In the post-war period and the 1960s, water sports became more popular and, above all, more accessible to a wider public. New materials such as fibreglass and plywood were touted as new products and made their way into boat building.

But the world of boats is often one that is slow to change. Not many of all the popular designers of the 1950s used the new materials. Larger yachts and those built by more established designers and boat builders were usually still hand-built using the same tried and tested techniques as they had been for more than 100 years. However, high quality woods such as teak, oak and pitch pine were no longer available after the war or were so expensive that they could only be used for the highest budget projects. Varen was one such project and was built in 1961 at Moody & Sons Swanwick in teak, planked on oak frames. Major MSB Vernon commissioned the yard to build her from a design by G.L. Watson’s already well-known design office. The interior was made of mahogany. Varen has been refurbished and maintained by her owners several times during her life, but she has never lost her charm and charisma. A recent refit offers a new owner the opportunity to start their holiday right away.