Identification & Site Information

• Name: Yankee
• Official Number: 27625
• Vessel Type at Loss: Scow-Schooner, wood, 2-mast
• Builder: J. Huxtable, Sand Beach, Michigan (now Harbor Beach)
• Year Built & Launched: 1884
• Specifications: 38 ft (11.6 m) x 12 ft (3.7 m) x 4 ft (1.2 m)
• Gross Tonnage: 12 GT
• Net Tonnage: 11 NT
• Date Lost: September 17, 1893
• Location of Loss: Off Port Elgin, Ontario, Lake Huron
• Cause of Loss: Storm
• Loss of Life: None mentioned
• Cargo at Time of Loss: Light (no significant cargo)

Vessel Description & History

The Yankee was a small, two-masted scow-Schooner built in 1884 by shipbuilder J. Huxtable in Sand Beach, Michigan (modern-day Harbor Beach). Scow-schooners were popular during this era for their versatility in navigating shallow waters and their ability to transport a variety of cargoes, particularly lumber, coal, and stone. Due to her small size, the Yankee was likely used for short-haul transport along the Michigan and Ontario shorelines of Lake Huron.

She was owned by the Mills Transit Company of Port Huron, Michigan, a firm engaged in shipping bulk materials throughout the Great Lakes. Scow-schooners like the Yankee were often towed by steam tugs, extending their operational range while allowing them to conserve sail power.

Final Disposition

On September 17, 1893, the Yankee was being towed by the Tug Jessie alongside the Barge Bahama when a powerful storm struck Lake Huron. The storm drove both vessels ashore near Port Elgin, Ontario. While the Bahama was also stranded, it appears that she may have been salvaged or refloated, whereas the Yankee was deemed unsalvageable.

Efforts to free the Yankee failed, and she remained stranded through the winter. The following year, she was officially Abandoned, likely left to break apart in the rough waters of Lake Huron.

Located By & Date Found

No known discovery of wreckage; the vessel was Abandoned and likely disintegrated over time.

NOTMARs & Advisories

No known hazards or modern navigational warnings related to this vessel.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes: http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca
• David Swayze Shipwreck File: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org
• Great Lakes Maritime Database: https://greatlakeships.org
• Great Lakes Vessel Database (BGSU): https://greatlakes.bgsu.edu/vessels

Conclusion

The Yankee was a typical example of the small scow-schooners that once plied the waters of the Great Lakes. Though not a particularly large or famous vessel, her loss is a reminder of the many small ships that played a vital role in Great Lakes commerce. Stranded in a storm off Port Elgin, Ontario, she was Abandoned after salvage attempts failed, and her remains have likely long since disappeared.