Design and Construction
The Endeavour 51 measures 51 feet overall, with a 42-foot-3-inch waterline, a 15-foot beam, a displacement of 37,500 pounds, and 17,300 pounds of ballast.
The fiberglass hull and deck were built as a balsa-cored sandwich, a construction method the period review credited with improving comfort below. Because balsa is used as the core material, any work that penetrates the sandwich must be handled so that water can’t reach the core.
Valentijn drew the yacht with a winged rudder and winged keel, although some hulls carried only the winged keel. Keel choices included a standard 7-foot-6-inch draft, a 5-foot shoal winged keel, and a 5-foot-8-inch winged keel introduced in 1989. The review also notes fin-keel and wing-keel variants, with their respective drafts affecting marina access.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Endeavour 51 carries a masthead-sloop rig with 1,238 square feet of sail at 100 percent. That total comprises a 523-square-foot mainsail and a 714-square-foot foretriangle. Rig dimensions are an I of 66 feet, J of 21 feet 67 inches, P of 57 feet 5 inches, and E of 18 feet.
With the ISO reference sail, the SA/D ratio is 15.4; with a 135 percent genoa, it rises to 18.5. The displacement-length ratio of 222 places the boat among moderate racers by that metric. Its capsize screening value is 1.79, which, by that formula alone, would admit it to ocean races.
The theoretical displacement hull speed is 8.7 knots. A motion comfort ratio of 34.8 indicates a steady sea boat.
Accommodations
Endeavour offered the 51 in both charter and private-owner layouts. The charter version had two aft cabins, each with its own head. The private layout replaced them with a single aft master stateroom and head.
Forward, a traditional V-berth was followed by two quarter berths, one to port and one to starboard. Depending on the configuration, the yacht has three or four cabins, six or eight berths, and a galley. Headroom is 7 feet, which is above average for the class.
Engine and Tankage
The standard auxiliary was a Perkins 4-236 rated at 85 horsepower, paired with a 1.9-to-1 reduction gear and a 62-amp alternator. The review notes that some boats may instead have an inboard Yanmar diesel.
Tankage figures differ between sources. The manufacturer’s specification lists 100 gallons of diesel, while the review gives fuel capacity as 159 gallons. Fresh water is listed as 300 gallons, with hot and cold water, in the specification and 399 US gallons in the review.
The Verdict
The Endeavour 51 is a substantial center-cockpit cruiser. Valentijn’s design and the balsa-cored fiberglass construction provide a roomy, steady platform, while the available keel and accommodation layouts suit different approaches to long-range living.
The choice between charter and private-owner interiors, the generous beam, and the tall sail plan make it a capable voyager with multiple keel and layout choices for long-range living. The balsa core, however, calls for disciplined work wherever hardware or other fittings penetrate the deck.
Pros
- Three or four cabins, six to eight berths, and above-average 7-foot headroom
- Winged-keel and shoal-draft options that allow access to a wider range of marinas
- 17,300 pounds of ballast and a 34.8 comfort ratio for stable motion
Cons
- Balsa sandwich core can be vulnerable if deck-hardware penetrations allow water in
- Conflicting fuel and water tankage figures among sources
- Fin-keel draft limits access to many marinas, leaving mainly larger facilities
