Columbia is a Gloucester Fishing Schooner. It was built by Arthur Dana Story from the design of Starling Burgess, at Essex, MA, 1923. The Columbia represents the final development of the Gloucester fishing schooner, famous for speed and seaworthiness. It participated a number of international races, including the one against Bluenose in Halifax. In August 1927 when it was hit by the two Gales, the well-known "Graveyard of the Atlantic", Columbia was lost with all hands off Sable Island.

   "As in 1926, weeks of uncertainty were experienced by every family who had loved ones at sea. The Gale took place on August 24, 1927. In the case of the American schooner Columbia, it was October before the owners were able to confirm that their schooner had been lost." (http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fma/august-gales.html)
   "The Columbia had a graceful sheer, a short keel or exterior deadwood, straight on the bottom from the sternpost running forward to a point somewhat beyond midlength with a strong but almost straight fore rake to fair into a long but somewhat pointed stem profile. The sternpost and exposed deadwood supporting it mark the stern; the counter is long, partly immersed and ending in a sharply raking heart-shaped transom. The entrance is long, slightly convex and sharp. The run is distinguished by long straight buttocks and are fine. Fairing pieces surround the rudder stock and port in the tuck. The midsection was marked by a hollow garboard. Finally the bilge was high and firm with a nice tumble home in the topsides."
   The Columbia was designed by the short-lived partnership of Burgess and Paine, naval architects of Boston. "The Columbia was officially measured on October 27th, 1923 just before her race with the "Bluenose” by Raymond J. Milgate, a marine surveyor of Halifax, N.S. Her measurements are as follows:- racing length…..141.2 feet, load waterline….110.0 feet, beam….25.5 feet, draft @ 110.0 LWL ranged from 15.4 to 15.7 feet. Sail area as shown:- 10,290 square feet." (www.modelshipbuilder.com)
   "The measurement of the Columbia's spars is as follows: mainmast, 95 feet, total length, and stands 84 feet above the deck; the masthead measures down from the upper cap 12 feet. This spar is 19 3/4 inches in diamether at the deck; 19 1/4 inches, half way to the crossstrees and 18 1/2 inches just below the crosstree where the cheeks are fitted." For futher details, please read American Sailing Ships: Their Plans and History by Charles G. Davis.