Design and Construction
The Endeavour 37 has a 30-foot waterline, an 11-foot 7-inch beam, and a shoal 4-foot 6-inch draft. Its long, shallow cruising fin terminates well forward of the skeg-hung rudder. Displacement is 20,000 pounds, including 7,500 to 8,000 pounds of internal lead ballast.
The hull is a single-skin, solid fiberglass laminate made with polyester resin, woven roving, and multi-directional chopped strand fiber. The keel is molded integrally; its lead ballast was dropped in and glassed over, so there are no keel bolts to monitor.
The deck and cockpit form another single molded unit, with plywood coring in the cabin top, deck, seats, and cockpit sole for stiffness. Stainless steel bolts secure the hull-to-deck joint. Each bulkhead is bonded to the hull with two layers of woven roving on both sides.
The rudder is made from solid high-density foam covered by a fiberglass skin. Its integrally molded solid stainless post is welded to an internal steel blade. Owners surveyed by Practical Sailor described the boat as feeling solid and “built like a tank.” They reported no structural problems involving oilcanning panels or moving bulkheads.
Rig and Handling
Most Endeavour 37s have masthead sloop rigs, although the ketch was a factory option. Buyers could choose short, standard, or tall masts. Ketch and cutter versions could also be fitted with an optional three-foot bowsprit to enlarge the foretriangle.
The standard sloop carries 580 square feet of sail, while the tall-mast cutter carries 726 square feet. Practical Sailor judged the sloop somewhat underpowered and noted that neither rig makes the Endeavour 37 a fast boat, nor was she intended to be.
Shoal draft came at the expense of windward performance. Readers have reported heavy weather helm in stronger winds, excessive leeway, and tacking angles as wide as 115 degrees. Many owners, however, report satisfactory balance when they pay attention to trim, reefing, and sail combinations.
The rig is simple and unlikely to confuse a newer sailor. External halyards lead to mast-mounted Lewmar single winches, while #40 self-tailing sheet winches are fitted in the cockpit.
Deck and Cockpit
Wide, uncluttered side decks make it easier to move around the boat. Forward, the toerail rises into a mini-bulwark that offers some security during sail changes. The cockpit’s high coaming provides both back support and protection.
Accommodations
Endeavour offered two principal interior arrangements, later adding a Plan-C. Plan-C gave the aft cabin more privacy by removing the chart table found in Plan-A.
Plan-A replaced the forward V-berths with an enormous U-shaped dinette and devoted the forepeak to chain and sail stowage. Plan-B retained conventional V-berths forward and added a pilot berth, which most owners converted to stowage.
Both layouts sleep at least six and provide decent sea berths. Headroom is 6 feet 3 inches. A teak parquet sole, varnished teak trim, and soft white overheads give the interior its characteristic Endeavour appearance.
There are compromises. Practical Sailor found the aft cabin cramped, and some Plan-B owners described the port quarter berth as stuffy. The V-berths are also too short for anyone over six feet. Even so, a high percentage of surveyed owners were liveaboards and considered the boat ideal for that purpose.
Machinery and Tankage
The standard auxiliary was a freshwater-cooled, 50-horsepower Perkins 4-108 coupled to a Warner hydraulic reduction gear. A 1-1/4-inch stainless shaft drove a bronze two-blade propeller, with a three-blade propeller available as an option.
Fuel capacity is cited at about 65 gallons in a baffled tank, while water capacity is 101 gallons.
Known Issues
Owner reports and survey notes identify several recurring problems. Numerous owners complained of gelcoat crazing, a condition also found on the Endeavour 32. Plastic Vetus hatches were known to craze and drip.
Some boats had gate valves on their through-hulls; some owners correctly replaced these with sea cocks. Side-loading refrigerators fitted to some boats were later replaced with top-loading ice boxes. Other reported concerns included pumping of the Isomat spar and inaccessible electrical wiring, despite the builder’s claim that most wiring ran high and could be removed from beneath the side-deck panels.
Tank placement can also cause the boat to list as water and holding-tank loads change.
Refits and Ownership
The simple rig, robust solid-laminate hull, and lack of keel bolts make structural ownership relatively straightforward. The through-hull, hatch, and refrigeration concerns are conventional mid-life upgrade items.
The Endeavour 37 also served happily as a charter boat with several companies, including Bahamas Yachting Services, and has made safe ocean passages.
The Verdict
The Endeavour 37 is a heavily built, comfortable liveaboard cruiser. For buyers interested in protected-water cruising and passage-making, its shoal draft and solid feel may outweigh its marginal upwind speed. It rewards attentive sail trim and benefits from targeted upgrades to the through-hulls, hatches, and refrigeration.
Pros
- Integral keel with internal lead ballast and no keel bolts to corrode or loosen
- Solid fiberglass hull and bonded bulkheads, with no reported structural movement
- Teak parquet sole and flexible Plan-A, Plan-B, and Plan-C interiors suited to liveaboard use
- Simple masthead rig that’s easy for less experienced sailors to manage
Cons
- Underpowered sloop rig, with reports of heavy weather helm and wide tacking angles
- Gelcoat crazing, dripping Vetus hatches, and inaccessible wiring on some boats
- V-berths too short for tall owners and a cramped aft quarter cabin
- Tendency to list because of tank placement
- Gate-valve through-hulls that need replacement
