About the Yacht

Our History

The Swanning Around journey truly took sail in the aftermath of the global upheaval caused by the COVID pandemic. In 2017, Steve Capell acquired Eve in Sydney, a vessel that had previously circumnavigated the globe under its Italian owners. Steve, drawn to the boat's allure, not only enjoyed leisurely cruises but also raced it along the east coast of Australia.

Enter Ben Roulant, a passionate French professional sailor based in Sydney, who, like Steve, fell under the spell of Eve on the docks of Noumea. Following a memorable Sydney to Hobart race, the crew set their sights on Europe in 2020 but made it only as far as New Zealand due to unforeseen circumstances amid the pandemic (read article).

Two years later, determined and resilient, the crew departed from Sydney once more, this time heading towards Bali. There, they undertook a complete re-decking of the boat before embarking on a journey through the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, ultimately reaching the Mediterranean by winter 2022. ( Eve 2022 Magazine )

As the story unfolded, a new chapter began with the addition of a second owner, Fraser Welch from Australia. Having raced onboard since 2019, Fraser eagerly joined the adventure, further enriching the Swanning Around legacy.

Swanning Around is not just a racing crew; it's a testament to resilience, passion, and the unyielding spirit of sailors who navigate the challenges of both the sea and the times. Join us as we continue to carve our unique path across oceans and races, driven by the love for the craft and the pursuit of extraordinary adventures.

Interior

Eve is equipped of three double cabins (each with en-suite), a crew cabin for a total of 9 berths with full sprung mattresses. Her huge main saloon and her large galley will give you all the comfort you need to make your experience aboard unforgettable.

Varnished teak throughout exudes classic charm but she also has a full complement of modern conveniences including deep freezer, air-conditioning, wifi, TV and 6-speaker stereo.

Superbly equipped with modern instrumentation and route planning systems:

B&G H5000 instrumentation with 7 displays
Raymarine autopilot, Helm and navigation plotter
Radios including HF, VHF, AIS, and hand helds
Iridium and Inmarsat Satellite systems
Mast mounted 4G with Wifi - provides high speed data up to 30 miles offshore
Expedition route planning & navigation software

Exterior

Outdoors, she has a powerful twin mast sail plan and plenty of toys for a great regatta race. And in a few minutes, she can be converted to provide shaded outdoor dining and sun-lounger. Oh, and there’s a 25 hp tender and dive compressor for those that want to get under the water.

She is equipped with a complete racing sail wardrobe and is certified for category 1 ocean races.

Doyle Stratis mainsail with 3 reef points.
Hydranet Mizzen sail
1 Carbon headsail, \#2 and \#3 Hydranet headsails
Carbon Code Zero from Hood
Doyle Stratis yankee
Carbon staysail
A2 Assymmetric Spinnaker
S1 and S2 Symmetric Spinnakers
Mizzen Staysail (like a small assymetric on the mizzen)

Specification

First launched in 1972, the Nautor’s Swan 65 is a classic sailing yacht and was the world’s largest GRP yacht. Designed to be a fast, strong and luxurious ocean racing yacht, the Swan 65 soon proved it’s pedigree by winning the first Whitbread around the world yacht race (now known as the Volvo Ocean race).

As a child I remember following the first Whitbread around the world race - and looking at brochures of the (at the time) magnificent classic Swan 65 that I was sure I would never be able to afford. Some 40 years later, Eve (then called "Kenta" and Italian registered) sailed into Sydney harbour as part of an around-the-world trip and her Italian owner decided to sell her. I was in the market for a 50 ft around the world yacht at the time and, as I walked up to have a look I told myself "it's too big, don't buy it, just have a look to satisfy those childhood memories". But I just couldn't help myself - I made an offer about an hour (and two beers) later.

Having spent the last 4 years sailing around Australia and completing 3 Sydney-Hobart races and a Sydney-Noumea race (which we won!) we are about to fulfill another childhood dream and spend the next 5 years sailing around the world. Cape horn, the northwest passage, tropical cruising, and a heap of regattas and ocean races lie ahead. Not only is Eve the perfect boat for this adventure but I've been lucky enough to find the perfect crew in Ben and Meg. I can't wait! And Eve is big enough to share this experience - so I'm looking forward to new people joining us for various parts of the adventure.

Steven Capell - Eve Owner

For Sparkman & Stephens Swan fans, here’s a link to the full high resolution original owner's manual including documents & diagrams.

Type	Swan 65
Built	1981
Design	Sparkman & Stephens
Builder	Nautor Swan, Pietarsaari, Finland
Rigging	Ketch
Cruising Speed	9.00 Knots
LOA	19.80 metres
Beam	5.00 metres
Draught	3.00 metres
Displacement	31 800 kilos
Certificates	IRC Certificate ORCi Certificate Polar Performance