Endeavour was commissioned by Sir T.O.M. 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.
Over the next 46 years, Endeavour 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 at Calshot Spit, an abandoned seaplane base fronting the Solent. She was a complete wreck, a rusting and forlorn hulk with no keel, rudder, ballast or interior.

In 1989 she was completely rebuilt by Royal Huisman into a modern masterpiece with all new deck, rig, sailing gear and interior. In 2011/2012 she was completely refitted with no expense spared bringing her back to her finest and only used privately since.