Flying Cloud was an American clipper ship renowned for its exceptional speed and notable service record. Built in East Boston, Massachusetts, she was commissioned for Enoch Train of Boston with a construction cost of $50,000. Before her launch, she was purchased by Grinnell, Minturn & Co. of New York for $90,000, a significant profit for her original owner. She measured approximately 235 feet in length overall, with a deck length of 225 feet, and a beam of 41 feet, making her one of the most extreme clippers of her time, designed for high speed with a sharp, slender hull and a relatively shallow dead-rise of 30 inches. Flying Cloud gained fame for setting the world's sailing record for the fastest passage from New York to San Francisco, completing the voyage in 89 days and 8 hours in 1854 under Captain Josiah Perkins Creesy and navigator Eleanor Creesy. This record stood for over 135 years, from 1854 until 1989, and was considered remarkable given the ship’s size and the challenging route around Cape Horn. Her 1851 launch was swiftly followed by a record-breaking voyage, and in 1853, she famously raced the Hornet, arriving in San Francisco almost simultaneously with her rival after a 106-day voyage, exemplifying her speed and the competitive spirit of clipper ships during the California Gold Rush era. Flying Cloud was known for her close racing with the Hornet and her innovative navigation, driven by Eleanor Creesy’s expertise in oceanic currents, weather, and astronomy, utilizing Matthew Fontaine Maury’s sailing directions. After her peak years, she was sold to the Black Ball Line in Liverpool in 1862, where she continued to serve in the Australia and timber trades, as well as the log trade between England and Canada. Her later years ended when she ran aground on Beacon Island in 1874, was refloated, but subsequently was burned for scrap in 1875. Flying Cloud's legacy endures as one of the most famous and fastest clipper ships of the 19th century, symbolizing the maritime innovation and adventurous spirit of the Age of Sail.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.