Category: Maritime Heritage

Restoration of a Button Swan Catboat

3/23/2025

Button Swan was a 19th-century fisherman and boat builder whose legacy is celebrated at Mystic Seaport. Born in Newport in 1833 as William Henry Monroe, he was adopted by his uncle, Newport fisherman John Swan, and became known as Button Swan due to his diminutive size. He was renowned for his skills in fishing and boat building, particularly for designing and building the Button Swan, a catboat that became a significant part of maritime history.

The Button Swan, built in 1875, is a 148-year-old catboat that is now a permanent fixture in Mystic Seaport's collection. It is considered by many to be the oldest and best catboat that ever sailed the Narragansett Bay. The boat was rediscovered in a Wickford-area barn by Cyrus Perrin Brown, who donated it to Mystic Seaport, where it was carefully restored. This catboat is an eloquent memorial to Button Swan, showcasing his unique contributions to boat design and the rich maritime heritage of the Narragansett Bay area.

More background about Button Swan:

A Button Swan boat built by Oarlock & Sail Wooden Boat Club, Vancouver, B.C. under sail.

JGTSCA Member Alan Schaeffer Plans to Restore His "Button Swan" Catboat

My boat was built by a western Pennsylvania builder in 1975, the same year Bob Baker made plans available through Mystic Seaport Museum. He built her with glued lapstrake plywood over sawn frames, with tight-laid floorboards and ceiling planks. There is more to say, but there's a start.

I got the boat in 2013 and sailed her for several years form a mooring on the Mystic River, right opposite Mystic Seaport Museum. However, I had to haul her and took her home for some problem solving:

She had a hanked-on cotton sail, which was not workable stowed on the boom while on a mooring. I did find a Beetle Cat sail, but I need to decide how best to hank it on.
I also think the rudder inadequate so will be building a new rudder and tiller.
I want to drill and epoxy some limber holes in the frames as this was never done by the builder, a fresh-water sailor and not as clear-thinking as I would have liked in some of his building choices.
She needs basic scrape and paint, as you might expect. While I don't think there is any significant rot, it is possible. (Refer to limber holes.)

There's a start on my project. I look forward to talking with interested TSCA members about mu unique little boat.

One more thing; she is a drop-dead beautiful little boat that needs to get back to the water. I look forward to talking with you about Button Swan.

Thanks!
Alan

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Wooden Boats Gather at Mystic Seaport

7/2/2023

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Wooden Boat enthusiasts gathered for the 31st annual WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport on June 23-25, 2023. In addition to the main event, the John Gardner Chapter hosted our John Gardner Small Craft Workshop at Australia Beach all three days.

Move your mouse cursor over the image below and click the Play button to view a slideshow.

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John Gardner Small Craft Workshop

3/8/2023

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Mystic Seaport - June 23-25, 2023

Come one, come all to celebrate Traditional Small Craft in the place where it was born!

Mystic Seaport Museum, WoodenBoat and the John Gardner Chapter of the TSCA are joining forces to sponsor the best ever small boat gathering.

The Seaport Boathouse Livery will be available to all at no extra charge. Go try out working replicas of the original small craft from the Museum’s Small Craft Collection. To celebrate breaking ground on the new Small Craft Hall, we will be honoring replicas of the originals. If you have one at home, bring it and share its story. If yours is in the tradition of the original, say of more modern materials, but honors the essence of the original, that is OK, even encouraged in this age of trailer sailing and garage storage.

Included will be special tours of the Small Craft Collection. Go visit your favorites then come
back and take a replica for a ride. Observing an original or replica is all well and good but there
is only one way to see how it feels. If you can’t find one but really like it, pick up a set of plans from the Collections Research Center and bring back the new boat next year to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new Small Craft Hall.

Activities will be going on all weekend. WoodenBoat is sponsoring a speaker’s series series
which is open to all participants. Shipwrights at the Seaport Shipyard will be demonstrating
skills in real time, making chips fly. Those demonstrations, too, are included. And throughout
the weekend members of the John Gardner Chapter will be offering rides in their dories or, if
permission is asked, in their own private boats.

We use our boats, not just look at them. Morning rows both up the river to the source of the
mighty Mystic River as well as down-river to our favorite sandbar beach kick off the days. Late
afternoons are reserved for sailing. Let’s keep the River busy.

Workshop presentations will include building stories, skills explained (make your own rope
fender?) or how to reef your Catboat sail, scandalize your Spritsail or add some new control
lines to your existing rig. Come to Australia Beach just behind the John Gardner Boat Shop on
campus and check in at the Workshop Tent or, better yet, visit the Seaport’s website and sign
up in advance. Launch off our beach or nearby ramps, some of which are carry-in.

Reach out and let us know what skill you would like to bring, boat you would like to talk about
or which activity interests you. We look forward to seeing you there.

Bill Rutherford
[email protected]
860-222-5249

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