I am sure that anyone, who followed my blog "Ticaboo Travels" is very surprised to see my blog starting up again, with a new boat Solitaire.

Solitaire is a 1988 Halman 21 ft. pocket cruiser, which is currently at the Wayzata Yacht Club, on Lake Minnetonka, in Minnesota.  

The Halman 21 was built in Beamsville, Ontario, Canada.  The history of the Halman production goes back to the Nordic 20' which had a hull, that came out of two molds (port side & starboard side) and fiberglassed together.  Then came the Halman 20' boat, which had a one piece hull.   A one foot  bow sprit was added to the Halman 20' to make it the Halman 21.  According to, what I have read, after the Halman 21 came out, the company didn't sell another Halman 20.  

The Halman 21 is a double ender and has a displacement of 2,500 lbs. with 1,000 lbs of ballast in the full length keel.  In the picture above, of the boat on its trailer, you can see, that the rudder is hung on the keel.  Again, from my reading, the ballast is made up of steel stampings, that were incased in fiberglass, at the bottom of the keel.  The boat is 16.5 ft. at the waterline and drafts 2.83 ft.  The beam is 7.75 ft. which makes it a stiff boat, at only 21 ft. in length.  The hull speed is 5.4 knots and it races in the PHRF II non spinnaker fleet.

I purchased Solitaire, in Duluth, Minnesota and the gentleman that owed her, had never sailed the boat, because he had some physical issues, after purchasing her.  The original owner, was from Michigan and spent a considerable amount of money, putting a roller furling jib and Doyle stackpack on the boat.  She also ran all lines to the cockpit, thus making the boat a true single handler.  Thus came the name Solitaire, for a solo sailor.

I am currently living in Plymouth, MN. and the Wayzata Yacht Club is about 20 minutes from my home.  Solitaire is currently on a buoy at the club but I hope to get a slip, for the boat, in the next year or two.'

Because of the economy, in 1988, when Solitaire was constructed, most boat manufactures, where trying to reduce the cost of their boats.  Halman decided to go in the opposite direction and made a strong, seaworthy craft, with bronze ports and first class fittings and bronze hardware.  In my next blog, I'll try and get some good interior pictures of Solitaire.

Glad to be back and look forward to hearing from my old friends.