DAVID DOWS – The Queen of the Lakes
Overview
- Official Number: 157029
- Built & Launched: April 21, 1881, Toledo, Ohio, by Bailey Brothers
- Dimensions: 265.4 ft (80.8 m) length; 37.6 ft (11.6 m) beam; 18.1 ft (5.5 m) depth; 1,481 gross tons
- Type: Wooden, five‑masted schooner – unique on the Great Lakes
1882 advertisement for the DAVID DOWS – Source: Public Domain
Historical Background
Launched to great fanfare, the DAVID DOWS was the only five‑masted schooner ever built for the Great Lakes. With her immense rig, she was compared to the grand ocean tea clippers. However, her size and rigging made her difficult to maneuver in the short, variable winds and narrow harbors of the inland seas. Within a few years, she was primarily used as a towed barge.
The Final Voyage – November 30, 1889
While under tow by the steamer Aurora in Lake Michigan, a blizzard struck. Ice and heavy seas overwhelmed the vessel, the towline parted, and she grounded near Evanston, Illinois. The crew survived, but the ship was a total loss.
Wreckage of the DAVID DOWS along the Lake Michigan shoreline – Source: Whiting-Robertsdale Historical Society
Dive Site Details
The wreck lies in approximately 42 ft (12–15 m) of water. Visibility averages 6–8 m in summer, with water temperatures ranging 13–16°C. The site is accessible by boat only and marked on NOAA Chart 14927. Seasonal storms continue to shift debris, so divers should exercise caution.
Coordinates: 41.766° N, 87.392° W
- Experienced divers only due to entanglement hazards.
- Use a dive flag; the area is near active shipping lanes.
- Emergency contacts: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan – VHF Ch. 16.
Explore the 3D Model
David Dows by 3DShipwrecks on Sketchfab