"deliciously responsive, well mannered and enjoys being sailed .. Varne's superb balance has, it would seem, a therapeutic effect on all who sail her; it certainly eased my tensions away!.. Varne slides gracefully along with a feather light tiller. Even as the wind pipes up, she remains unperturbed; she also has sufficient power behind a fine cutting edge, to carry her way through a chop. I urge you to try her" PBO November 1977

 

Reviews of the Varne 27, Varne 850, Weston 8500 and Varne Folkboat

David Harding's Practical Boat Owner Article of Feb 2000 (issue 398), featuring Pat & Alan Clifton's now famous Apopantos Apopantos also shown here on the front of the PBO 2001 Almanac (photo by David harding)
Yachting Monthly November 1974 article (400kb pdf)
(Only available to Members)
"... a sweet handler with the sort of directional stability I would expect from a long keeled design ... not a fussy boat to sail... partly due to her balance"
Varne Sailing Today May 2008 Sailing Today's May 2008 (issue 133) review , featuring Rod Waldon's Silvarne in Chichester Harbour.

Cover and Editorial pages are here:

Sailing Today May 08 Cover & Editorial pages
Varne A Delivery Skippers lively trip back from the 1977 Southampton Boat Show
"A very impressive performance by a 28' boat. Her seakeeping qualities are nothing less than superb. I would take her anywhere."
A Recipe to Relax With
A November 1977 submission of copy to PBO by a journalist and the subsequent article.
"deliciously responsive, well mannered and enjoys being sailed .. Varne's superb balance ... slides gracefully along with a feather light tiller. Even as the wind pipes up, she remains unperturbed... I urge you to try her"
Varne November 1985 Review page
"strong, attractive, well mannered seagoer. Stiff, beautifully balanced hull promotes good handling and easy motion"
 
Varne Folkboat Lo Shu

Sailing Today March 2010
Your boats - Varne Folkboat Lo Shu.
"As a boat builder and professional model maker, Tony was impressed with the quality of her construction"

From the Good Boat Guide:
VARNE 27/850
27'9" * 21'9" * 4'3" (fin) 344sqft  /  3-5 berths, Volvo 7.5 hp Saildrive or Yanmar 8
Fast cruiser with excellent performance and handling and rather unusual accomodation and bearable headroom (quoted at 5'9"). Fine bows limited the forepeak, so that a separate heads compartment to port started well back, with a single berth opposite. The saloon has a dinette arrangement to port, with a pilot berth above it; opposite was a good galley. Aft of the saloon were 2 quarter berths on either side and between the port hand quarter berth and the companionway was a separate navigators seat and chart table. Nice looking and well-finished, but not many about and some were home-completed.
 
Silhouette
(reproduced from the Hurley Owners Association)
One of the most popular small cruisers of all time, Bob Tucker's diminutive mini cruiser arrived in 1959 and by 1967 had tempted over two thousand customers. Early (Mk I) boats were plywood (hence the chines); most Mk IIs were GRP while the Mk III was moulded by Hurley Marine to a radically revamped design. The central ballast stub was removed, draft increased by 5in and the ballast ratio improved from 26 to 37%. She also carried 43% more sail. A fin keel version was available but the vast majority had twin keels. Her two berth accommodation was still cramped (the Mk 4, built by Varne Marine, added two bunks) but her low cost, good looks and predictable handling have won her many friends. All we have on the boat at the moment it this picture. However, the Silhouette has her own Owners' Association, details of which are here.