[citation needed] Solo was built in 1955 in a Sydney ironworks factory by a Swiss engineer named Vic Meyer from Solothurn, Switzerland.

After his first voyage he went on to do it twice more surviving numerous groundings, a cyclone that almost sunk the boat and a demasting in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, again with all female crew.

On Monday 14 April, it was overcast and with no offer of a chance to get a sight, that night the radar and echo sounder broke down, through battery failure it is believed, but there seemed no cause for immediate worry.

Meyer left the autopilot in charge for a while as he attempted to get the radar going again, but while plunging through a squall Solo went through the surf and onto the beach at Fraser Island at a spot about ten miles south of Happy Valley.

On Thursday, May 15, Solo was refloated by Brisbane salvage expert Joe Engwirda and the help from a high tide, after a two-day operation which had only one anxious moment when she was caught side-on by a large breaker she was floating, once clear of the breakers and into deep water a diver inspected Solo's hull only to find the only apparent damage was done to the rudder.

After Meyer and Olga got married they sold Solo and bought a mango farm on the Sunshine Coast Queensland.

After that accident Meyer sold his mango farm and moved back to Sydney to live the rest of his days.

Solo was sold to the Oceanic research foundation (A.K.A.ORF) the ORF wanted to take the boat to the Antarctic's for a scientific expedition, but they couldn't unless they found themselves a sponsor, after weeks of searching Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith took the job of sponsoring the boat finally after having a complete refit, the boat set sail in late 1977 with famous New Zealand sailor Dr David David Lewis at the helm, during the voyage Solo hit an iceberg which had breached the hull on the port side bow just under the waterline, the crew started to throw things overboard to try to keep the boat afloat, while that was happening the only female on board also the only one to bring a pillowcase stuck the pillowcase over the breach while another crew member smeared concrete over the pillowcase to create a seal, the crew had no other option then to turn around and head home for repairs, when in port the crew said without that patch Solo would have sunk for sure after the repairs were carried out Solo sailed back to the Antarctic to complete her voyage.

This auction caught the attention of a Brisbane businessman who thought it would be an excellent idea if such an icon was brought to the bayside suburb of Manly, Queensland, he did just that, he purchased the boat and brought it down to Manly where she was put into commercial survey and now operates charters to local islands in Moreton Bay.