Donald McKay :: essays research papers fc

During the 1840s and 1850s America experienced its lucky age in shipping and sailing.1 At the front of this era was Donald McKay whose innovational ship designs lead to the numerous sea speed records, some of which condense today. For most of the early 19th century American ship construct 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 opposite adopt for increased speed was the California gold rush of 1849. People valued to make the trip as quickly as possible in order to stake their claims. Donald McKays clipper ships enabled people to do that.This constitution 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 go out the trade of ship building, so he went to innovative York. In 1826 New York was the worlds best shipbuilder and shipbuilding was Americas leading industry. McKay inflexible that in order to learn the trade he must hold up an apprenticeship. So he became an apprentice to Isaac Web who has appropriately been called the Father of Shipbuilders. This is because to a greater extent 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 accomplishment for Brown & Bell. In 1832 packet building was the best and most quick available work in New York. The majority of these ships were create 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 world-classborn daughter of John Boole.4 At this time McKay then went to Newburyport and formed a partnership with William Currier. They formed the faithful Currier & McKay and built the Courier. This was McKays first true production as designer and buil der of a ship. The Courier was built for the coffee trade between New York and Rio de Janeiro and was sold to Andrew Foster & Son.5 Their regular 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.