Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Canada
- Type: Sidewheel Tugboat
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: Unknown, constructed at St. Antoine de Tilly, Quebec
- Dimensions: Length ~108 ft (32.9 m); Beam ~18 ft (5.5 m); Depth Unknown
- Registered Tonnage: ~59 tons (old measurement)
- Depth at Wreck Site: 1.5 m / 5 ft
- Location: Bar Point, Lake Erie
- Official Number: [Not issued at time]
- Original Owners: Canadian and American interests
- Number of Masts: 1 (assumed)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A wooden-hulled, sidewheel steam tug designed for harbour and river towing. Typical of mid-19th century steam tugs, it featured shallow draft and broad beam for stability during towing, likely coal-fired with walking beam or horizontal steam engine typical of Canadian tugs of the period.
Description
Built for utility in the confined waters of the Great Lakes and major tributaries, Canada had a modest footprint but significant towing power. The design prioritized towing schooners and barges across Lake Erie and through the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers, with emphasis on manoeuvrability and hull durability. Likely originally equipped with a midship-mounted engine and dual paddlewheels.
History
Construction and Early Ownership
- 1852: Constructed at St. Antoine de Tilly, QC.
- Operated initially in Canadian service, likely under Quebec or Ontario ownership, assisting with commercial vessel movement in growing ports.
Fire and Rebuild
- October 1855: Burned while moored on the St. Clair River. Hull suffered extensive damage.
- Sold to American interests and rebuilt in 1856 at Detroit, MI. Likely received new steam machinery and partial structural replacement.
Operations Post-Rebuild
- 1862: Collided with tug Winslow on the St. Clair River — extensive hull damage noted.
- 1864: Operating out of Bay City, MI.
Significant Incidents
Loss Event
- Date: 28 November 1865
- Circumstances: Attempting to tow a schooner and a barge into the Detroit River during a storm.
- Incident: Vessel struck bottom near Bar Point, was overwhelmed by severe weather, and broke apart.
- Casualties: Not confirmed; however, no loss of life reported due to heroic rescue efforts.
Rescue
- Tug Zouave, captained by the Hackett brothers from Malden, ON, rescued Canada‘s crew amid perilous storm conditions.
Final Disposition
Located By & Date Found
- Location: Approx. Bar Point area, Lake Erie (just south of Amherstburg)
- Wreck Status: Partially submerged in 1865; machinery salvaged in 1875
- Depth: ~1.5 m (5 ft) of water originally covered wreckage
Current Condition & Accessibility
None noted. The wreck lay in navigable waters near Bar Point and may have posed a hazard prior to machinery removal.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”canada-canada-no-2-young-canada” title=”References & Links”]
The Canada represents the utilitarian yet critical workhorses of 19th-century Great Lakes navigation. Despite her modest size, she fulfilled essential roles in harbour and river towing, with a service history spanning both Canadian and American ownership. Her final loss near Bar Point amid extreme weather exemplifies the high-risk nature of such operations during the age of wood and steam. Though her remains are no longer accessible, her legacy survives through documentation and recovery of her steam plant.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Original Name: Canada
- Later Names: Canada No. 2, Young Canada
- Official Number: [Not issued at time]
- Year Built: 1852
- Builder: Unknown, constructed at St. Antoine de Tilly, Quebec
- Type: Sidewheel Tugboat
- Material: Wood
- Decks: 1 (assumed)
- Length: ~32.9 m (108 ft)
- Beam: ~5.5 m (18 ft)
- Depth: Unknown
- Tonnage: ~59 tons (old measurement)
- Final Location: Bar Point, Lake Erie
- Date Lost: 28 November 1865
- How Lost: Storm, broke up
- Final Status: Machinery recovered 1875, wreck partially submerged
Vessel Type
A wooden-hulled, sidewheel steam tug designed for harbour and river towing. Typical of mid-19th century steam tugs, it featured shallow draft and broad beam for stability during towing, likely coal-fired with walking beam or horizontal steam engine typical of Canadian tugs of the period.
Description
Built for utility in the confined waters of the Great Lakes and major tributaries, Canada had a modest footprint but significant towing power. The design prioritized towing schooners and barges across Lake Erie and through the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers, with emphasis on manoeuvrability and hull durability. Likely originally equipped with a midship-mounted engine and dual paddlewheels.
History
Construction and Early Ownership
- 1852: Constructed at St. Antoine de Tilly, QC.
- Operated initially in Canadian service, likely under Quebec or Ontario ownership, assisting with commercial vessel movement in growing ports.
Fire and Rebuild
- October 1855: Burned while moored on the St. Clair River. Hull suffered extensive damage.
- Sold to American interests and rebuilt in 1856 at Detroit, MI. Likely received new steam machinery and partial structural replacement.
Operations Post-Rebuild
- 1862: Collided with tug Winslow on the St. Clair River — extensive hull damage noted.
- 1864: Operating out of Bay City, MI.
Final Disposition
Loss Event
- Date: 28 November 1865
- Circumstances: Attempting to tow a schooner and a barge into the Detroit River during a storm.
- Incident: Vessel struck bottom near Bar Point, was overwhelmed by severe weather, and broke apart.
- Casualties: Not confirmed; however, no loss of life reported due to heroic rescue efforts.
Rescue
- Tug Zouave, captained by the Hackett brothers from Malden, ON, rescued Canada‘s crew amid perilous storm conditions.
Located By & Date Found
- Location: Approx. Bar Point area, Lake Erie (just south of Amherstburg)
- Wreck Status: Partially submerged in 1865; machinery salvaged in 1875
- Depth: ~1.5 m (5 ft) of water originally covered wreckage
Notmars & Advisories
None noted. The wreck lay in navigable waters near Bar Point and may have posed a hazard prior to machinery removal.
Resources & Links
Conclusion
The Canada represents the utilitarian yet critical workhorses of 19th-century Great Lakes navigation. Despite her modest size, she fulfilled essential roles in harbour and river towing, with a service history spanning both Canadian and American ownership. Her final loss near Bar Point amid extreme weather exemplifies the high-risk nature of such operations during the age of wood and steam. Though her remains are no longer accessible, her legacy survives through documentation and recovery of her steam plant.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Ship Type: Tugboat, Sidewheel, Steam-powered
- Material: Wood
- Region: Lake Erie, St. Clair River, Detroit River
- Time Period: 1850s–1860s
- Hazards: Grounding, Storm
- Historical Interest: Vessel rebuilds, Canadian-American transition
- Dive Status: Not accessible, machinery salvaged