 Ketch
313:Columbia 45 Sloop
160:Hughes Boat Works
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417:. 5 October 2014
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243:Columbia 26-2 OB
238:Columbia 26-2 IB
233:Columbia 26-1 IB
115:manufacturer of
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52:Fiberglass boats
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557:33 Caribbean
547:24 Contender
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419:. Retrieved
353:Columbia 9.6
348:Columbia 8.7
343:Columbia 8.3
338:Columbia 7.6
328:Columbia 5.5
323:Columbia 5.5
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598:Ultimate 20
333:Columbia 50
293:Columbia 40
288:Columbia 38
283:Columbia 36
268:Columbia 32
263:Columbia 31
258:Columbia 30
218:Columbia 24
208:Columbia 22
203:Columbia 21
168:Aura Yachts
613:Categories
567:34 Mark II
421:3 December
398:References
364:New models
121:California
504:sailboats
502:Columbia
380:Antrim 25
375:Carbon 32
162:based in
141:Whittaker
117:sailboats
386:See also
49:Industry
41:Formerly
127:History
84:Defunct
76:Founder
65: (
57:Founded
187:Models
111:is a
99:Owner
532:T-23
423:2019
67:1958
60:1958
522:8.7
517:8.3
512:7.6
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113:US
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