Donald McKay :: essays research papers fc

During the 1840s and 1850s America experienced its flourishing age in shipping and sailing.1 At the front of this era was Donald McKay whose forward-looking ship designs lead to the numerous sea speed records, some of which stalemate today. For most of the early 19th century American ship build consisted of merchant and cargo ships. It took a long time for these ships to sail crosswise seas. With the increased speed came decreased time to wait for pay. An other(a) requirement for increased speed was the California gold rush of 1849. People precious to make the trip as quickly as possible in order to stake their claims. Donald McKays clipper ships enabled people to do that.This topic investigates why Donald McKay is the father of American clipper ships. He was born in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, September 4, 1810.2 When Donald was sixteen years old he had the desire to turn around the trade of ship building, so he went to red-hot York. In 1826 New York was the worlds best shipbui lder and shipbuilding was Americas leading industry. McKay decided that in order to learn the trade he must rule an apprenticeship. So he became an apprentice to Isaac Web who has appropriately been called the Father of Shipbuilders. This is because more(prenominal) successful master shipbuilders came out of Webs shipyard than from any other place in America.3 At the conclusion of his apprenticeship he went on to go away for Brown & Bell. In 1832 packet building was the best and most quick available work in New York. The majority of these ships were build at Isaac Webs, Brown & Bells, and Smith & Dimons. At this time McKay was what would be called a free lance ship wright. McKay then married Albenia Martha Boole the inaugural daughter of John Boole.4 At this time McKay then went to Newburyport and formed a partnership with William Currier. They formed the square Currier & McKay and built the Courier. This was McKays first corporeal production as designer and builder of a s hip. The Courier was built for the coffee trade between New York and Rio de Janeiro and was sold to Andrew Foster & Son.5 Their watertight soon dissolved and McKay then become connected with William Pickett and formed the firm of McKay & Pickett. Under this name they built the New York packet ship St. George. This was the first of the Red Cross Line.