Handcrafted, scratch built and ready made Cutty Sark Model Ship
The Cutty Sark was a famous English tea clipper that was built in 1869 and originally used for the China tea trade. It was one of the last clipper ships built before the steam powered ships took over the route. The name Cutty Sark is derived from the poem Tam OShanter by Robert Burns and means short skirt in Scottish. Our Cutty Sark model ships are handcrafted and ready to display. Choose from models in our standard, premier and superior ranges in several sizes. The intricate designs of these vessels are perfect replicas down to the smallest detail for realistic models that make a perfect addition to any collection. The Cutty Sark makes a great gift. View the photographs of these model ships to see the beauty in the detail of the decks, hardwood fittings, brass rings, belaying pins, navigation lights, rudder hinges, chimney, mastheads, anchors, life rings, rigging line and much more.
These models are crafted from high quality African walnut and mahogany and cast metal. We offer a model ship kit for people who prefer to build their own model shops. We have chosen to feature models from the best quality brands, including Mantua, Billings Boats and Artesania for their exquisite quality models for the innovative designs, accurate and high quality materials and fittings. Browse our website to compare our quality Cutty Sark model ships, including ready to display museum quality models and model ship kits. Click on each model of the Cutty Sark to see the specifications of our hand crafted ship models to help you select the right model ship for your collection.
Among the most famous old sailing ships still extant, Cutty Sark was one of the last clippers built for the China tea trade. Ordered by Captain John Willis of London, her hull was of composite construction, with teak planking on iron frames. Cutty Sarks name is short Scottish for short shirt and comes from the Robert Burns poem Tam OShanter. The reason for his choice of name is not known. Willis insistence that only the finest materials be used in the construction of the Cutty Sark resulted in the bankruptcy of her original builders. Denny Brothers, who took over their yard, then oversaw her completion. Even though she lost one of her most dramatic encounters with her main rival, Thermopylae, she still acquired the admiration of London, for the persistence of her crew. She completed a 16,000-mile journey in one hundred and nineteen days, by no means an illustrious feat; the admiration was the inventiveness of her crew in building makeshift rudders twice, as she had lost her rudder in severe gales.
The advent of the steamships and the opening of the Suez Canal meant that clippers were no longer economic, and by 1878, clippers were out of the tea trade. A number of unfortunate accidents happened on board the ship between 1878 and 1883. These included a murder and one of her Captains (Captain Wallace) going mad and jumping overboard. In 1883 however, things were about to change for the clipper ship. She did the return journey from England to Australia (under Captain W. Moore) with a cargo of wool through the Cape of Good Hope in seventy-nine days. As with the tea trade, speed was also a critical factor for the wool trade. Richard Woodget, who became Cutty Sarks most celebrated master, succeeded Moore.
Her best run was in 1888, where she did the journey in sixty-nine days, shaving an amazing ten days off her previous record. She completed her last journey to Australia in 1895, and was sold to J. A. Ferreira of Lisbon. Four years later, she was again sold to the Cia de Navegacao de Portugal and was renamed Maria di Amparo.
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