Champion of the Seas
Champion of the Seas. Photo by Southworth & Hawes ca.1854.
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Owner: |
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| Port of registry: | Boston |
| Builder: | Donald McKay, East Boston, MA |
| Launched: | 19 April 1854 |
| In service: | 1854 |
 UK
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| Owner: |
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| Port of registry: | Liverpool |
| Acquired: | September 1854 (re-registered) |
| Out of service: | 1877 |
| Fate: | Abandoned |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Clipper |
| Tons burthen: | 2,447 GRT |
| Length: | 252 ft (77 m) |
| Beam: | 45 ft 6 in (13.87 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 29 ft (8.8 m) |
| Propulsion: | Sails (6,250 sq yd (5,230 m2)) |
| Sail plan: | Full-rigged ship |
| Notes: | |
Champion of the Seas was the second largest clipper ship destined for the Liverpool, England - Melbourne, Australia passenger service. Champion was ordered by James Baines of the Black Ball Line from Donald McKay. She was launched 19 April 1854 and was abandoned 3 January 1877, off Cape Horn.
Champion of the Seas set a record for the fastest day's run in 24 hours: 465 nautical miles (861 km) noon to noon 10–11 December 1854 under the command of Captain Alexander Newlands. This record stood until August 1984, nearly 130 years.
Champion of the Seas was "fuller aft than forward", and her strength of construction was an improvement over the Lightning, which Mackay had built the previous year. The frame was white oak, diagonally cross-braced with iron, planking and ceiling of hard pine, square fastened throughout. She had 3 decks. Her sail area and spars were roughly the same as Lightning. Her working suit of sails required 12,500 yards of cotton, 18 inches wide.
Upon completion, Champion of the Seas was towed from Boston to New York by the steam tug R.B. Forbes.
Champion of the Seas's figurehead was the full figure of a sailor "with his hat in his right hand, and left hand extended ... It was certainly a most striking figurehead, the tall square-built mariner, with dark curly hair and bronze clean-shaven face." Her semi-elliptical stern was ornamented with the coat of arms of Australia. She was painted black on the outside, white on the inside, with blue waterways: the colors of the Black Ball Line.
James Baines ordered Champion of the Seas from Donald McKay of East Boston for the Black Ball Line of Liverpool. She was similar in appearance to McKay's other clippers, Lightning and James Baines, but set no sails above the royals. She set the record for the longest day's run, 465 nautical miles (861 km) on 10–11 December 1854 on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne.
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Wikipedia