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The Cutty
Sark was, in 1869, one of the last sailing clippers to be built,
and she is the only classic clipper still surviving. She is now
preserved in dry dock at Greenwich London, England. The Cutty
Sark was destined for the China tea trade, at that time an
intensely competitive race across the globe from China to London,
with immense profits to the ship to arrive with the first tea of the
year. However, she did not distinguish herself in this trade, but in
the famous race, against Thermopylae. Cutty Sark was
400 miles in the lead when a storm blew up round the Cape of Good
Hope. Disastrously, she lost her rudder. Moodie had the carpenter
make a temporary rudder. Sailing in terrible winds and seas, the
crew, including Willis's brother, urged him to head for dock in
South Africa, but Moodie refused and reached London only seven days
behind Thermopylae. Although they lost the race, both captain
and crew were celebrated as heroes for their gallant effort.
Mini-Kits by Mamoli offer well detailed, high quality kits that are
fun and easy to build. Solid wood hulls are pre-carved and perfectly
shaped. Fine grained wooden dowels are provided for the masts and
spars, and individual planking strips cover the deck. Authentically
scaled fittings include metal parts, cotton rigging and
silk-screened flags. One-to-one plans and simple instructions assure
a model you'll be proud to display. Average assembly time is 15-20
hours.
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