[CertainInalienableRights]

Can anyone who knows about the history of these vessels answer a question?

I read the clipper’s domination of the China trade came to an end because the Suez canal was built, giving the slower steam ships access to China via a shortcut because the clippers weren’t able to navigate the canal.

Was this because the clippers were too big? I’m just sort of curious why they didn’t use the steam vessels to tow the clippers through the Suez and let them do what they did best for the rest of the route.

[Agent Smith]

Distance sailed was/is less of an issue for sailing ships. It was much more important to stay in the tradewinds and use them to keep the ship moving along at a high speed. Lots of extra distance was always sailed, because there are no staight lines when you depend upon the winds.

The Steamships although slower in speed could maintain a straight course to their destinations which got them there in a shorter amount of time, on a regular schedule and with a smaller crew.

[Atlas Sneezed]

I read the clipper’s domination of the China trade came to an end because the Suez canal was built, giving the slower steam ships access to China via a shortcut because the clippers weren’t able to navigate the canal.

Was this because the clippers were too big?

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No. Sailboats must tack back and forth, and the Suez is a narrow ditch analogous to a single-lane highway. Sailboats would be running aground on the banks all the time.

[spokeshave]

Captain Woodgate....former captain of the Cutty Sark....his hobby in retirement was breaking in wild horses.

[Chouan]

TYhe winds through the n.Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Med. were not suitable, so the Clippers would lose time using those routes. Light winds would, of course, be ideal for steam ships.

[No Truce With Kings]

“Was this because the clippers were too big? I’m just sort of curious why they didn’t use the steam vessels to tow the clippers through the Suez and let them do what they did best for the rest of the route.”

The problem was not the Suez Canal. The problem was that winds in the Mediterranean and Red Seas are highly variable. Clippers were ships optimized to have strong steady winds coming at them from behind.

For both the Med and the Red you need a fore-and-aft rig because you are going to be spending a lot of time beating into the wind.

It is like trying to take an Indy racer through Galveston’s back alleys. You can do it, but it won’t be traveling much faster than a panel van.

Since the whole reason for the extreme clippers was speed (even cargo space was sacrificed) when slow steamers could get there faster (using the Suez short-cut) than tea clippers, it was game over for the tea clippers.