New 3D Model Release: Lake Michigan’s B West Brings Early Self-Propelled Barges to Life
The 3DShipwrecks.org team has unveiled its latest photogrammetry model — the B West, a 100-foot (30.5 m) iron self-propelled lumber barge lost in December 1957 off the coast of Northport, Michigan. This new model, meticulously built from more than 1,100 ultra-high-resolution 30-megapixel images captured during the 2025 season by Andrew Goodman, offers a striking look at one of the Great Lakes’ lesser-known yet highly significant vessels.
Originally constructed in 1905, the B West was an early iron-hulled self-propelled barge built to haul deck loads of lumber between North Manitou Island and mainland Michigan ports. Historical documents described her as powered by “twin outboard engines,” but divers and the new photogrammetric survey suggest the B West might actually have used one of the earliest inboard-outboard propulsion setups on the lakes. Two large inboard engines remain in situ just ahead of the outboard drives, partly obscured by dense layers of zebra and quagga mussels.
The final voyage of the B West is a classic Lake Michigan story. In December 1957, the vessel departed North Manitou Island with a deck load of lumber bound for Leland. A severe winter gale produced 20-foot (6 m) waves, and the barge’s bilge pump failed under the pounding seas. The Coast Guard managed to take the barge in tow, but worsening conditions forced the crew to abandon ship before reaching safe harbour at Northport. Both crew members survived, but the B West was left to founder and vanish below the surface.
For decades, the barge’s final resting place was unknown. In 2011, a Northwestern Michigan College archaeology dive team located the wreck, opening the door for in-depth documentation. With this 2025 3D survey, historians, divers, and engineers alike can now explore the B West in unprecedented detail — right down to the machinery mounts and deck features — without disturbing the fragile structure on the lakebed.
The new interactive model and wreck information located:
If you’re fascinated by Great Lakes commercial shipping, early iron barge design, or marine technology transitions, this is a wreck you’ll want to see. The B West offers a rare glimpse of a transitional vessel that bridged the age of traditional towed barges and modern self-propelled freighters — a perfect testament to Great Lakes shipping innovation.
About 3DShipwrecks
3DShipwrecks.org is a not-for-profit collaboration dedicated to preserving maritime heritage through photogrammetry, producing museum-grade, publicly accessible 3D models of shipwrecks across the Great Lakes. Their models help protect fragile sites, educate the public, and assist technical divers in safe, low-impact exploration.