Name Flying Spur Out of service 1881 Launched 1860 Draft 5.89 m | Cost £13.787 Length 56 m | |
Fate Wrecked on Martin Vas, North Rock, in the South Atlantic. | ||
Voyages in the tea trade
For 20 years, Flying Spur sailed with cargoes of tea between London and the Chinese port of Foochow, with voyages to Canton, China; Nagasaki, Japan; and Deal, Kent, England, as well. As a tea clipper, she had a crew of 36.
Along with nine other ships, Flying Spur sailed from China to England in The Great Tea Race of 1866, but was not considered a contender, as she left on 6 June; the favourites had already departed on 30 May and 1 June.
Flying Spur placed fourth in the Tea Race of 1867, with a time of 116 days, carrying 49,710 pounds of tea. First in the rae was Ariel, with a time of 102 days, carrying 1,283,000 pounds of tea.
Loss
On 13 February 1881, Flying Spur "was wrecked on Martin Vas, North Rock, in the South Atlantic Ocean while carrying a cargo of coal and a crew of 18."