80th birthday celebrated with 70 year old classic

by Peter Campbell, CYCA on 22 Mar 2004 Dr John Musgrove, owner/skipper of the classic yacht Varuna, celebrated his 80th birthday this coming Thursday with a magnificent double win in Division 3 of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Harbour racing on Saturday.

Varuna, which is only 10 years younger than her owner, took line honours and first place on corrected time in a great exhibition of power sailing in the 10-12 knot easterly breeze.

Always distinctively dressed in his sailing whites and skipper’s cap, Dr John has been a member of the CYCA since 1957 and has maintained the timber-built Varuna in immaculate condition.

His crew announced the significant birthday celebration to CYCA members on Saturday when they erected a large sign reading ‘Varuna is 70 and her skipper 80’, on ‘A’ marina and later presented Dr John with a new sailing watch.

‘It was a reaching course today and Varuna bolts on a reach,’ Dr Musgrove said after the race. ‘To make it a great day I beat by brother-in-law, Norman Longworth in Aurelia II, by just two seconds on handicap.’

Yesterday’s win has probably clinched the RSYS Division 3 Main and Summer pointscores for Varuna, which also won the Spring pointscore. The 32-footer was designed and built by Billy Fisher in 1934, with her hull of Huon Pine and her deck structure of Indian Teak. She still has her original holder Oregon Pine mast.