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A
brief history of Varuna
by Peter Cummins, Commodore 1979-80
In April 1957, an
advertisement appeared in the Bangkok Post seeking "friends
to form a boating club". At the end of the ensuing lunch
meeting, Walter Meyer, Ralph Gintzburger, Roberto Maestrini and
Prince Bhisadij Rajani had "launched" the Varuna Marine
Club, with the aim of promoting all water sports.
The history of Royal
Varuna is, virtually, the history of yacht racing, sailing and
cruising in the Kingdom. And co-founder, M. C. Bhisadej, is regarded
by many as the god-father of sailing in Thailand. In fact, his
contributions go well beyond the founding of Varuna; it was he
who introduced the joys of sailing to our Royal Patron, H. M.
the King.
With Walter Meyer
as the first Flag Commodore and Prince Bhisadej in charge of the
sailing programme, the Varuna Marine Club opened at a beautiful
seaside villa "in a Pattaya" recalls Walter, "of
about 20 fishermen". The new club was located next to the
only restaurant - Barbos V, at the southern end of Pattaya strip.
The journey from Bangkok in those days was a marathon drive of
up to six hours, with a car ferry across the Bang Prakong River.
The first race recorded
was around an uncluttered Pattaya Bay of sparkling waters, where
a motley fleet of Enterprises, Ospreys, a "prawn dinghy",
a 7-metre 'folksboat', and even a sailing canoe, raced for the
"Varuna Marine Trophy". The first national championship
recorded in the Kingdom was the Enterprise Nationals, held at
the Varuna Marine Club in 1962.
No doubt, the popularity
of the sailing in Thailand was greatly enhanced when His Majesty
and some of the Royal Family participated.
The great highlight
for the Club was to come on April 26, 1965 when the King bestowed
Royal Patronage and the Varuna Marine Club became the Royal Varuna
Yacht Club.
Slowly but surely,
development began to overtake Walter Meyer's pristine Pattaya
and it was during third Flag Commodore Lowry's tenure, that the
decision was made to move the Club from its "home" in
South Pattaya.
Fourth Commodore,
Rachot Kanjanavanit, secured the present site - no doubt one of
the most attractive locations on the entire Eastern Seaboard.
The clubhouse was designed and built, and in October, 1967 the
Club moved "over the hill" to what many thought at the
time was a "wilderness, with no power, no water supply and
no amenities".
Thirty-seven years
on, we see the legacy of these early members around us. We even
built a new Clubhouse.
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