Endeavour I 1934

Hand-crafted plank-on-frame wood hull with blue topsides, white cove stripe and white boot stripe . Varnished stained wood hull.

Hull size: 60cm.

Board size: 75cm X 20cm

The owner of the big White Eather, W.E. Stephenson, announced his intention in 1933 to build a new J-Class: Charles E. Nicholson built a splendid steel yacht for him,Velsheda. It could be seen from her first outings that she was a possible challenger of the America's Cup.

Thomas Octave Murdoch Sopwith, the famous aircraft manufacturer and Shamrock V's owner, decided to enter the fray. He ordered a new J Class from Nicholson, Endeavour. ( T.O.M. Sopwith acquired Shamrock V in 1932 ).

Nicholson designed his most fabulous challenger, with a very elegant shape and real speed capacities. It must said that Sopwith's completion of Nicholson's work was perfect, assisted by an aeronautics engineer Frank Murdoch.

The fifteenth challenge of the America's Cup was quite a paradox: the faster yacht was beaten by the slower but better sailed yacht. In fact, with Rainbow, the Americans were saved solely due to their tactical sense and a lot of luck.

Endeavour layed down for years in the USA, without care. She was rescued by Elizabeth Meyer, of Newport, RI. Today after a $ 10,000,000 restoration, she is one of the most breathtaking sights on the water. To take helm of such a boat is to experience pure power, grace and speed.

William Starling Burgess no doubt inherited his love of boats and sailing from his father as well as  his sharp analytical mind. He also acquired his precise and sensitive feeling for lines and forms from Nathanael Herreshoff, his “Uncle Nat”. But when the young Starling informed Herreshoff of his intention to become a naval architect, “the Wizard of Bristol” took umbrage.

When Mike Vanderbilt contacted him to build a new defender for the 1934 challenge, time was very short. No matter ! He started on the rough drafts of the plans at end of 1931 and Rainbow very nearly failed in the face of a faster challenger, Endeavour.

Starling Burgess came out of it quite well, Charles Nicholson even offering him the plans of his champion. His gesture was to prove quite unwise.