Extreme clippers successfully served the 49ers who reached California placer fields during the opening years of the rush, but negative aspects of the design soon became apparent. The sharp-floored forward halves could not carry as much cargo as a full flat hull. In addition, the sharp-floored forward halves lacked the buoyancy of the rounded rear halves, and this asymmetrical buoyancy tended to strain and weaken the hull. The working lifespan of an extreme clipper ship tended to be short.