Identification & Site Information:

• Wreck Name: SUCCESS
• Type: Wooden Schooner (Former Convict Ship)
• Build Year: 1790
• Builder: Moulmein, Burma
• Dimensions: Length: 135 feet (41.1 meters) Beam: 29 feet (8.8 meters)
• Final Resting Place: Near Port Clinton, Ohio, Lake Erie
• Coordinates: 41° 31.321’ N, 82° 54.705’ W
• Depth: 15 feet (4.6 meters)
• Condition: Scattered remains in shallow water

Vessel Description:

The SUCCESS was a wooden Schooner constructed from Burmese teak, renowned for its strength and durability. Initially designed as an armed merchantman for the East India Company, the ship was copper-fastened and constructed using treenails, a testament to its robust build. Over its long service life, the vessel was repurposed numerous times, transitioning from a convict transport to a prison hulk, and finally to an exhibition ship.

Historical Highlights

1790: Launched in Burma as an East India merchantman.

Early Service: Operated in the Bay of Bengal. Survived pirate capture and engagements with a French armed vessel.

1802–1852: Repurposed as a convict transport for England-to-Australia voyages, Became infamous for its harsh conditions, symbolizing the cruelty of the penal system.

1852–1885: Converted into a prison hulk and later used as a women’s prison and ammunition storehouse.

1885: Maliciously scuttled in Sydney but salvaged and turned into a traveling museum.

Later Years:

Exhibited at ports worldwide, including the Great Lakes, as a museum ship showcasing its dramatic history.

July 4th (Year unspecified): Sank near Port Clinton, Ohio. Stripped of valuable components, its demise remains shrouded in mystery.

Final Disposition:

The SUCCESS rests in 15 feet (4.6 meters) of water near Port Clinton, Ohio. Though scattered and degraded, the wreck remains a site of immense historical interest, attracting divers and historians intrigued by its multifaceted story.

Wreck Features:

• Condition: The ship’s remains are scattered across the lakebed, with some parts likely buried under sediment.
• Historical Value: While not well-preserved, the site offers a tangible connection to one of the Great Lakes’ most storied vessels.
• Accessibility: Shallow depth makes the wreck easy to explore, particularly for recreational divers.

Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs):

No specific NOTMARs are related to the SUCCESS. Divers and boaters should exercise caution due to shallow waters and scattered debris.

Resources & Links:

• Primary Sources: Historical logs and records of the vessel’s time as a museum ship.
• Great Lakes Shipwrecks Database: greatlakesships.org
• David Swayze Shipwreck File: For comprehensive data on Great Lakes shipwrecks.
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca
• NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory: For underwater environmental data.
• Wreck Site –  “Success (+1919)”. Wrecksite. Retrieved 4 September 2024
• Wikipedia – Port Clinton East India Company
• Port Clinton – Link
• Wikipedia contributors. (2024, June 15). Success (prison ship). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:08, January 25, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Success_(prison_ship)&oldid=1229218754

Conclusion:

The SUCCESS is a remarkable shipwreck that transcends its physical remains to embody the history of maritime evolution, penal systems, and 19th-century exhibitions. With a story that spans six continents and over a century of service, the SUCCESS remains a unique draw for divers and historians. Its sinking in Lake Erie on Independence Day adds a symbolic end to a vessel that once represented both oppression and intrigue.

Tags:

#SUCCESS #LakeErie #ConvictShip #GreatLakes #Shipwrecks #MaritimeHistory #HistoricalShipwrecks #Schooner #UnderwaterExploration