The restoration

In May 2000 VARUNA’s hull was completely emptied; the lower planking was taken to pieces to examine the condition of keel and frame. All the fastenings were removed and the strongback in soft iron, were recovered to be used again after having been coated with zinc. The keel, which was practically cast in a casing of polyester resin, was cleared out with enormous effort. Moreover the stern-post and about fifteen frames had to be replaced. The planking, apart from the nails, was in an almost perfect state. Then the rudder had to be reconstructed, while an accurate ultrasonic examination established the condition of the bronze bolts which connect the ballast to the keel. On deck, once taken to pieces for restoration, all the original iron fittings had to be replaced, as were the beams, and the deck reconstructed with two layers of teak 22 mm-thick, identical to the original. The same wood was used for the capping rail, with the margin board in ash. The doghouse placed to protect the companionway, was still in good condition, as was the skylight for which had to be made the glass and bars and be re-varnished. A new engine, a VM 100 HP , was installed with side propeller, as was done in that period for adding steam to sail. Architect Giorgetti, responsible for the philosophy of the restoration, designed the interior according to the original layout recovered from the British Museum. Warm Cherry wood was used for the interior furnishings, and a minimum of instrumentation and modern fittings used – just enough to provide a minimum of modern comfort under way without sacrificing the unique atmosphere of an old 12.The construction of the mast and spars was undertaken by the Frenchman Gilbert Pasqui in his Villefranche shipyard, by  fitting and shaping to the best  of his long  experience the long thick boards of Pitch Pine and Silver Spruce to Giorgetti’s designs, in order to obtain the complicated but undeniably aesthetic  structure for gaff  rigged sails.It was of  course to the original 1909 sail  plan  that Hood of Milan