Endeavour, JK4

Endeavour was designed for the 1934 America’s Cup by Charles E Nicholson and built at Camper & Nicholson’s in Gosport for Sir Thomas Sopwith. Along with Shamrock, Endeavour is one of the two remaining J Class yachts which actually raced for the America’s Cup. Indeed she came closer to winning the Cup than any other Challenger. Against Harold S Vanderbilt’s Rainbow, Endeavour won the first two races and was considered to be the faster boat. With better tactics Rainbow then took wins in Races 3 and 4. Sopwith protested against one contentious manoeuvre but lost and Rainbow went on to win 4-2. At home, one headline read, “Britannia rules the waves and America waives the rules."

After the Cup she raced successfully in England but was partially wrecked in 1937 after breaking a tow. Since then she has had numerous owners, refits and repairs.

Endeavour was fully restored by Elizabeth E. Meyer over five years at Royal Huisman and this initiative, and her restoration of Shamrock, stimulated renewed interest in restoring and building replica J Class yachts.

Endeavour was relaunched on the 22nd June 1989 following a refit with Dykstra Naval Architects and sailed for the first time in 52 years. Meyer organised the first J Class racing that September when Endeavour raced Shamrock V in Newport RI.

She had a major refit in 2010/11 with modifications by Dykstra Naval Architects with a new sail plan and deck layout, the work carried out by Yachting Developments in Auckland, New Zealand. That refit included a new deck structure, new rig and sails, a new deck layout, an engine room upgrade and a new crew interior. Fresh from refit Endeavour proved she has performance potential, winning the 2012 Saint Barths Bucket against Shamrock V and Velsheda.