Endeavour, 1934

Description

Endeavour:
Club:  Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK;
Designer:  Charles Ernest Nicholson, Bembroidge, Isle of Wight, UK;
Builder:  Camper & Nicholson, Gosport, UK;
Launched: 1934;
Rig:  J-Class
Owner: Sir Thomas Sopwith,
Skipper: Tommy Sopwith
143 Tons; Length: 129′ 8″ (39.5 m); Beam: 22′ (6.7 m); Draught: 14′ 11″ (4.6 m);
Sail area: 7,561 ft² (702 m²);

Endeavour was commissioned by Sir Tommy Sopwith 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. She swept through the British racing fleet and into the hearts of yachtsman the World around, winning many races in her first season. New York Yacht Club defended with Rainbow. However, the campaign was blighted by a strike of Sopwith’s crew prior to departing for America. Forced to rely mainly on keen amateurs, who lacked the necessary experience, the campaign failed. Rainbow won 4 – 2. But this was one of the most contentious of the America’s Cup battles and prompted the headline “Britannia rules the waves and America waives the rules.”