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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.
162:. 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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154:(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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55:Glass Laminates and Glass Marine Industries (GMI)
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90:Richard "Dick" Valdes and Maurice V. Thrienen
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403:List of sailboat designers and manufacturers
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650:Manufacturing companies established in 1958
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635:American companies established in 1958
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27:Sailboat manufacturer in California
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451:St. Petersburg Independent News
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73:; 66 years ago
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655:Yacht building companies
381:Columbia 30 Sports Yacht
446:Columbia Yachts Website
98:28 September 2011
645:American boat builders
234:Columbia 24 Challenger
156:Whittaker Marine Group
113:Whittaker Marine Group
239:Columbia 24 Contender
189:Columbia Yachts today
471:at Wikimedia Commons
426:"Columbia 45 Review"
175:Huron Park, Ontario
45:Columbia 34 Mark II
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467:Media related to
329:Columbia 45 Ketch
324:Columbia 45 Sloop
171:Hughes Boat Works
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16:(Redirected from
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254:Columbia 26-2 OB
249:Columbia 26-2 IB
244:Columbia 26-1 IB
126:manufacturer of
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82:in United States
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63:Fiberglass boats
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568:33 Caribbean
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430:. Retrieved
364:Columbia 9.6
359:Columbia 8.7
354:Columbia 8.3
349:Columbia 7.6
339:Columbia 5.5
334:Columbia 5.5
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609:Ultimate 20
344:Columbia 50
304:Columbia 40
299:Columbia 38
294:Columbia 36
279:Columbia 32
274:Columbia 31
269:Columbia 30
229:Columbia 24
219:Columbia 22
214:Columbia 21
179:Aura Yachts
624:Categories
578:34 Mark II
432:3 December
409:References
375:New models
132:California
515:sailboats
513:Columbia
391:Antrim 25
386:Carbon 32
173:based in
152:Whittaker
128:sailboats
397:See also
60:Industry
52:Formerly
138:History
95:Defunct
87:Founder
76: (
68:Founded
198:Models
122:is a
110:Owner
543:T-23
434:2019
78:1958
71:1958
533:8.7
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523:7.6
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124:US
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