Designed by Sparkman and Stephens in 1972 and built by Nautor Swan in Finland the following year, Swan 43 Mouse (ex Patriot) is on a mission. For over four years, Mouse’s owners Dan and Ellie have been carefully and lovingly restoring her to as close to the original design as possible.
Supported by the Sparkman & Stephens Association, Dan and Ellie have unearthed original designs and sourced authentic parts to retain some of the yacht’s original Swan magic. Having shipped Mouse to SYH from their home in Pembrokeshire in October 2020, Dan and Ellie are doing much of the work on the yacht themselves, with support from the SYH team and the raft of marine businesses onsite at the harbour.
Work to date includes fairing and respraying the superstructure and topsides, sanding back and sika flexing the decks, a new engine, installation of an original Luke Heritage stove, and overhauling the steering system.
SYH Managing Director Joshua Major said, “It’s been a pleasure working so closely with Dan and Ellie to restore Mouse, a yacht with an interesting history. We have done several S&S Swan refits over the years and Mouse is a fantastic example of how this design and build can stand the test of time with the right maintenance and care.”
We caught up with Dan and Ellie to find out more about Mouse’s history, their motivation for the project, and the challenges they have faced so far.
- Tell us how you came to buy Mouse?
We had been specifically looking for an S&S Swan 43 as our next boat. At that time there was one for sale called ‘Paraja’ in Brazil; it was only after serious consideration we realised we hadn’t ever been on one, and buying a boat in Brazil is quite a big step…! We’d seen two Swan 43s on the dock in Helsinki, but we thought it would be prudent to at least have a look aboard one in person to check it was really what we wanted. By chance, there was one where we live in Pembrokeshire that (at the time) the owner “would never sell”. Through a friend of a friend, we asked if it was possible to look around and a few days later we had settled on a price and shook his hand.
- Can you tell us any details about her history? We understand she was originally called Patriot and sent to the US as a Palmer Johnson 43?
In the early days of the relationship between Nautor and Sparkman & Stephens, Nautor partnered with well-known US brand Palmer Johnson as a springboard to the American market. One in four Swan 43s were re-badged as PJ43s and sold to the US market. The original owner had her for a very short time before she was sold to Herbert Wanner, founder of Autohaus, a US distributor for European car parts. We don’t know who sailed her back across the Atlantic, but she was sold shortly after that trip to a local family of builders’ merchants in Southampton. Finally, she arrived in Pembrokeshire to be taken on by Peter George, a well-known local sailor who used her as ‘Patriot Yacht Charters’- a sailing school. We bought her from the owner of a local boatyard who had sailed her for over 20 years, from Spain to Scotland.
- Why did you decide to bring her from Pembrokeshire to SYH for her refit?
From the first viewing we knew she needed extensive works, topsides, teak deck, rigging, engine, to name a few. The decision to come to SYH was a combination of SYH’s articles about the extensive refit of Jim’s Swan 431 ‘Susqehanna’ and the impressive list of trade companies onsite; OneSails, Evolution Rigging, Mr Stainless, French Marine, Seapower Marine (all of which are currently working on the yacht). Everything you could need in one location!
- We know you are doing some of the work yourselves, what have been the biggest challenges so far?
For our work it’s early days. So far, the biggest challenge that we have completed together was cutting out the old shaft log, which had suffered significantly from crevice corrosion.
- As with many of the early S&S designed yachts, Mouse originally had a trim tab rudder, which was later faired over. Trim tab rudders incite debate for the trade-off between the lift benefits when sailing upwind versus the extra drag created by the second rudder. What drove your decision to reinstate the trim tab rudder?
The decision to reinstate the trim tab has two parts. Firstly, to return her to ‘as-design’ and secondly because of Rod Stephens (of designers Sparkman & Stephens). Rod is quoted to have said that he thinks the trim tab is an unnecessary complexity although he admitted it would be useful as an emergency rudder. This is our primary reason, it’s handy to have the option in case of rudder failure. Plus, our friend still has his and says it’s handy for getting into marina berths.
- What is left to do before you launch?
There are lots of jobs still left to do before launching; our next jobs are removing and reinstating the keel shoe, then reinstating the rudder and the trim tab rudder. This will be the first aspect of putting her back together.
- What are your future plans?
We plan to enjoy the boat; we don’t want to make a declaration about sailing the seven seas, but hopefully we’ll get to see some exotic corners of the world. Simply put, Mouse won’t have a home port or participate in races!
Follow Dan and Ellie’s restoration journey on Instagram: @swan43_mouse