J-Class Classic

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This famous J-class yacht came up for sale in 2015, and is still for sale — it’s the Endeavor, the 1934 C.E. Nicholson-designed vessel made for speed.

The man who commissioned the craft was aircraft manufacturer sir T.O.M Sopwith, who intended to challenge the American designs dominating the America’s Cup, like the Westward and Rainbow of Nathaneal Green Herreshoff.

The aircraft designer applied aeronautical technology to the ship’s design, and in her first season the Endeavor won many races in Britain.

Although the yacht was the only J-class to ever beat the original Rainbow, she failed to take the 1934 America’s Cup. The loss was attributed to Sopwith’s replacing the professional crew with 13 amateurs after a pay strike, as well as taking off too much ballast during the series.

Since that time, the craft has changed hands and was nearly destroyed by wreckers. At one point she was a rusted hulk without keel, rudder, ballast or interior. A recent owner, however, completely rebuilt the J into its present form, incorporating 100,000 man hours of labor.

At her low point, Endeavor sold for 10 pounds sterling after sinking in the Medina River in Crowes. Her current asking price is just under 20 million Euros ($21.5 million US dollars).

Specifics:

Length 39.56m / 130ft
Beam 6.80m / 22ft
Draft 4.80m / 16ft
Hull Steel
Cabins total 4 Cabins
Cabins 1 Master, 2 Double, 1 Twin,
Guests 8
Crew 7
Max. Speed 13 Knots
Cruising Speed 10 Knots

For more information about her sale, visit Edmiston by clicking here.

j-class endeavor (2) j-class-endeavor-8 j-class-endeavor-9

Tall Ship

Christian Radich
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The term “tall ship” is itself debated, a term whose origin is attributed to a bygone era, but whose validity is strengthened by its early use by some of our most respected writers, such as Joseph Conrad, who was himself a master mariner, and Henry David Thoreau.

There might be something to be said about the impression an object or an experience tied to an object, its use and setting, gives to a writer, and when we look at the pictures of tall ships — for those of us who have not been aboard one — or remember the feel of the deck and its height — can we understand the meaning of the words of the writer?

Thoreau, in his first work, “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers,” quoting some other un-named writer:

Down out at its mouth, the dark inky main blending with the blue above. Plum Island, its sand ridges scolloping along the horizon like the sea-serpent, and the distant outline broken by many a tall ship, leaning, still, against the sky.

A tall ship is not a type of ship — there are many types of tall ship rigs: schooners, barques, brigs, brigantines. The main qualifier is that the craft need be a large, traditionally rigged vessel.

In this tall ship gallery, we find a night shot — we’re still looking for the photographer of this photo; the Brazilian (note the green and yellow flag) ship Cisne Branco, photographed by Bruce Bodner; the US Coastguard GC Eagle, the 25-sail Alexander von Humboldt, photographed by Winfried Huber, and the Christian Radich.

Yacht Classic

yacht eleonora
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Westward was an America’s Cup yacht that, which under the captainship of Charlie Barr defeated all challengers between 1893 and 1920, including Britannia, Lulworth and Meteor II. The yacht was the fastest in the world in the early 1900’s. This yacht pictured, the Eleonora, is an exact replica of the Westward, and is available to rent for $82,000 per week.

It was designed by the American yacht design innovator — besides naval architect and mechanical engineer — Nathaneal Green Herreshoff.

Herreshoff designed several famous craft, including the 144-foot America’s Cup Reliance, Enterprise, and Rainbow, plus Defender and Columbia, in addition to Westward.

I guess to rent and sail this yacht would be to understand a piece of sailing history, and a piece of American history.

Eleonora was launched in 2000, and has sailed in regattas and continues to take part in history by hosting high-profile guests, over 100 years after Westward began to sail.

Specs of Eleonoa yacht:

Type: 135 ft Classic Schooner
Naval Architect: Original design by Nathanel G. Herreshoff
Shipyard: Scheepswerf van der Graaf, the Netherlands
Year: 2000
LOA: 49.50 m
Beam: 8.20 m
Draft: 5.20 m
Displacement: 213 t
Hull Material: Steel
Engine: Baudouin 6R124
Crew: 9
Sail Area: 1100 m2
Cabins: 8
Guests: 8
Location: Western Mediterranean

To inquire about renting this luxury yacht, visit Hoek Brokerage Charters (click here).