This is a sailing print of the Classic sailing yacht Endeavour which has passed through many hands, her fate often hanging by a thread. Among other indignities, she was sold to a scrap merchant in 1947 only to be saved by another buyer hours before her demolition was due to begin. In the seventies, she sank in the Medina River in Cowes. Again at the eleventh hour, she was bought for ten pounds sterling by two carpenters who patched the holes in her hull with plastic bags and got her afloat again. In the early eighties, Endeavour sat in an abandoned seaplane base in southern England. She was a complete wreck, a rusting and forlorn hulk with no keel, rudder, ballast or interior.

Endeavour, a 130-foot J Class sloop, was commissioned by Sir T.O.M. Sopwith and built by Camper & Nicholson at Gosport England to challenge for the America's Cup in 1934. Having prepared his campaign in Shamrock V, Sopwith was keen to ensure that this yacht was the most advanced design possible. With his experience designing aircraft Sopwith applied aviation technology to Endeavour's rig and winches and spared nothing to make her the finest vessel of her day. From launching in 1934 she continued her preparation by competing against Shamrock V (then owned by Sir Richard Fairey) and the newly launched Velsheda (owned by W.L Stephenson). She swept through the British racing fleet and into the hearts of yachtsmen the world around, winning many races in her first season. Like many before her, Endeavour did not win the Cup but she came closer to doing so than any other challenger. Imagine if we had lost her to the scrap pile. Given her history, Endeavour is truly a beautiful survivor.