J-Class charter yacht Endeavour has been equipped with a new 53.7 meter (176.18ft) gold-tipped mast and rigging package from Southern Spars. It was a part of Endeavour superyacht´s multi-million dollar refit in Auckland, New Zealand, which was completed in early October.

Classic J-Class charter yacht Endeavour launched after refit

Originally built in 1934 and reduced to being a complete wreck in the 1980s, Endeavour superyacht’s 2011 re-launch marks the completion of an extensive 18-month refit at Yachting Developments’ yard based in Hobsonville, Auckland. The Yachting Developments’ team has taken extreme care throughout the refit to preserve as much of the yacht as practical while taking advantage of 21st century sailing systems, such as a carbon fibre mast and EC6 carbon fibre rig package from Southern Spars for enhanced performance and improved functionality.

J-Class Endeavour yacht’s future performance will benefit from the significant weight savings – an incredible 900kg on the boom, and three tonne on the rig and rigging from her previous rig – achieved by the Southern Spars’ Custom Projects team based in Avondale, Auckland.

Photo of Classic Superyacht Endeavour JK4 after 18month refit

No expense was spared during the restoration of the luxury yacht Endeavour, and the rig itself is no different, says Southern Spars project manager Olivier Marthe.

“She utilises the latest Element C6 (EC6) continuous carbon fibre rigging technology, a 19m (62.33’) high modulus carbon fibre Park Avenue boom and to top it all off, the mast crane that sits at the very tip of the 53.7m high modulus carbon fibre mast is coated in gold leaf,” says Marthe.

“Being involved in the restoration of this classic America’s Cup yacht has been a dream come true for me personally; I have had an amazing week sailing on her during the sea trials.”

After completion of sea trials over the next few months sailing yacht Endeavour will spend some time on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour tuning the famous yacht which carries the legend JK4 yacht on her sails. In February she will be shipped to the Northern Hemisphere ready to compete in the J-Class regattas in Falmouth and Solent timed to coincide with the 2012 London Olympics.

Southern Spars Custom-Projects facility in Auckland are also currently completing work on the new J-Class sailing yacht Rainbow’s rig and rigging package.