Kelley combined an 11,350-pound displacement hull, 4,600 pounds of internal lead ballast, and an 11-foot-6-inch beam in a 33-foot cruiser. The manufacturer described the result as a fresh design combining elegance, comfortable accommodations, and performance.
Design and Construction
For its time, the Endeavour 33 marked a deliberate advance in the builder’s laminate practice. Its one-piece, hand-laminated hull was cored with Klegecell rigid closed-cell polyvinyl foam and molded in polyester resin, woven roving, and multidirectional chopped strand fiber. Non-woven unidirectional rovings added further strength.
A one-piece, multi-axial, steel-reinforced fiberglass grid was bonded into the hull, providing rigidity without external framing. The keel was molded integrally with the hull. Cast lead ballast pieces were set in polyester bonding resin and capped with woven roving, making the finished ballast a structural part of the boat rather than a bolt-on mass.
Plywood coring stiffened the cabin top, deck, seats, and cockpit sole. The deck and cockpit formed a single molded unit. Endeavour joined the hull and deck with its usual flange construction: the joint was coated with adhesive-sealant, thru-bolted with stainless steel fasteners, and finished with a bedded teak toe rail. Standard finishes included a molded non-skid deck, a pigmented gelcoat exterior, and sprayed Imron boot and sheer stripes.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The Endeavour 33 carried a double-spreader masthead sloop rig on Isomat aluminum spars. Its 539.5-square-foot standard sail plan was built around a 110% genoa.
The mast passed through the deck to a steel step on the keel. Stainless steel wire standing rigging led to chainplates thru-bolted at the hull edges, with extra fiberglass reinforcement molded into each chainplate area. External halyards ran to Lewmar 32 winches on the mast. Lewmar 40 self-tailers in the cockpit handled the sheets, while a deck-mounted traveler just forward of the companionway controlled the main.
On the water, the 33 proved close-winded and routinely held 45 degrees in a breeze. She was less eager in light air unless carrying a 150% roller-furling genoa. She balanced easily on any point of sail, rarely dipped a toerail, and almost never pounded in a seaway. A small crew—or even a singlehander—could manage her, and seven knots was attainable when conditions allowed.
Accommodations
Below, the molded fiberglass interior was fitted with varnished teak bulkheads and cabinetry. It was pre-assembled outside the hull, then bonded in with woven roving and mat to form one rigid structure.
Headroom was a full 6 feet 2 inches beneath soft white overheads, and the teak-and-holly cabin sole was removable. Forward was a V-berth, separated from the main saloon by a head to port and wet and dry lockers to starboard.
In the saloon, a fold-up teak table served an L-shaped port settee and a starboard single settee. The port settee converted to a double with its removable back. A double pilot berth lay aft to port, while the galley occupied the aft starboard side. It included an icebox and a gimbaled three-burner alcohol or gas stove with an oven.
Ten opening Lexan ports and two large aluminum deck hatches—one over the bow and one over the saloon—provided light and ventilation. Early hulls instead had six opening ports and four fixed ports.
Machinery, Steering, and Electrical Systems
Fresh-water-cooled Yanmar diesels were standard. Buyers could choose either a 22-horsepower 2QM20 two-cylinder or a 22.5-horsepower 3GMF three-cylinder. The engine turned a 16-inch two-blade propeller on a one-inch stainless steel shaft through a Vernalift muffler.
A baffled, welded-aluminum fuel tank sat beneath the cockpit, aft of the engine. Engine access was partial through the cockpit locker; removing the stairs provided full access.
Most wiring was mounted high and remained accessible behind the side-deck ceiling panels. The system used color-coded 10-gauge copper wire with crimp connectors, while below-waterline metals were bonded to the common ground. Two group-27 house batteries wired in parallel were charged by a 35-amp Hitachi alternator.
Steering was by a 24-inch Edson pedestal with cable-and-quadrant linkage, accessible through a lazarette drop box. An emergency rudder, stowed beneath the port settee, could be fitted to a deck flange behind the wheel.
The Verdict
The Endeavour 33 is a coherent small cruiser from a clearly defined three-year production period. Its foam-cored, grid-reinforced hull incorporates structural internal lead ballast, while the practical double-spreader rig and bonded, teak-trimmed interior suit short-handed cruising. The accommodation plan sleeps seven without feeling makeshift.
She is forgiving, well balanced, close-winded in a breeze, and manageable by a small crew. In light air, however, she can feel a little lazy until more genoa area is added.
Pros
- Foam-cored hull with structurally integrated lead ballast and a steel-reinforced grid
- Pre-assembled, bonded interior with genuine 6-foot-2-inch headroom and seven berths
- Close-winded, well balanced, and calm in a seaway
- Manageable by a small crew or singlehander
Cons
- Light-air performance benefits from a larger roller-furling genoa
- Early hulls had four fixed ports rather than the later all-opening arrangement
- Engine access is only partial from the cockpit locker; full access requires removing the stairs
