Identification & Site Information

• Name: H 24
• Former Names: Unknown (Likely launched under a different name)
• Official Number: C134199
• Date Built and Launched: 1898
• Builder: Unknown, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
• Homeport: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (after Canadian registration in 1913)
• Final Owner: Unknown (Possibly acquired from a U.S. owner around 1913)
• Vessel Type: Unknown (Possibly Tug, Lighter, or Small Freighter)
• Hull Materials: Wood (most likely)
• Power: Unknown (may have been steam-powered or towed as a Barge by 1913)
• Measurements:
• Length: 68 ft (20.7 m)
• Beam: 24 ft (7.3 m)
• Depth: 8 ft (2.4 m)
• Tonnage: 154 tons
• Primary Cargo: Unknown (Possibly general freight, coal, or construction materials)
• Final Route: Unknown (Possibly local operations near Kincardine, Ontario)

Vessel Type

The H 24 is poorly documented, with uncertainty regarding its original name and purpose. Given its size (68 feet long, 154 tons), it may have been a small freighter, Tug, or Barge, potentially converted for another use later in its life.

Key Features (Possible Vessel Types):

• Small bulk freighter (Common for cargo transport)
• Tug or Lighter (Used for towing or harbor operations)
• Barge (If it was unpowered by the time of its loss)

The vessel was originally built in Michigan but later registered in Ontario, suggesting a possible sale or cross-border acquisition around 1913. The H 24 operated for 15 years, serving an unknown function on the Great Lakes before foundering near Kincardine, Ontario, in 1913.

Key Events in the Vessel’s History:

• 1898: Built in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, for unknown use.
• 1913: Registered in Canada, suggesting a possible sale or transfer from the U.S..
• 1913, July 3: Foundered near Kincardine, Ontario.

Final Disposition

The H 24 was lost on July 3, 1913, after it Foundered near the harbor at Kincardine, Ontario, on Lake Huron.

The Disaster

• The vessel sank under unknown circumstances.
• No details on cargo, cause of sinking, or loss of life have been recorded.
• The vessel had only recently been acquired or registered in Canada, raising questions about its condition or purpose at the time of loss.

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. There are no confirmed reports of the H 24‘s wreck remains being discovered or documented near Kincardine, Ontario.

Due to its small size and wooden construction, it may be buried under lake sediments or deteriorated over time.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No modern navigational hazards related to this wreck are reported in Kincardine, Ontario, Lake Huron.

Resources & Links

• Historical Databases:
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre (Southampton, ON) (Local shipwreck and maritime records)
• Kincardine Lighthouse & Museum (Historical archives on maritime losses in the area)
• Great Lakes Historical Society (Potential records of cross-border vessel sales and re-registrations)

Conclusion

The H 24 remains one of the more mysterious shipwrecks on Lake Huron, with little recorded about its original purpose, ownership, or cargo.

Its transfer to Canadian registration in 1913 raises questions about whether it was already in poor condition or being repurposed for a new use before it Foundered near Kincardine.

Would you like more details on other shipwrecks in the Kincardine area, Great Lakes vessel re-registrations, or how small freighters and tugs were used on the lakes? Let me know!