Why ancient shipwrights could not jump straight to a clipper

Could ancient Mediterranean shipbuilders use modern plans and local talent to build a clipper ship?

Not directly; they could evolve toward it over decades by changing hull construction, iron production, rigging, and infrastructure.

Modern plans would not immediately give ancient shipwrights the production methods needed for a clipper. The proposed transition begins with different joints and hull forms, then larger ships and the infrastructure to support them. A wooden ship approaching HMS Victory is considered a more achievable intermediate possibility than a fine clipper hull. Iron components, complex rigging and stronger supporting structures would all require further development. An adviser with roughly thirty years might guide substantial progress, but the complete transition could become a lifetime's work.