Slice of History
At the start of the 20th century, Sweden’s naval defenses had fallen into serious neglect. With little action from the government, private citizens stepped in, raising funds through what became the Swedish Armor Boat Association. By 1912 construction began on the armored ship Sverige, delivered to the navy in 1917. Remarkably, the fundraiser had money left over even after that massive undertaking.
With those remaining funds, three versatile steamships were commissioned — Sökaren, Sveparen, and Sprängaren. Built to lay, sweep, and recover mines, tow vessels, break ice, and equipped with a 57mm cannon, they entered service between 1917 and 1918. These vessels went on to serve the Swedish Navy for decades, with Sprängaren and Sveparen even participating in the 1959 salvage of the legendary warship Vasa.
Living Legacy
Sprängaren was decommissioned in 1962 and spent a decade as a tugboat in Varberg’s port under the name Klåback. In 1973, it passed into private ownership alongside its sister ship Sveparen, remaining with collector Sture Sjögren until 2007. From there, the vessel was donated to Lennart Segerström and eventually entrusted to the Vedettbåten Sprängaren Association.
For nearly two decades, dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly to restore the vessel to her original glory. Today, Sprängaren sails once again, not just as a relic, but as a living museum. She is the only known World War I era warship in the world still running under her own steam, offering visitors the chance to step aboard and become part of Swedish naval history themselves.