The Winans Cigar Ships

(The Vernian Era) The cigar ships were designed and built by the Winans family, successful railway engineers from Baltimore, Maryland who moved into marine engineering with enthusiasm and great expenditures of their family wealth, but less success. Their radical marine design concept included an ultra-streamlined spindle-shaped hull with minimum superstructure. The Winans constructed at least four ships between 1858 and 1866. Continued

Photo: A print of Winan's new Iron Steamer, taken September 29th, 1858, on the eve of launching, by D. A. Woodward, artist (Library of Congress).