ENDEAVOUR'S STORY

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Category: ENDEAVOUR

Fifteenth challenger for the America's Cup

The new boat of Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith is being built at Gosport from the design of Charles E. Nicholson, who drew the plans for the Shamrock IV and the Shamrock V. Ten experts in various sciences have been called into consultation on the new racer's construction. It will be called the Endeavor.

LONDON, Nov. 21 - The keel of the Endeavour was successfully cast at Camper Nicholson's yard at Gosport today.

LONDON, Dec. 13 - The firm of Ratsey Lapthorne of New York and Gosport, England, has begun to make the sails for the Endeavour. The Endeavour’s mainsail will be composed of Sudanese and Egyptian cotton, this fabric giving special strength and lightness.

SOUTHPORT. England, April 9.- MAST OF ENDEAVOUR NEARING COMPLETION; The spar measures 167 feet in length, its maximum diameter is said to be only 15 inches.

GOSPORT, England, April 16. - YACHT ENDEAVOUR SLIDES DOWN WAYS; Mrs. Sopwith, Wife of Owner, Christens America's Cup Challenger with the words: “I name you Endeavour and with all my heart I wish you a "cupful of luck."

PORTSMOUTH, England, May 8. - ENDEAVOUR GETS FIRST TEST UNDER SAIL; America's Cup Challenger Gives an Impression of Speed. She spent six hours in the Solent, with Sopwith at the wheel. Mrs. Sopwith and Charles E. Nicholson, the designer, were aboard.

PORTSMOUTH, England, May 19. -- Endeavour has joined the yachts of the Royal Yacht Squadron off Cowes for the Whitsuntide sailing. This does not mean it is there for racing, for T.O.M. Sopwith, owner of the America's Cup challenger, says he is not yet ready.

HARWICH, England, June 2. - VELSHEDA RETIRES; ENDEAVOUR LEADS; T.O.M. Sopwith's America's Cup challenger Endeavour sailed her first race today against such worthy opponents as W.L. Stephenson's Velsheda, King George's Britannia and Shamrock V in the Royal Harwich Yacht Club's regatta, but the race was abandoned after the first round because of a heavy wind. It was declared "no contest."

THE RACES OF PREPARATION OF ENDEAVOUR

HARWICH, England, June 4. - The America's Cup challenger Endeavour sailed to victory in a fine race against three other big yachts today, beating King George's famous old cutter Britannia by more than five minutes. Candida was third and Astra fourth.

SOUTHEND, England, June 8. - Endeavour Triumphs in 40-Mile Contest; Sopwith Receives an Ovation at Finish. Showing her real form for the first time, the America's Cup challenger Endeavour won a glorious race against four famous Class J yachts in the Royal Thames Yacht Club regatta today.

COWES, Isle of Wight, June 12. - ENDEAVOUR LEADS VELSHEDA IN TRIAL; Cup Challenger Proves Liking for Light Winds in Race on English Channel. T.O.M. Sopwith's America's Cup challenger Endeavour beat the fast British J Yacht Velsheda by twenty-two minutes in the first of their trial matches today on the English Channel.

LYMINGTON, England, June 15. - ENDEAVOUR AGAIN DEFEATS VELSHEDA. Endeavour won her second victory over W.L. Stephenson's crack yacht Velsheda today, finishing ten minutes ahead in a trial match sailed over a twenty-mile open-sea course off the Needles.

LYMINGTON, England, June 16. - ENDEAVOUR FIRST IN RACE ON SOLENT. Endeavour scored another victory today in the Lymington Yacht Club regatta in the Solent against five other big yachts.

BEMBRIDGE, Isle of Wight, June 18. - ENDEAVOUR DEFEATS VELSHEDA IN RACE. Endeavour, steered by her owner, T.O.M. Sopwith, and manned by a crew which is growing more machine-like in its discipline with every race, today beat Velsheda over a triangular thirty-mile course by two minutes.

COWES, England, June 21. - VELSHEDA VICTOR BY 57 SECONDS; Gains First Triumph Over Endeavour in Fourth of Series of Trial Races. In the teeth of a strong wind and in heavy seas, T.O.M. Sopwith's Endeavour was defeated by W.L. Stephenson's Velsheda in an exciting race by 57 seconds over a twenty-eight-mile course on the Solent today.

FALMOUTH, England, June 29. - SOPWITH'S YACHT BEATEN BY ASTRA. T.O.M. Sopwith's America's Cup challenger Endeavour was beaten by Hugh Paul's trim cutter Astra in the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club's regatta today.

FALMOUTH, England, June 30. - ENDEAVOUR BEATEN IN FALMOUTH SAIL. Endeavour, T.O.M. Sopwith's America's Cup challenger, was beaten today by the all-steel Velsheda in one of the keenest races of big yachts this season. Velsheda gains 25-second advantage on first round and wins by almost three minutes.

July 7, 1934. - ENDEAVOUR TAKES TRIAL. America's Cup Challenger Has Wide Margin on Astra. Endeavour today led the trial yachts in one of the final preparatory races before her departure for the United States to challenge for the America's Cup.

TORQUAY, England, July 9. - Endeavour Is First in Final Trial Race; Will Leave for United States Next Week.

ON THE ROAD TO GLORY

PORTSMOUTH, England, July 15. - Fifteen out of the twenty-three men of Endeavour's crew went on strike and left the ship today, refusing to accept the wages which the owner, T.O.M. Sopwith, offered them.

LONDON, July 17. - ENDEAVOUR TO SAIL FOR U.S. ON MONDAY; British Cup Challenger Is in Trim for Trip. Thirteen amateurs, all young ocean-going members of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club and the majority of whom own yachts, were signed today by T.O.M. Sopwith as members of the crew of the Endeavour, British America's Cup challenger, to replace the dismissed striking professionals.

GOSPORT, England, July 23. - ENDEAVOUR LEAVES AS THRONG CHEERS; Warship Crews Aid in Tumultuous Send-Off - Royal Yacht Signals 'Best Wishes'. If T.O.M. Sopwith's Endeavour lifts the America's Cup her triumphal return can be but a repetition of her tumultuous send-off today.

Yacht Endeavour Leaves Ponta Delgada in Azores :
ABOARD ENDEAVOUR, crossing Atlantic, July 29 (by Radio to The Associated Press). -We left Ponta Delgada on Island Sao Miguel, Azores, 10 o'clock this day.

August 4, 1934 - "284 MILES FOR ENDEAVOUR. British Yacht, on Way Here, Reports a Fine Day's Run."

BRISTOL, R.I., Aug. 8. - BRITISH YACHT ENDS 3,500-MILE VOYAGE; Reaches Bristol 15 Days and 19 Hours After Leaving The Needles, England. WELCOMED OFF NEWPORT Planes Join in Gay Salute -- Craft Being Prepared for America's Cup Races.
After making a much faster crossing of the Atlantic than any other America's Cup challenger. T.O.M. Sopwith's English yacht Endeavour lay tonight at the Herreshoff shipyard here, her deck cleared of ocean gear and fast taking on the appearance of a great, sleek racing craft instead of a battened-down adventurer.

THE FINAL PREPARATION

BRISTOL, R.I., Aug. 11. - SOPWITH'S YACHT IN PERFECT CONDITION. Having to cross the ocean did not damage the America's Cup challenger Endeavour in the slightest way. That was ascertained today when she was hauled out of water at the Herreshoff ship yard here. Her steel underbody was as tight as a drum.

MATTAPOISETT, Mass., Aug. 13 - T.O.M. Sopwith, owner of the English yacht Endeavour, challenger for the America's Cup, sailed on the new American Rainbow as a guest of Harold S. Vanderbilt, Rainbow's skipper, today. It was in the New York Yacht Club's special race here as part of its annual cruise.

NEWPORT, R.I, Aug. 15. - Under sail for the first time in American waters, the Endeavour, T.O.M. Sopwith's challenger for the America's Cup, had a most impressive tryout today. It was the initial test of her new rig and her amateur crew. Both stood up well.

NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 18. - T.O.M. Sopwith's America's Cup challenger Endeavour and the American yacht Vanitie will begin a series of match races off here next Friday. They will serve to tune up the English yacht for the international match next month, and it will be the first time an American cup boat has been used to help out a challenger.

NEWPORT, R.I., Aug. 30. - ANOTHER TEST SET TODAY Endeavour Again Shows Speed in Tune-Up Sail With the Weetamoe and Vanitie.

NEWPORT, R.I., Sept. 9. - Endeavour, the America's Cup challenger, and Rainbow, defender, had real tests today in a storm-swept sea. Wind blows at more than twenty knots -- Vanitie accompanies Challenger and Weetamoe the Defender.

NEWPORT, R.I., Sept. 12.— CREWS ARE LISTED FOR THE CUP BOATS; Fourteen Amateurs and Twelve Professionals Will Sail on the Endeavour.
The crews of the America's Cup challenger Endeavour and the defender Rainbow were named today. A few changes were made at the last minute and the rosters ?nally adjusted to thirty-one on each racer, the number allowed under the rules.
The afterguard of amateurs on Endeavour will be composed of T. O. M. Sopwith, skipper; Charles E. Nicholson, Gerald Penny, Frank Murdock and Mrs. Sopwith. Nicholson is the yacht’s designer. Murdock created the rig. Mrs. Sopwith will be timekeeper and observer. That leaves twenty-six places which will be tilled by twelve professionals and fourteen amateurs.
The professionals will be Captain George Williams, Captain William Paul, navigator; Wally Day, first mate; Jack Diaper, second mate; Ralph Frost, steward; Joe Haste, first cook; Danny McNicoi, second cook; Jim Collier, bo’sun, and four seamen, Jim Taw, Tom Kennett, Angus McLeod and Murdock McLeod. The cooks will lend a hand on deck during the races.
The amateurs, or Corinthian seamen, will be James Bacon, who is rear commodore of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club; Alton Bacon, Chris Boardman, Nigel Warrington-Smythe, William De Quincey, Denny Drew, Ernest Moltzer, Miles Belleville, Colin Ratsey, Roy Mitchell, Reginald Droop, Beecher Moore, Jack Martin and Wally Richards.

NEWPORT, R.I., Sept. 13. - CUP YACHTS RETURN TO NEWPORT BASES; All Work Completed, Rivals Are Ready for America's Cup Competition.

The races for America's Cup 1934

- From 15 to 25 september 1934, at Newport.
- the first yacht to capture four races will be the winner.
- starting signals to be given at 11:40 and delayed only in event of changing the starting-point, fog, or agreed postponement.
- Time limit: 5 hours 30.
- the first, third and fifth races to be to windward and leeward, the second and fourth over a triangle, all courses to be thirty miles, and laid to windward when possible.

Endeavour, the challenger of Royal Yacht Squadron, is confronted to Rainbow.
Seven races disputed.
One race canceled : time limit.

Rainbowbeat Endeavour four Height races disputed.
Three races canceled : time limit..

- 15 september, race off, time limit.
- 17 september, 1st race, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Endeavourbeat Rainbow by 2 mn 09 s.
- 18 september, 2nd race, 30 miles, triangle : Endeavourbeat Rainbow de 51 s.
- 20 september, 3rd race, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Rainbowbeat Endeavour by 3 mn 26 s. Endeavour avait 6 mm 39 s d'avance à la bouée.
- 22 september, 4th race, 30 miles, triangle : Rainbowbeat Endeavour by 1 mn 15 s.
- 24 september, 5th race, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Rainbowbeat Endeavour by 4 mn 01 s.
- 25 september, 6th race, 30 miles, triangle : Rainbowbeat Endeavour by 55 s.

AFTER THE CUP

NEWPORT, R.I., Sept. 26. - SOPWITH'S YACHT WILL RETURN HOME; His decision followed a statement by Gerard B. Lambert, owner of the cup yacht Vanitie, that he would not buy Endeavour.

1935 : Following the America's Cup she dominated the British sailing scene. Endeavour raced the 1935 British yachting season when Yankee visited Europe winning nine times against eight wins for Yankee.

1936 : Sold to Herman A. Andreae, the owner of Candida.

1937 : Endeavour, chartered by Andreae to Fred Sigrist and Philip Hall, made another passage to the US with Endeavour II. Skippered by Captain Ted Heard, it handed Ranger one of its two losses in 1937.

Towed across the Atlantic to Britain in September 1937, she broke loose from her tow and was feared lost. She was eventually found and returned to England where she was laid up at the Camper & Nicholson Gosport Yard and then towed to a mud berth in 1938.

FOUR CUTTERS AID ENDEAVOUR SEARCH Coast Guard Sends Two More Craft to Sea in Effort to Find British Yacht September 17, 1937.- Four Coast Guard cutters plowed the Atlantic Ocean off Nantucket tonight searching for the British racing sloop Endeavour, believed in danger after a gale parted the towline which joined her to the convoy yacht Viva II.

COAST GUARD ENDS ENDEAVOUR SEARCH Convinced Yacht Is Either on Way to England or Sunk - Mariners Are Hopeful September 22, 1937.- Four Coast Guard cutters turned homeward tonight from a fruitless search for Endeavour, but in the waterfront gathering places of mariners hope still lingered that the big British racing sloop remained afloat off the beaten path, far out on the Atlantic.

ENDEAVOUR FOUND NEAR IRISH COAST Oil Tanker Reports Contact With Missing Racer 250 Miles From Land September 28, 1937.- The redcloaked official at Lloyd's of London again gave resounding taps on the Lutine bell at 1:35 this afternoon to report the finding of Endeavour I, and this time there was no mistake.

For 46 years Endeavour languished through a variety of owners.

In 1947, she was sold for scrap to Charles Kiridge, saved only a few hours before her demolition was due by Richard and Renée Lucas. Twenty years later, they sold Endeavour to some Americans. In the 1970s she sank in the River Medina, Isle of Wight. The Maritime Trust took charge of it for a time before it was bought by Mr. & Mrs. Amos and Graham Jack. In 1979, they started a six year restoration project. Until the mid-1980s she was on shore at Calshot Spit, an ex-seaplane base on the edge of the New Forest, Southern England. By this time she was in a desperate state, with only the hull remaining, lacking rudder, mast and keel.

			Rebuild Endeavour was bought by Elizabeth Meyer in 1984 who undertook a five-year project to rebuild her. The initial work was undertaken where she lay to ensure that the hull was sufficiently seaworthy to be towed to the Royal Huisman shipyard, Holland, who designed and installed a new rig, engine, generator and mechanical systems and fitted the interior to a very high standard. Endeavour sailed again, on 22 June 1989, for the first time in 52 years.
					After her rebuild she cruised extensively and in 1999 joined the rebuilt Velsheda and Shamrock V to compete in the Antigua Classics Regatta. Elizabeth Meyer sold Endeavour to L. Dennis Kozlowski for US$15M in 2000. She was again sold in 2006 for a reputed $13M to Hawaii resident Cassio Antunes. In October 2011, Endeavour was relaunched by Yachting Developments after major refit. No less than 100,000 man hours have gone into the project and over 40 tonnes of material was removed and replaced on the vessel during the refit. The project included changes to many of the yacht’s major components from the engine and technical equipment to the rig and deck, and required structural modifications to accommodate a new deck layout. Dykstra & Partners were also involved in the project.
Gallery Endeavour : J Class Yachts Association					Photographs of J Class sail boat Endeavour by Cory Silken.

 

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