American Sailor (mayor Scully, Neptune Line No. 10 – Lake Erie Barge Shipwreck (1937)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: American Sailor (previously Mayor Scully, Neptune Line No. 10)
• Type: Barge (freight)
• Year Built: 1918
• Builder:
• Dimensions: Length: 112.0 ft (34.1 m); Beam: 29.2 ft (8.9 m); Depth of hold: 13.3 ft (4.1 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 429 tons (displacement)
• Location: Westfield or Barcelona, NY, Lake Erie
• Official Number: U.S. No. 167386
• Original Owners: New York Scow Corporation

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The American Sailor was a wooden freight barge, designed for transporting bulk goods across the Great Lakes. Barges like the American Sailor were essential to commerce during the early 20th century, often towed in groups behind powerful tugs. This vessel was part of a fleet serving the freight industry, adapted to carry various cargoes, including sulfur during its final voyage.

Description

The American Sailor was built in 1918 and initially operated under different names, including Mayor Scully and Neptune Line No. 10. By the 1930s, it was owned by the New York Scow Corporation, serving as a freight barge with a registered crew of one.

History

On November 2, 1937, the American Sailor was part of a tow led by the tug Ballenas, alongside two other barges, the American Scout and Betty Hedger. A severe storm struck Lake Erie during this voyage, causing the American Sailor to founder off Westfield, NY. The vessel was carrying sulfur at the time of its sinking. While no lives were lost, the barge was declared a total loss.

The 1938 Merchant Vessel List confirmed the incident, specifying the location as near Westfield, NY. Despite this documentation, detailed accounts of the sinking, including the conditions leading to its loss, remain scarce.

Significant Incidents

• The American Sailor sank during a storm in Lake Erie on November 2, 1937.
• The vessel was part of a tow with two other barges and was carrying sulfur at the time of sinking.
• No lives were lost, but the barge was declared a total loss.

Final Disposition

The American Sailor sank during a storm in Lake Erie. The exact circumstances surrounding its demise are unclear, and its wreck remains missing. The cargo of sulfur and the vessel itself were lost, but there were no fatalities.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the American Sailor has not been located. Its precise location in Lake Erie remains undetermined.

Current Status: There are no Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) associated with the American Sailor.

Navigational Hazard: The wreck’s location is unknown and does not present a hazard to current navigation.

Resources & Links

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The American Sailor represents a typical example of early 20th-century Great Lakes commerce and the perils faced by vessels during severe storms. While no lives were lost, the barge’s sinking underscores the vulnerability of freight vessels to the region’s unpredictable weather. The lack of detailed records makes it a challenge for historians and researchers to reconstruct the full story of its loss, adding to the mystery surrounding the event.