Mini J Class

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by Tim Judge, May 28, 2010.

  1. Tim Judge
    Joined: May 2010
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    Location: Hudson River

    Tim Judge Tim J

    Endeavour Js were produced in the UK in the mid 1980s. These are scaled down versions of the J Class Endeavour. I think there were about 22 made, 6 sent to North America and imported by Tom Hale at the Martha's Vineyard Shipyard. I know of three today: an all fiberglass version and two with teak decks (one in Cape Cod area, the other one is my boat). There may be one on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. I would love to know if there are any other Mini J sailing. Check out the gallery for some pixs.

    Mini J
    LOA 20ft 4in
    LWL 12 ft
    Beam 3ft 6 in
     
  2. Herman
    Joined: Oct 2004
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    Location: The Netherlands

    Herman Senior Member

    Great looking boat. At university, I sailed Mini12M, and Illusions. Real fun!
     
  3. Tim Judge
    Joined: May 2010
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    Location: Hudson River

    Tim Judge Tim J

    Interesting news...I now know of 4 Endeavour J on the east coast of North America...and I am on the trail of a mould. Any other mini Js out there?
     
  4. Tim Judge
    Joined: May 2010
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    Location: Hudson River

    Tim Judge Tim J

    Restoration of the Mini J

    I spent several months (and a surgical delay) to redo the hull at the waterline, and the bright work. The gelcoat had peeled off at the bootstripe, and I found a very soft spot at the bottom of the keel.

    I had water in the very bottom of the keel, below the drain plug (design flaw) and used a poltice of sorts. I took CaCl wrapped in a cloth and a plastic film backing and taped it to soft spot....it did draw water out, and when used in combination with a wet/dry shop vac tapped to the hull I managed to dry it out..no moisture meter, but it got dry.

    Once I cut out the damaged glass, I had to perform an emergency herni repair to keep the lead shot balast from pouring out. A week later I was in the hospital undergoing the same.

    Have a look at the photos...of the boat.
     
  5. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: Cocoa, Florida

    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Tim, how do you like the wheel steering? I'm doing a singlehanded 18 footer and I've been trying to decide-wheel ,footpedals or some sort of tiller.
    I posted the wheel picture-if you'd rather I didn't I'll be glad to remove it.
     

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  6. Tim Judge
    Joined: May 2010
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    Location: Hudson River

    Tim Judge Tim J

    The wheel

    Doug...the wheel is great...easy to use and with the mini J gives you a bit of big boat feel. Also there is no weather helm. I would say more comfortable too in that I can move my legs and or feet without changing course. Kay Fore has a Safe-tee cable stearing system like that used for smaller power boats.
     
  7. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: Cocoa, Florida

    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    -------------
    Thanks, Tim-I'll look into that kind of cable-hadn't considered it.
    ----
    Just thought of another question: is there no weather helm because the boat is perfectly balanced or is it because there is no feedback with that cable system?
     
  8. Tim Judge
    Joined: May 2010
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    Location: Hudson River

    Tim Judge Tim J

    Steering

    Doug if you look just above the aft cockpit backrest and just below the aft combing, you can see the steering mechanism. The cable spool is forward of the wheel, runs below deck dow the port side to the unit with a push rod. The rod is attached to a pivot that is attached to another rod with a socket for the ball joint on the rudder post. The rudder post has a short (~3") flat plate with a ~5/8" ball.

    Tim
     
  9. Tim Judge
    Joined: May 2010
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    Location: Hudson River

    Tim Judge Tim J

    Doug...sorry but I never did answer your question about the weather helm....there is feedback, and you do know what the current/tide is doing in addition to the wind...the cable system is very sensitive....however it is not like a tiller, and you grow into it...as Garry Jobson observed of Russell Coutts "he has a light touch on the wheel"...and that is all you need. The boat is well balanced, but waves and minor shifts in wind do have an effect because of her narrow beam...I am going to redo her teak deck, and the company I contacted about the work is doing the deck for Endeavour, the full size J....so mine will have the same teak as her "mother" as my daughter calls Endeavour...she is undergoing a refit in New Zealand.
     
  10. Doug Lord
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    ------------------------
    I appreciate the info, Tim.
     
  11. mark heydt
    Joined: Aug 2012
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    Location: Sag Harbor

    mark heydt New Member

    Tim, I have the identical boat to yours - Navy Blue Endeavour J. Bought it from Tom Hale in the '80s. It's in need of restoration. Could I speak to you about this? Thanks.
     
  12. Paul Newell
    Joined: Jun 2013
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    Location: Isle of Wight

    Paul Newell New Member

    Hi all. My name is Paul Newell and I'm from the Isle of Wight, UK.
    My father, Norman Newell, was, with two others (Evert De Kort and John Watson), responsible for helping to make the mini Endeavours. All three men are dead now.
    He made the first boat as a stripped planked hull in about 1984. This hull still exists although it was never fitted out and therefore never sailed.

    The moulds here in the UK were destroyed many years ago when the company who produced the fibre glass hulls went bust.

    The mast making company Needlespar made the first masts and I made the first suites of sails when I worked in Cowes for Stephen Ratsey Sails (direct descendant of the Ratsey from Ratsey and Lapthorn Sailmakers) His trade mark was the red diamond I've seen on the sails in some of your photo's.
    There is almost no paperwork left from when my father was involved and I don't have any photo's of either construction or sailing so no plans, sorry. But I do have the original drawings I made with the sails sizes and seam shaping for the mainsail and jib.

    I do however have access to the original wooden boat. She is varnished with a green bottom. She is stored in an old World War 1 gun emplacement in constant temperature and humidity.

    I have some photo's of this boat (but not on the computer I write this from) and, if asked, I could easily take some more if anyone wants to see this boat.

    I have been in an email correspondence a while ago with one of you but I cannot find these emails now so I'm not sure now who I was writing to.

    Please make contact either here or direct to my email account (newellsails@gmail.com) if anyone want more info or photo's
    Yours
    Paul Newell
     
  13. Doug Lord
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    If it's not too much trouble, I'd love to see pictures the original hull.
     
  14. Paul Newell
    Joined: Jun 2013
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    Paul Newell New Member

    Hi Again

    If I've done it right there should be a photo of the wooden J
     

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  15. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: Cocoa, Florida

    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    J Class

    Just beautiful, Paul-thanks!
     
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