Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Buffalo, Catherine, Sophia
- Type: Provincial Marine Gunboats
- Year Built: 1792
- Builder: Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard, Point Frederick
- Dimensions: Length ~55-65 ft (17-20 m); Beam ~15-20 ft (4.5-6 m); Depth of hold ~6-7 ft (1.8-2.1 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 30-60 tons
- Location: Kingston, Ontario
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Provincial Marine Gunboats — Buffalo, Catherine, Sophia
Description
Due to the lack of surviving hull plans or detailed dockyard records, these vessels are estimated as follows:
- Tonnage: 30–60 tons (burthen) — typical for early Great Lakes Provincial Marine gunboats.
- Length Overall: Approximately 55–65 ft (17–20 m)
- Beam: Roughly 15–20 ft (4.5–6 m)
- Draft: Around 6–7 ft (1.8–2.1 m)
Comparable craft such as HMS Speedy (1798) built at Kingston measured ~55 ft overall with draft near 7 ft, providing a baseline for size expectations.
History
None of the three vessels left formal wreck records. After the 1813 reorganization and the Rush-Bagot Treaty (1817), all were decommissioned, likely dismantled or broken up in Kingston.
Significant Incidents
- No known shipwreck site; all presumed to have been broken and disposed of on land.
Final Disposition
Documentary evidence: Kingston dockyard logs and Provincial Marine inventories (1789–1834) may include specifications or disposal notes.
Archaeological potential: Dockyard slip deposits at Point Frederick could contain fragments if parts were scuttled there.
Current Condition & Accessibility
These gunboats exemplify early Canadian wooden naval architecture—shallow draft, low-profile vessels built for coastal defense and logistics rather than open-lake combat. Lacking surviving plans or wreck sites, their dimensions remain estimates based on analogous vessels and general Provincial Marine standards.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”buffalo-catherine-sophia-1792″ title=”References & Links”]
These gunboats exemplify early Canadian wooden naval architecture—shallow draft, low-profile vessels built for coastal defense and logistics rather than open-lake combat. Lacking surviving plans or wreck sites, their dimensions remain estimates based on analogous vessels and general Provincial Marine standards.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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