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 in length overall and in waterline length , has a beam of , and a draught of . The vessel is brigantine rigged , with a tall mainmast , and ten sails with a total area of . Auxiliary propulsion is provided by two Perkins V8 M200 TI diesel engines , providing each . " Young Endeavour " can achieve speeds of under sail , or 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 .