Cyril Varley becomes Skipper

At the end of the 1999 season, Cyril Varley took over from Gary Diddams as Skipper on Thalatta. Cyril left school at 15 and went to work as 3rd Hand on wooden motorised sailing barges carrying cargo. He was quickly promoted to Mate and at 21 became Master of a coaster trading around England, Ireland and continental Europe. At one point he worked on the Trilby with Bob Wells, who had been Skipper of Thalatta in 1956-60 during her time at R. & W. Paul. He was Skipper on Thalatta from 2000 until the end of 2002, then returned as Skipper in 2005.