Coaster (1848)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Coaster
• Type: Scow-schooner
• Year Built: 1848
• Builder: China, Michigan
• Dimensions: 74 ft × 18 ft × 5 ft (22.6 m × 5.5 m × 1.5 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 63 tons
• Location: Aground on south shore of Presque Isle, Lake Superior
• Coordinates: Unknown
• Official Number: Unknown
• Original Owners: Willard & Day
• Number of Masts: Two masts (fore and main)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Coaster was a scow-schooner, built with a flat or nearly flat bottom, minimal keel, and relatively shallow draft. Such vessels were designed for use in shallow coastal or nearshore Great Lakes waters, often making frequent port calls, beaching for loading/unloading, or navigating shallow bays and river mouths. The rigging likely included two masts (fore and main) in schooner configuration to allow more flexible sail handling in variable winds. The hull form would have prioritized cargo capacity and shallow water capability over seagoing performance.

Description

The Coaster was a **scow-schooner**, built with a flat or nearly flat bottom, minimal keel, and relatively shallow draft. Such vessels were designed for use in shallow coastal or nearshore Great Lakes waters, often making frequent port calls, beaching for loading/unloading, or navigating shallow bays and river mouths. The rigging likely included two masts (fore and main) in schooner configuration to allow more flexible sail handling in variable winds. The hull form would have prioritized cargo capacity and shallow water capability over seagoing performance.

History

Launched in 1848 at China, Michigan, the Coaster entered service in the regional Great Lakes coastal trade, likely carrying lumber, general merchandise, grain, or supplies between smaller ports and larger distribution centers. Under ownership of Willard & Day, she would have been one of many small vessels serving local supply chains. Throughout her operational life she may have undergone routine maintenance, plank replacement, or minor refits as was common for wooden trading craft.

In the summer of 1859, while crossing Lake Superior under challenging weather, the Coaster encountered a severe gale (reported June or July) and was driven ashore on the south shore of Presque Isle. The force of wind and waves pushed her onto the beach or nearshore, damaging her beyond repair. Records indicate that most of the cargo was salvaged, but the hull was uninsured, leaving the owners with a total loss of the vessel itself.

Significant Incidents

• June or July 1859: The Coaster encountered a severe gale and was driven ashore on the south shore of Presque Isle, resulting in a total loss of the vessel.

Final Disposition

The cause of loss was storm-driven grounding / stranding. The crew survived without reported casualties. The vessel was declared a total loss. Over time the stranded hull would have decayed, been salvaged for materials, or buried by shifting sands and shoreline processes. No known underwater remains or formal site surveys have been documented to date.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Access: Shore / land approach (if accessible)
Entry Point: Not documented — would require local reconnaissance
Conditions: Unknown — shallow water, wave action, shifting sediments
Depth Range: Very shallow / onshore (no significant depth component)
Emergency Contacts: U.S. Coast Guard (Lake Superior region) + local county services
Permits: Likely none (shoreline), unless state/provincial historic preservation statutes apply
Dive Support: None known (no charters or dive shops tied to Coaster)

Resources & Links

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No particulars about crew names or fates have been located. Since no casualties were reported, surviving crew likely returned to shore or nearby port. Research into local newspapers, county archives, or insurance claims in 1859 might reveal names or further details.