Clipper City (schooner)
Encyclopedia
Clipper City is a modern replica
of a nineteenth century cargo schooner
.
clipper schooner built in Manitowoc
, Wisconsin
in 1854. Manitowoc soon became known for its shipbuilding
industry, and "Clipper City" was adopted as a nickname for the town itself. A replica cross section
of the Clipper City is on permanent display at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum
.
, and naval architects DeJong & Lebet, Inc. were hired to adapt the design to meet modern safety requirements. The new vessel, also named Clipper City, was a steel-hulled schooner carrying eight sail
s on two steel masts: six fore-and-aft rig
ged sails, and two square
topsail
s.
The Clipper City offered passenger sails out of Baltimore, Maryland for over twenty years, with occasional trips to the Caribbean
and other destinations.
to avoid foreclosure
on the vessel by Regal Bancorp, Inc. Clipper City's Coast Guard
certification was revoked shortly thereafter due to a hull failure. Following a brief seizure by U.S. Marshals, the vessel was sold at auction to Regal Bancorp for $350,000.
Clipper City was then purchased by ESV Corp and rebuilt to original condition. She operates as a day sail tour boat running out of Pier 17, South Street Seaport
in New York City
.
Ship replica
A ship replica is a reconstruction of a no longer existing ship. Replicas can range from authentically reconstructed, fully seaworthy ships, to ships of modern construction that give an impression of an historic vessel...
of a nineteenth century cargo schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
.
The original Clipper City
The first Clipper City was a cargoCargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
clipper schooner built in Manitowoc
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2000 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,053, with over 50,000 residents in the surrounding communities...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in 1854. Manitowoc soon became known for its shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
industry, and "Clipper City" was adopted as a nickname for the town itself. A replica cross section
Cross section (geometry)
In geometry, a cross-section is the intersection of a figure in 2-dimensional space with a line, or of a body in 3-dimensional space with a plane, etc...
of the Clipper City is on permanent display at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum
Wisconsin Maritime Museum
The Wisconsin Maritime Museum is a maritime museum founded in 1968 as the Manitowoc Maritime Museum to ensure that the maritime heritage of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, U.S., and the Great Lakes would not be forgotten...
.
The replica
In 1984, the plans for the original Clipper City were purchased from the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, and naval architects DeJong & Lebet, Inc. were hired to adapt the design to meet modern safety requirements. The new vessel, also named Clipper City, was a steel-hulled schooner carrying eight sail
Sail
A sail is any type of surface intended to move a vessel, vehicle or rotor by being placed in a wind—in essence a propulsion wing. Sails are used in sailing.-History of sails:...
s on two steel masts: six fore-and-aft rig
Fore-and-aft rig
A fore-and-aft rig is a sailing rig consisting mainly of sails that are set along the line of the keel rather than perpendicular to it. Such sails are described as fore-and-aft rigged....
ged sails, and two square
Square rig
Square rig is a generic type of sail and rigging arrangement in which the primary driving sails are carried on horizontal spars which are perpendicular, or square, to the keel of the vessel and to the masts. These spars are called yards and their tips, beyond the last stay, are called the yardarms...
topsail
Topsail
A topsail is a sail set above another sail; on square-rigged vessels further sails may be set above topsails.- Square rig :On a square rigged vessel, a topsail is a square sail rigged above the course sail and below the topgallant sail where carried...
s.
The Clipper City offered passenger sails out of Baltimore, Maryland for over twenty years, with occasional trips to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and other destinations.
Current status
In 2007, Clipper City's then owner, John Kircher, filed for bankruptcyBankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
to avoid foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
on the vessel by Regal Bancorp, Inc. Clipper City's Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
certification was revoked shortly thereafter due to a hull failure. Following a brief seizure by U.S. Marshals, the vessel was sold at auction to Regal Bancorp for $350,000.
Clipper City was then purchased by ESV Corp and rebuilt to original condition. She operates as a day sail tour boat running out of Pier 17, South Street Seaport
South Street Seaport
The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is a designated historic district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.