REBUILD

In 1984 American yachtswoman Elizabeth Meyer bought Endeavour and undertook a five year rebuild. Since the hull was too fragile to be moved and was miles away from any boatyard, Meyer had a building constructed over the boat and hired welders to restore the hull. Endeavour's missing keel and ballast were rebuilt, the steel frames and hull plating repaired and replaced where necessary, and a new rudder fabricated. The newly seaworthy hull was launched and towed to Holland where it was put on a barge and transported to the Royal Huisman Shipyard. There, the mast, boom and rigging were designed and built, the engine, generator and mechanical systems installed and the interior joinery completed. All told, an inconceivable amount of work, love and agony went into achieving Endeavour's present level of perfection. Endeavour sailed again, on June 22, 1989, for the first time in 52 years.

In September of 1989, a match racing series between the two J Class yachts Endeavour and Shamrock V was held in Newport USA. Endeavour and had just completed her five year restoration and Shamrock V, a two year restoration.

The first "Return of the Legends" Regatta series was a three race event in Newport's Narragansett Bay. The boats were skippered by Ted Turner and Gary Jobson. There were more than 3,000 spectator vessels in the bay and crowds of more than 10,000 spectators watched from shore.

In early October of 1989, Gary Jobson and Ted Turner skippered the boats in a regatta in Manhattan with at least 100,000 spectators watching from the Hudson River shore.

In 1990, J Class Management Inc. ran four J Class regattas: in Annapolis Maryland with skippers Buddy Melges and Gary Jobson, in Boston with skippers Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy,in Marblehead, with skippers Gary Jobson and David Vietor; and in Newport with skippers Gary Jobson and Ted Hood.

Between 1989 and 1999 Endeavour cruised extensively and competed in numerous races, creating a wonderful spectacle. In April 1999, history repeated itself when she was joined by Shamrock V and Velsheda to compete in the Antigua Classics Regatta, bringing in a new era of J Class sailing.