Details of Donald McKay clipper ships taken from Duncan McLean's articles in the Boston Daily Atlas
ship type tons BDA date boards boats capstans lights masts mast color hull      color waterways color pumps steering ventilators water tank notes
1850
Stag Hound  extreme  1534 12/21/1850 no head or trail boards 2 - mahogany and locust, inlaid with brass each state room - side & deck lights made masts outside black - inside perl releieved with white patent copper pumps, w fly wheel & winches patent steering apparatus in her decks and along the line of planksheer, fore and aft, and also in the bitts 4500 gal depth of ship abaft of mainmast includes rope sizes
1851
Flying Cloud  extreme  1782 4/25/1851 no head or trail boards inside perl  - outside black brass ventilators along the line of her planksheer and in her bitts, and Emerson's patent ventilators iron tank abaft of main mast
Staffordshire,  extreme  1817 7/21/1851 no head or trail boards 2 on forecastle sky lights and stern lights & side lights auto close if hit by water fore & main - made masts - mizzen single spar lower masts - white, yards black outside black, inside white new patent pumps close to main mast Reed patent steering apparatus 2 x 6000
North America  extreme  1464 not in BDA
Flying Fish  extreme  1505 11/4/1851 no head or trail boards 5 2 - forecastle & quarter deck mahogany, brass mounted top gallant, royal and skysail masts are of single spars. lower masts white, yards black, booms bright outside black, inside perl blue Litchfield patent pumps Reed patent steering apparatus ventilators along her planksheer, and Emerson's patent ventilators fore and aft 5000 abaft of main mast
1852
Sovereign of the Seas  extreme  2421 6/19/1852 no trail boards made masts & bowsprit lower masts white, yards black, booms bright hull black Shelton pumps
Westward Ho!  extreme  1650 9/21/1852 no head or trail boards 2 - Perley's patent each state room - side & deck lights fore & main - made masts - mizzen single spar masts white, yards black, booms bright outside black, inside buff releved with white blue Litchfield patent pumps, "Phillis' Fire Annihilators," & force pump Reed patent steering apparatus brass ventilators along her planksheer and in the bitts, and Emerson's patent ventilators 6000 abaft of main mast
Bald Eagle  extreme  1704 11/17/1852 no head boards 4 2 - Perley's patent state rooms - patent plate glass air-port made lower masts and bowsprit masts white, yards black, booms bright with black ends hull black, inside perl  Shelton's hold pumps, force pump patent steering apparatus 6000 before aft hatchway
1853
Empress of the Seas extreme  2200 1/25/1853 made lower masts and bowsprit lower masts white, yards black, booms bright hull black 6000
Star of Empire  extreme  2050 4/14/1853 no head or trail boards 2 on forecastle, 1 on quarterdeck patent circuar air-ports between decks fore & main - made masts - mizzen single spar inside perl releieved with white - outside black, forward cabin white Shelton pumps Emerson's patent ventilators 2 x 5000
Chariot of Fame  extreme  2050 not in BDA
Great Republic  extreme  4555 10/4/1853 - description in booklet 4 on spar deck, 4 quarter boats multiple - one forward deck and side lights for each stateroom 3 forward masts & bowsprit are made, spanker mast single spar outside black Shelton pumps 2 x 8000
Romance of the Sea  extreme  1782 11/8/1853 lower masts & bowsprit made inside perl releieved with white - outside black
1854
Lightning extreme  2083 1/31/1854 no head or trail boards 3 capstans 4 stern windows, square windows in staterooms, between decks -10 plate-glass air ports on each side, lower masts & bowsprit made  lower masts white, yards black, booms bright hull black, inside pearl releaved with white lead color copper-chambered pumps patent steering apparatus 5000
Champion of the Seas  extreme  2447 5/20/1854 Allyn's patent capstan on forecastle, 2 capstans forward & 2 aft on spar deck 210 sq feet of light and ventelation lower masts & bowsprit made  lower masts white, mast heads and yards black, studsl booms bright with black ends outside black, inside white blue patent steering apparatus Emerson's corres-ponding ventilators, forward and aft 5000
James Baines extreme  2525 9/1/1854 3 before the main mast, 2 quarter boats on davits six capstans square port in each stateroom lower masts bright, hoops & tops white, mast head & yards black outside black, inside white blue copper-chambered pumps patent steering apparatus two large ventilators amidships
Commodore Perry  medium 1964 9/30/1854 6 eight capstans built lower masts black outside - buff inside patent steering apparatus
Santa Claus medium 1256 10/30/1854 4 1 - forcastle - Allyn's patent capstan quarterdeck built lower masts & bowsprit black outside - light inside Hubbard's rotary force-pump Reed's patent steering apparatus
Blanche Moore  extreme  1787 12/18/1854 no head or trail boards built lower masts & bowsprit lower masts bright  mast head & yards black blue patent pumps patent steering apparatus well ventelated
Japan  medium 1964 not in BDA sister ship to Commodore Perry
1855
Donald M'Kay extreme  2594 2/26/1855 6 6 staterooms have windows built lower masts & bowsprit lower masts brigh, yards & bowsprit black black outside - buff inside blue two copper-chambered pumps