During and immediately after the California gold rush, the way for a merchant to generate the most profit was to move a limited amount of scarce goods to San Francisco as quickly as possible, rather than to carry larger loads more slowly, determining the design of the clipper ship.

to carry larger loads more slowly, determining

to carry larger loads more slowly, a situation that determined

carry larger loads more slowly, which determined

slowly carry larger loads which determined

carrying larger loads more slowly, and this was a situation in determinin


A. "Determining ..." Is modifying the "way", the way determined the design of the clipper ship. Illogical.

Another view of the modifier:
Cause effect relationship between the modifier "determining ...." and the main clause is also not making sense. We can't say that the opportunity to earn more profit caused the determination of the design.

Hence not A.,

Is my reasoning for A correct.

Can somebody post more examples of cause effect modifiers...