Feel The Wind In Your Hair As You Sail Around The Cape Horn On The Flying CloudThe Flying cloud was the swiftest of clippers. Launched on a rainy windy morning April the 15th 1851 at Donald MacKay’s shipyard. It was during the days of the Californian gold rush. John sheered, a young man of just 23yrs of age, stood at the key admiring the magnificent ship The Flying Cloud. She was bound for California, and it was her maiden voyage. If only I could sail on the Flying Cloud, thought John, I would be in California in 4 months. On her maiden voyage, under the command of Captain Josiah Perkins Cressy, The Flying Cloud set a world record that went unbroken for more than a century. The Flying Cloud was the dream and inspiration of Donald Mckay. He set out to design an extreme clipper ship capable of the famous Cape Horn run. Donald McKay constructed a ship-model of the Flying Cloud down to the minutest detail of what he intuitively desired. The Flying Cloud’s large heel was built of rock Maplewood, fastened and bolted together with iron drift bolts. The Flying Cloud was the largest clipper in the world, carrying 10,000 yards of canvas, sailing from New York to San Francisco in only 89 days becoming an enduring symbol of a young nations frontier spirit. To view a beautiful ship-model of The Flying Cloud click the button below.
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