How was the replica of James Cook's ship built and sailed?

The HM Bark Endeavour replica is a modern reconstruction of the vessel commanded by Lieutenant James Cook during his first voyage to the Pacific. Construction began in 1988 at a specialized shipyard, but financial troubles with initial backers halted work until a charitable trust took over in 1991. Launched in late 1993 and completed in 1994, the replica undertook multiple global voyages, recreating Cook's historic routes along Australia and New Zealand before ownership was transferred to the Australian National Maritime Museum.

What we know

• The initial idea to recreate the Endeavour for use as a museum ship emerged during the establishment of the Australian National Maritime Museum in the 1980s. [2]
• Construction of the replica started in 1988 but stalled two years later when the primary backer, the Bond Corporation, encountered financial difficulties, followed by the withdrawal of the Yoshiya Corporation. [2]
• Volunteers maintained the incomplete hull until the HM Bark Endeavour Foundation was formed as a charitable trust in 1991 to finish the vessel, which was subsequently launched in late 1993. [2]
• After completing sea trials and sailing to Sydney in 1994, the replica recreated Cook's voyage along eastern Australia in 1995 and visited New Zealand at the end of that year. [2]
• Original relics from the historic HMS Endeavour, such as an anchor and six cannon, are displayed at maritime museums worldwide, while the ship itself was scuttled in 1778 during the American War of Independence. [5]

Where to go next

• what caused itWhat were the main discoveries during Cook's first voyage?
• whenWhat happened to the original HMS Endeavour?
• whereWhat is the Australian National Maritime Museum?
• how it workedHow do ship replicas undergo sea trials?
• compared withHow does the Endeavour compare to HMS Beagle?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a nineteenth-century survey ship change evolutionary science?While the Endeavour replica retraced exploratory paths, another famous British naval vessel, the HMS Beagle, carried Charles Darwin around the world and helped shape his theories on natural selection.

Sources

• [1]HM Bark Endeavour Replica (Wikidata Q5635108) · CC0 1.0
• [2]HMS Endeavour replica · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]HMS Beagle · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]First voyage of James Cook · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]HMS Endeavour · CC BY-SA 4.0