STS Young Endeavour

STS Young Endeavour is an Australian tall ship. Built by Brooke Marine (which became Brooke Yachts during the vessel's construction), Young Endeavour was given to Australia by the British government in 1988, as a gift to celebrate Australia's bicentenary of colonisation. Although operated by the Royal Australian Navy, Young Endeavour is primarily used to provide sail training to Australian youth through the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, with up to 30 youth supplementing the small naval complement on a voyage.

Design and construction
Young Endeavour has a displacement of 239 tonnes. The ship is 44 m in length overall and 28.3 m in waterline length, has a beam of 7.8 m, and a draught of 4 m. The vessel is brigantine rigged, with a 32 m tall mainmast, and ten sails with a total area of 511 m2. Auxiliary propulsion is provided by two Perkins V8 M200 TI diesel engines, providing 165 hp each. Young Endeavour can achieve speeds of 14 kn under sail, or 10 kn running on the diesels. The vessel is a sister ship to Tunas Samudera, a Malaysian Navy sail training ship.

The ship was ordered by the British government as a gift to Australia in recognition of Australia's bicentenary of colonisation. Designed by naval architect Colin Mudie, Young Endeavour was laid down by Brooke Marine (which became Brooke Yachts during the vessel's construction) in May 1986, and was launched on 2 June 1987. On 3 August, Young Endeavour sailed from Lowestoft in England to Australia, via Rio de Janeiro, Tristan da Cunha, and the waters of Antarctica. On 25 January 1988, Young Endeavour was handed over to the Australian Government. The ship's motto is carpe diem, Latin for "Seize the day".

Young Endeavour Youth Scheme
Although the Australian government decided that Young Endeavour would be operated and maintained by the Royal Australian Navy, the vessel would be used to provide sail training to Australian youth. The "Young Endeavour Youth Scheme" was established in 1988 as a not-for-profit organisation, with a civilian management and administration team based in Sydney, the ship's homeport. The scheme's aims are to develop teamwork and leadership skills in Australian youth, while increasing participants' self-awareness and sense of community spirit.

Under the scheme, 24 to 30 'youth crew' (aged between 16 and 23) join a voyage to supplement the 9 or 10 naval personnel from the Mine Warfare, Hydrographic and Patrol Boat Force, which Young Endeavour is attached to. Over 500 youth per year participate in the scheme, and are selected for the voyages by a biannual ballot. Each voyage typically lasts ten to eleven days, during which the youth crew rotate through most roles aboard the ship, stand watches, and help with Young Endeavour's operation. Near the end of the voyage, the crew undergoes "command day": a 24-hour period in which the ship is entirely under control of the youth crew. As part of most voyages, the combined crew takes a group of special needs youth on a half-day sail.

Between the scheme's inception in 1988 and mid-2011, over 11,000 youth have participated in voyages, while another 11,000 special needs youth have been involved in half-day sails. The vessel is at sea for approximately 240 days per year.

Operational history
Youn Endeavour left Australian waters for the first time in 1990, when she sailed to New Zealand for celebrations of the sesquicentennial of the Treaty of Waitangi's signing and the opening of the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

During 1992, the ship circumnavigated the world and participated in 500th anniversary celebrations of Cristopher Columbus' round-the-world voyage.

In 1995, Young Endeavour circumnavigated Australia, and visited Indonesia for the nation's 50th anniversary of independence.

During 2001, as part of Centenary of Federation celebrations, the tall ship circumnavigated Australia.

In 2006, Young Endeavour visited New Zealand.

In October 2013 Young Endeavour participated in the International Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney, Australia.