Champion of the Seas facts for kids
Champion of the Seas. Photo by Southworth & Hawes ca.1854.
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Quick facts for kids 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 |
 United Kingdom |
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| Owner |
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| Port of registry | Liverpool |
| Acquired | September 1854 (re-registered) |
| Fate | Abandoned in leaking condition 3 January 1877 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Clipper |
| Tonnage | 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 |
Champion of the Seas was a very fast sailing ship called a clipper. It was the second largest clipper ship built to carry passengers and goods. This amazing ship sailed between Liverpool, England, and Melbourne, Australia.
The Champion of the Seas was ordered by James Baines for his company, the Black Ball Line. A famous shipbuilder named Donald McKay built her. She was launched on April 19, 1854. The ship was finally abandoned at sea on January 3, 1877, near Cape Horn.
This ship set an incredible speed record! From noon on December 10 to noon on December 11, 1854, she sailed 465 nautical miles (861 km) in just 24 hours. That's about 19.5 knots (36 km/h)! This record for the fastest day's run by a sailing ship lasted for nearly 130 years, until August 1984.
Contents
Building a Super-Fast Clipper
The Champion of the Seas was built to be very strong. Her design was even better than another famous ship McKay had built, the Lightning. The main frame of the ship was made from strong white oak wood. It was also reinforced with iron bars in a criss-cross pattern.
The inside and outside planks were made of hard pine. Everything was securely fastened together. The ship had three decks, which are the floors inside a ship. Her sails and masts were similar in size to the Lightning. To make all her working sails, it took about 12,500 yards of cotton fabric!
After she was finished, the Champion of the Seas was pulled from Boston to New York by a steam tugboat. This tugboat was named R.B. Forbes.
Special Features of the Ship
The front of the Champion of the Seas had a special carving called a figurehead. It was a full figure of a sailor. He had his hat in his right hand and his left hand stretched out. People said it was a very striking figurehead. The sailor looked tall and strong, with dark curly hair.
The back of the ship was rounded and decorated with Australia's coat of arms. The outside of the ship was painted black. The inside was white, and the waterways (parts of the deck) were blue. These were the special colors of the Black Ball Line.
The Ship's Exciting Journeys
The Champion of the Seas was built by Donald McKay for the Black Ball Line in Liverpool. She looked a lot like McKay's other famous clipper ships, Lightning and James Baines. However, she didn't have any sails above the main "royal" sails.
Her very first trip was from Liverpool to Melbourne. This journey took 75 days, from October 11 to December 26, 1854. During this trip, she set her amazing 24-hour speed record of 465 nautical miles (861 km).
Serving as a Passenger Ship
From the time she was launched until 1868, the Champion mostly carried passengers. She helped many people travel across the oceans.
In 1857, there was a time when the British government needed to move soldiers quickly. They hired three Black Ball clippers, including the Champion of the Seas, to carry troops to Calcutta (now Kolkata). Before they left, Champion of the Seas and James Baines were even inspected by Queen Victoria herself!
Later Years and Final Voyage
In 1868, the Champion of the Seas started carrying general goods instead of just passengers. She continued this work until January 3, 1877. On that day, she was sailing near Cape Horn with a cargo of guano (a type of fertilizer). The ship began to leak very badly.
Her crew had to abandon the ship because it was no longer safe. Luckily, another British ship, the Windsor, rescued the crew. The Champion of the Seas was left behind, leaking and sinking.
Key Dates in Her History
- April 19, 1854: Launched at Donald McKay's shipyard in East Boston.
- June 1854: Sailed from New York to Liverpool in 29 days with Captain Alexander Newlands.
- October 11 – December 26, 1854: Her first trip from Liverpool to Melbourne took 75 days. She set her 24-hour speed record during this voyage.
- 1855: Sailed from Melbourne to Liverpool in 84 days, and then Liverpool to Melbourne in 83 days.
- August 10, 1857: Carried troops from Portsmouth to Calcutta (India) in 101 days.
- 1866: Sold to new owners, but still chartered by the Black Ball Line for three more trips.
- September 1868: Started carrying general goods instead of passengers.
- January 3, 1877: Abandoned off Cape Horn because she was leaking badly. Her crew was rescued.
See also
- List of clipper ships
- Bibliography of early American naval history
