THE STORY OF ENDEAVOUR II

Category: ENDEAVOUR II

00029VChallenger of America's Cup 1937, outsailed by the "Super J" Ranger

First challenger since the second challenge of the America's Cup in 1871 to be launched more one year before the race, her owner, TOM Sopwith thought to be better prepared especially as it has the exceptional training partner Endeavour I (1934) who failed to win the Cup in 1934 against Rainbow.

1936
February 1st, 1936 : The building of Endeavour II gets underway with the 90-tonne lead ballast-keel cast in its mould. The keel and the frames are fitted up; shell plating is flush-jointed over the entire hull rather than clincher-built and is riveted onto the frames and strapping.
June 8, 1936 : The building is completed and Endeavour II is launched.
June 24, 1936 : Endeavour II takes part in her first race off Falmouth, Cornwall and contests the 1936 yachting season in Great Britain.
July 2, 1936 : Endeavour II is dismasted off Plymouth, Devon. Velsheda is dismasted too.
August 4, 1936 : Endeavour II is dismasted for a second time at the start of Cowes Week.

1937
GOSPORT, April 14 .— Tom Sopwith’s America’s Cup challenger, Endeavour II, was relaunched with full crew on the deck.
GOSPORT. May 1—Great Britain's challengers for the America's Cup Endeavour I and Endeavour II started across the Atlantic today Endeavour II was towed from the harbor by the Belgian trawler John, which has been engaged to take her across the Atlantic. Endeavour I was picked up off Cowes by the motor yacht Viva II.
NEWPORT. May 18—Endeavour II reached the United States and go immediately to Bristol for grooming at the HerreshofT shipyard.
Newport, R. I„ May 20 —The yacht Viva, which had been convoying T. O. M. Sopwith's Endeavour I, arrived at Newport alone today and reported the big sloop had parted her tow line in a gale 900 miles off Newport and was somewhere out in the Atlantic.
During their sailing trials, both yachts are linked by radio.

The races for America's Cup 1937 at Newport :

ENDEAVOUR II v. RANGER, America's Cup 1937 - A.D. BlakeJuly 31, first race: Endeavour II is beaten by Ranger by 17 minutes and five seconds over a 30-nautical mile windward-leeward course.

August 2, second race: Endeavour II is beaten by Ranger by 18 minutes and 32 seconds over a 30-nautical mile triangular course.

August 4, third race: Endeavour II is beaten by Ranger by four minutes and 27 seconds over a windward-leeward course.

August 5, fourth race: Endeavour II is beaten by Ranger by three minutes and 26 seconds over a triangular course.

September 1937 : Return to Britain. During the voyage, Captain George Williams died aboard the result of an ulcer.

1938
Endeavour II was laid up at Camper & Nicholson’s yard in Gosport, England.

1947
Endeavour II was sold for scrap to Charles Kerridge Limited but her hulk remained until the late 1960s.

1968
Endeavour II was broken up and scrapped in Southampton.

'Hanuman' JK6

Endeavour II replica

After completing the rebuilds of Endeavour, Shamrock V and Velsheda and the refit of Ranger, Dykstra & Partners took on their first J Class new build with Hanuman. The reincarnation of the 1937 Endeavour II was also the second collaboration between owner Jim Clark, Royal Huisman and Dykstra, and the third between the owner, yard and Pieter Beeldsnijder. When Clark decided he wanted a racing yacht, he gave this trusted team a simple brief: ‘You know what to do.’

The result is Hanuman, named after the son of the Hindu wind god, a symbol of strength, perseverance and devotion.