Halman/Nordica 20 vs Montgomery 17

A Round 1 Mini-Cruiser Madness Match-up

Here’s a must-see match-up between two good small cruisers. Unfortunately only one boat can win and advance to the next round—it’s madness! It’s all part of our Mini-Cruiser Madness contest.

The rugged Halman/Nordica 20 scores high marks for capability. On her seaworthiness we wrote: One look at the Halman confirms her generally seaworthy nature. The beamy, double-ended hull, stout attached and protected rudder, and tiny self-draining cockpit all inspire confidence. But it’s the full keel with 1,000 pounds of ballast (40% of total displacement) that separates her from more common trailerables. Nobody knows at what point exactly a boat becomes a “yacht,” but we’d argue it happens at about the Halman’s specifications.

In closing we wrote: As H. T. Holman told us, appreciation for these boats reminds him of the slogan for a local beer brand: Those who like it like it a lot. “The Halman or its near twin the Nordica are not for everyone,” he says. “The Scandinavian design seems somewhat at odds with current thinking, but the reasons that made this a good design in the 1970s hold true today. This is a solid, safe, and satisfying sailboat.”

A favorite amongst our readership, we had mostly glowing things to say about the Montgomery 17: An old factory brochure reads, “The 17 is overbuilt, over-engineered, and one of Lyle Hess’s very best designs . . . surprisingly fast, surprisingly stiff, handles like a BMW, and is strong enough to be an icebreaker.” Some of these bold statements seem to border on hyperbole. But owners appear equally enthusiastic—consistently reaching for complimentary adjectives like “indestructible,” “solid,” and “heavy-duty” when describing their boats.

No doubt respect for the Montgomery 17 grew substantially when the boat passaged from California to Hawaii, and from Cape Hatteras to San Diego—through the Panama Canal. M-17s also regularly cruise the Sea of Cortez, the Bahamas, and California’s Channel Islands.

At sixteen-hundred pounds, with a fixed shoal keel, the Montgomery isn’t a dinghy. But some singlehanders claim they rig and launch in 30 minutes. Like most boats in this class, rigging is more comfortable for skipper with crew, but it’s still possible for the solo sailor with the appropriate maststepping set-up. However, it’s worth noting the 17, with its spreaders, backstay, and larger mast, is significantly more cumbersome to rig than smaller boats like its 15-foot sistership.

Overall, owners of the M-17 are among the most satisfied groups of respondents to our owner surveys. They spoke highly of the 17’s quality and durability, and they boasted of her performance. With the timeless look of lapstrake, an innovative keel solution, and jackhammer toughness—the Montgomery 17 speaks for itself. •SCA•

Now it’s time for you to vote: