W.A.Robinson's VARUA

[Norske3]

Varua..Oh Varua, where "art" thou oh Varua?..anyone know if she still sails?..I'm reading his book "To the Great Southern Ocean" again....interesting sail plan...(may be of some interest to TimothyB) smile.gif
"Varua".. means soul or spirit in Tahitian

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

I seem to remember a note in WB, some years ago now, saying that she was being rebuilt. That's as much as I can recall.

[Norske3]

Many moons ago..issue 65....no update since.

[TR]

A group calling itself the "Intersea Foundation" used her for whale research in Alaska until 1988. After that they got a bigger ship, no mention on their site as to what happened with Varua.

Ed Burnett did a nice semi-copy a few years back, apparently not built. I believe his new version is all laminated wood, rather than planking bolted on steel frames as the original was. So the design is available, may as well get started!

Best, Tad

[John Gearing]

Here's a picture of how she looked back in the day.... http://www.mcallen.lib.tx.us/books/circumna/ci_var2.jpg

[Wild Dingo]

ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh now aint she gorgeous?!!! :cool: I love boatporn in the mornin!! :D

[John B]

You need to look well at a boat with that pedigree. Hull by Starling Burgess( to Robinsons brief), rig by LFH.

[David N.]

If I'am correct , Varua is in Friday Harbor , Wa. , or was for a lot of years .
William R. had LFH , draw up plans for a " world crusier " design #81 , and then found Varua . So # 81 was never built . #81 is the plans I have been costing out , and have always found this boat to be my dream boat .

[Thad]

Didn't LFH have some input on the stern configuration too?

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

He did'nt find her; he built her! And I think more than one designer was involved - Burgess and LFH and maybe one other as well?

[Norske3]

Thad..pg.50 of WB issue #65, quotes "To The Great Southern Sea" ..Robinson talks about the conventional stern being revised on the board with aid from Stevens Institute testing tank till they had what they called a "double chin" stern...they being he and S. Burgess...no mention of L.F.H. smile.gif
Talking of the model with the conventional stern being tested in the tank...Robinson said ,"Special apparatus had been devised to simulate following seas.At first her stern had been more conventional; but she had a tendency to pull the following seas over on top of her and even to broach to. Little by little the stern was changed and the rest of the underwater lines accordingly, untill one day we had a model that did not disturb the form of the following sea,that did not trip, that ran true before it at all speeds".

[ 05-15-2003, 08:57 PM: Message edited by: Norske3 ]

[S. Russell]

I wish I had current information to offer. I saw Varua being rebuilt at a yard in northern Washington about 12 years ago. I believe it was outside Annecortes (which I'm probably spelling wrong). What happened to her after that I don't know. Beautiful boat. I hope she hasn't fallen on hard times.

Sean

[Thad]

Thanks Ken

[seasailor55]

I realize that this thread is almost eight years old, but the last I heard, via Save A Classic in WoodenBoat several months ago, was that VARUA was on the hard at a shipyard in Anacortes, WA. waiting for someone to rescue her and finish a restoration in progress. I haven't heard anything since, although I asked a gentleman from Anacortes, on another boat forum, if he knew of her or what happened to her. It would be a shame if she were cut up or burned. What a beautiful ship! I read "To the Great Southern Sea" years ago, and still remember it fondly.

"The best bilge pump is a frightened man with a horse bucket"

[Bobcat]

Varua is supposedly in a shed at Lovric's shipyard in Anacortes. I spent several days in that yard years ago before I knew Varua was there.

[Uppy53]

"Varua" is a Brigantine built by WA Robinson in 1945 at his Ipswich Boat Yard in MA. USA. The Hull was designed by St. Burgess and the rigging by L F Herreshoff. I spent 8 months in America Samoa helping wooden Boat builder Paul Rollins rebuild her. Varua was a composite construction steel ribbing and wooden hull. When I arrived in 1976 I was amazed at the magnitude of the rebuild. I kicked the planks and half the hull fell off. We wielded most of the rusted ribs and totally re-planked her. When I left there was only one plank to go in the stern. It is a magnificent boat and it was good to hear she had an interesting life after Samoa. Last I heard she was abandoned in a shipyard in Anacortes USA. Hopefully I will get to visit her when I do a trip to the States.

[TR]

Yes, as of WoodenBoat #192 (Oct. 2006) Maynard Bray reported her in a shed at Lovric's Sea-Craft (who then owned her) with interior stripped clean, 60-70% of steel work done (replacing rusted frames), and the hull waiting to be planked a third time. I would really appreciate hearing if she's still there.......

For those who have not come across it, W.A. Robinson's book To the Great Southern Sea is the story of a year long voyage in Varua from Tahiti to southern Chili, Panama, and return to home in Tahiti. Voyaging for the sheer romance of it.........

[Horace]

TR:

I spoke to the owner today regarding Varua's status. It appears she is still in storage, with the frames repaired, and awaiting replanking. I did not ask for details about her future, since I did not want to intrude on the owner's time.

Hope this is of some help.

H.

[TR]

Horace,

Thanks for your note, and big sigh of relief....She's still there and still waiting for someone.....That's my hope in posting to these threads, that it will attract someone's notice and lead to a restoration. Due to her beauty, fame, and pedigree this one deserves it more than most........

http://www.tadroberts.ca/pics/Varua.jpg

[jak3b]

Varua is my lottery boat - to build when I win the big one!.To The Great Southern Ocean is one of my all time favorite books.Return to the Sea is a good read to.He tells the whole story of building her and building mine sweepers during WWII.

[seasailor55]

Greetings to all

I contacted Cynthia D'Vincent with the Intersea Foundation via e-mail several months ago about Varua. Ms. D'Vincent informed me then that Intersea Foundation still owned her and was looking for a buyer, hoping someone would complete the restoration. I'm not sure if she's still available, but she was in a building in Anacortes, WA.

[TR]

Sounds like there may be some difference of opinion as to who owns the ship....

I just received a note from one Chris, who sailed to Hawaii as first mate aboard Varua in 1990. A bit of his story and some pictures here.......http://www.starbacks.ca/Yosemite/Rapids/3354/varua.html