Description

Fully rigged model of the clipper ship Cutty Sark. The solid wood hull shows the extreme shape of a clipper ship, with a sharp, flared bow and narrow stern below the waterline that enables speedy passages but limits cargo volume. The model has three masts with yards for square sails on each. It is finished with varnish above the waterline, and with paint mimicking copper below.

The Cutty Sark was built in Dunbarton, Scotland in 1869, using iron frames and diagonal braces beneath wooden planking. When launched, the Cutty Sark sailed in the tea trade between Britain and China and was recognized as a very fast vessel.