Endeavor - a living legend

Fate Endeavor turned out to be more successful. It was designed by a renowned yacht architect Charles Nicholson at the shipyard Camper & Nicholsons and launched in 1934. The owner of the yacht, aviation tycoon Tom Sopwit, built it specifically for the prestigious race. Since the main business of Mr. Sovpit was aircraft, advanced aviation technologies were used in the construction of the yacht. She turned out to be very fast, and is still considered the most beautiful of all yachts in her class. Among the innovations used on it can be noted a steel mast, a quadrilateral staysail with two clew corners (the so-called quadrilateral), more efficient spherical spinnakers.

Endeavor was a challenger yacht and challenged the American yacht Rainbow in 1934. Having successfully won the first two regattas, the yacht nevertheless lost with a score of 2: 6. Contemporaries point out that the Americans led a dishonest race, often cheated and did not pay attention to the protests of the British. The second reason for the failure of the yacht is the team, which consisted exclusively of amateurs, while the crew of the American yacht Rainbow, built with the money of the young millionaire Mike Vanderbilt, consisted of professionals. With such a score, Sopwit, like a real gentleman, decided not to bicker with the enemy and the next time he intended to win cleanly.

A sports career Endeavor in the America's Cup race was over, because the exclusiveness of the race was that a new yacht was built for each regatta. But the yacht took part in European regattas many more times, up to 1938. Then, with the beginning of the war, the yacht was mothballed and spent 9 years in such "suspended animation". In 1947, she was almost scrapped, but everything worked out, but in the future, the threat of falling into oblivion constantly hung over the yacht. She often changed owners. In 1970 she sank in a river and was sold in a hopeless state to two carpenters for a ludicrous sum of £ 10. After filling the holes with plastic bags, they pulled it out and started repairing it.

In 1980 Endeavor ran aground and was almost destroyed, and only in 1984, almost passing the point of no return, was bought by American enthusiasts and sent for reconstruction. For 5 years the yacht has been reconstructed and acquired a number of innovations - she changed the skin, false keel and steering wheel. Already in Holland at the shipyard Royal huisman it was re-equipped: the yacht received new sailing equipment, a diesel engine and systems were installed, interior decoration was completed. And already in 1989, restored, given a new life, the famous yacht Endeavor set sail again after 52 years of inactivity.

Now everyone can touch the legend - for 70 thousand dollars, a yacht can be taken on a week-long charter. On Endeavor four cabins for eight guests. The yacht spends winter in the Caribbean, summer in New England. You can get it for a charter and for one day, with up to 20 guests on board. It will cost less - 17.5 thousand dollars.

15.03.2009