Hurricane was a large extreme clipper of 1608 tons burthen built in Hoboken, New Jersey, United States in 1851. Reputedly the most extreme clipper ever built, Hurricane proved a very fast vessel, reportedly capable of speeds of up to 18 knots (33 km/h) in ideal conditions, and establishing a number of record passages in the early years of her career.

Hurricane made a total of four New York–to–San Francisco voyages while under the American flag, the fastest of which was an outstanding 100-day passage in 1854. After arriving at San Francisco, the ship would usually continue on to China or Hong Kong before returning via San Francisco to New York. She also made several voyages between the United Kingdom and India during this period, including two record passages in 1855–1856.

Due partly to an economic depression in the United States, Hurricane was laid up for about a year at New York in 1857–58. In late 1858, she sailed via San Francisco for Singapore, Straits Settlements, where in 1860 she was sold to British interests. Renamed Shaw-Allum, little is known about her subsequent career. Her last entry in shipping registers was in 1876.

Hurricane, an extreme clipper, was built in Hoboken, New Jersey, United States, in 1851 by Isaac C. Smith. The ship was originally referred to in press reports as Yankee Doodle, but was renamed while still under construction. Hurricane was the first clipper built by Smith, and his first time building a fast sizeable ship; she was also by far the largest vessel to come from Smith's Hoboken shipyard. Her owners, C. W. & A. Thomas, a firm involved mainly in the importation of French textiles to the United States, are not known to have owned any other notable clippers.

Hurricane was built of live oak, with white oak keel, kelson and frame, and a top made of live oak and locust; her timbers were "thoroughly salted on the stocks." Hurricane's fastenings were of copper and iron, square bolted throughout, and she was said to be an exceptionally heavily timbered and strongly built vessel. She had an overall length of 230 feet (70 m), 215 feet (66 m) on deck and 206 feet (63 m) keel, with a beam of 40 feet (12 m), hold depth of 22 feet (6.7 m) and draft of 20 feet (6.1 m). She had two decks, and was fitted with passenger accommodations in addition to her cargo capacity. Her registered tonnage was 1,608 tons burthen.

According to some authorities, Hurricane was "the sharpest sailing ship ever constructed by any builder"—that is, the most extreme clipper—though her model fore and aft is said to have avoided concave lines. She had a deadrise of 40 inches (100 cm) typical of the early extreme clippers. It was said that no other vessel had lines below water "sweeter than those of the Hurricane, for, in her, resistance to driving through water was reduced to a minimum." The disadvantage of such sharp lines was a corresponding reduction in cargo capacity, which ran the risk of making the extreme clippers unprofitable during periods of low freight rates. At the time of Hurricane's debut, however, the California Gold Rush was in full swing and rates were still at unprecedented highs.

Hurricane had a "gracefully" rising bow and rounded stern, with a heavy brass rail running around the poop deck. The bow was decorated with an eagle's head, which had a ribbon flowing from its mouth upon which was inscribed the ship's name in gilt letters, the whole creating "a very novel appearance". Hurricane was loftily sparred and fitted with rolling topsails, with her name emblazoned across the lower part of the foretopsail in large black lettering "that could be read much further than any signals and looked very smart and shipshape." Overall, she was described as a "truly beautiful ship".

Hurricane was launched with all her standing spars on the morning of 25 October 1851, witnessed by an "immense concourse" of spectators. After the launch, the vessel "remained afloat several days with nearly all her yards aloft, without a pound of ballast in her", a tribute to her stability.