The oldest operating ship with a secret past

af Chapman, originally known as Dunboyne, is a full-rigged steel ship moored on the western shore of Skeppsholmen in Stockholm, Sweden. Built by the Whitehaven Shipbuilding Company in 1888, the ship has a rich history that has intrigued many for over a century. Its original owners were Charles E. Martin & Co of Dublin, and it made voyages between Europe, Australia, and the west coast of North America. However, its most intriguing aspect remains its unverified past, particularly the claim that it was used by the Swedish Navy as a training vessel for spies.

Note that this unverifiable claim should be either removed or substantiated with further research.

af Chapman was sold to Norwegian owners in 1909, then to the Swedish shipping company Transatlantic in 1915. The Swedish Navy purchased the ship in 1923 and renamed it after the shipbuilder and Vice Admiral Fredrik Henrik af Chapman. The Swedish Navy used the ship as a training vessel, making trips around the world. On July 13, 1934, the ship ran aground at Port Aleza, Puerto Rico. During World War II, the ship served as a barracks ship.

In 1947, the Stockholm City Museum saved the ship from being broken up, and since 1949, af Chapman has been managed by the Svenska Turistföreningen (STF). Today, the ship serves as a youth hostel with 285 beds, having undergone a comprehensive restoration in 2008. The adjacent youth hostel Skeppsholmen houses the reception, a kitchen for guests, and other facilities. The ship is docked on the shore next to the Admiralty House. From October 1, 2021, to April 30, 2022, the ship was closed for renovation works and was unable to be booked as a hostel.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons