- Author
- A.N. Other and NHSA Webmaster
- Subjects
- Ship histories and stories
- Tags
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- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- June 2000 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
The people who are prepared to challenge their own ideas about their limitations are the people who make the most of their lives. These are the people who are prepared to be uncomfortable, disoriented and challenged. The young people who sail STS Young Endeavour must come to terms with all aspects of sailing a tall ship on the open sea, from climbing the mast, setting the sails, getting involved with the navigation and taking the helm to helping out in the galley. For many young adventurers those challenges help make the journey of self-discovery aboard STS Young Endeavour the opportunity of a lifetime.
STS Young Endeavour was built in Portsmouth, England and was completed in 1987. The United Kingdom presented the ship to the Government and people of Australia as a bicentennial gift; soon thereafter the Prime Minister dedicated the ship for `the benefit of the young people of Australia’. The Royal Australian Navy was to operate and maintain the vessel, on behalf of the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, which was established to manage the associated sail training program. The Scheme was established in 1988 with an advisory board of directors responsible directly to the Minister for Defence. A small administration of the Scheme, through the civilian-staffed office, is based in the ship’s homeport of Sydney.
The ship and her RAN crew currently led by the Commanding Officer LCDR Andrew Rourke, RAN conduct a hectic voyage program for young Australians aged between 16 and 23. The program consists of nineteen voyages per year, each voyage lasting for ten days and carrying twenty four youth crew (four hundred and fifty-three young Australians joined the Young Endeavour family last year). Opportunities to day sail in STS Young Endeavour are provided for young people who are unable to undertake the full ten day voyage. Key corporate and community organisations sponsor opportunities for the personal development of young people through `adventure under sail’.
The ship has conducted a highly successful visit to New Zealand already this year and will visit five states within Australia before the start of the next Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (STS Young Endeavour has been the radio relay vessel for the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race since 1989). Next year she will circumnavigate Australia, in celebration of the centenary of Federation.