CLIPPER SHIPS

WHAT IS A CLIPPER SHIP?

Clipper Ships were built in the first half of the 19th Century to serve the need to

 Transport Cargo

on Long Journeys

as Quickly as Possible

WHY IS IT CALLED A “CLIPPER”?

What Distinguished Them From Other Ships?

Most had 3 masts

and Large Square Sails

This plan has 32 sails –

just like the Sea Serpent!

What Else Helped Them Go Faster?

The bows (front of the ship) were wide and slightly raked forward

so they could move forward rapidly

cutting the waves

Those with the sharpest bows were called “Extreme Clippers”

Rainbow, launched in New York  in 1845 by one of Williams’ distant relatives in the firm  Howland & Aspinwall, was the first extreme clipper!

How Fast Could They Go?

Normal ships of the time could go

less than 150 nautical miles per day

Clippers could go 250 …

and some Extreme Clippers went more than 400!

When fully rigged and riding a tradewind,

they had peak average speeds of over 16 knots

WHAT IS A NAUTICAL MILE?
WHAT IS A KNOT
WHY IS IT CALLED A KNOT?

Sharper Bows Meant Less Cargo Capacity

But this was not a problem

Since the Cargo was of very High Value

So it was Still Profitable!

CALIFORNIA

was desperate for provisions

to settle the area

and for the Gold Rush

Tea, Silks and Lacquerware

from China

brought high prices in the US

Why Did the Clipper Era End?

The California Boom Years Ended,

so Freight Rates Diminished after 1853

The United States Civil War

caused a Disruption in Trade

Reduced freight rates

made Clippers less profitable

Steamships were developed

that had both faster speed and increased cargo

The Suez Canal opened in 1869

providing a more direct route from Asia to Europe

Clippers could not pass through

but Steamships could

By the early 20th century, clipper ships were no longer competitive

and disappeared from global shipping lanes

However, Clipper Ships Are Still Remembered For Their

Speed, Usability, and Beauty

Go To Journal
Go To The Mid-1800’s