Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Dayton
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1835
- Builder: Grand Island, New York
- Dimensions: 69 ft (21.03 m) length x 20 ft (6.10 m) beam x 7 ft (2.13 m) depth
- Registered Tonnage: 85 tons
- Location: Near Dunkirk, New York
- Official Number: None
- Original Owners: Unknown
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Schooner – wooden, two-masted
Description
The Dayton was a relatively small, two-masted schooner constructed in 1835 on Grand Island, New York. Built for versatility on Lake Erie, the vessel was designed to carry cargo in the growing regional trade. Like many schooners of her class and era, she was built with shallow draft suitable for coastal and river operations as well.
History
The Dayton sailed during a formative period of Great Lakes commercial shipping. Although her complete operational history is not fully documented, her build location and dimensions suggest she was employed in the transport of regional goods—possibly timber, grain, or general merchandise—between burgeoning port towns along the lake.
While some sources mention confusion regarding her final year of service, with 1846 occasionally cited, the primary record places her loss in October 1844. The discrepancy might be due to another vessel of similar name or reporting delays in shipwreck news during that period.
Significant Incidents
The Dayton encountered a violent gale on Lake Erie near Dunkirk, New York, on October 20, 1844. She was reported to have capsized and sunk during the storm, with the total loss of all hands aboard. It remains one of the many tragic schooner losses of the mid-19th century attributed to sudden and extreme Great Lakes weather.
There are secondary records stating a schooner of this name went ashore near Erie, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1846, and was declared a total wreck. This could be a misidentification or suggest the presence of a similarly named replacement vessel.
Final Disposition
On October 20, 1844, the Dayton encountered a violent gale on Lake Erie near Dunkirk, New York. She was reported to have capsized and sunk during the storm, with the total loss of all hands aboard. It remains one of the many tragic schooner losses of the mid-19th century attributed to sudden and extreme Great Lakes weather.
There are secondary records stating a schooner of this name went ashore near Erie, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1846, and was declared a total wreck. This could be a misidentification or suggest the presence of a similarly named replacement vessel.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Nil return. There is no confirmed discovery of the Dayton wreck site to date.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”dayton-1835″ title=”References & Links”]
The Dayton is emblematic of the many schooners that plied the Great Lakes during the early industrial period of North American inland navigation. Lost in a gale with all hands, her story is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by sailors on Lake Erie. With no confirmed wreckage recovered, she remains a ghost on the lake’s floor, remembered only through fragments of historical record.
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
- Name: Dayton
- Former Names: None
- Official Number: None
- Date Built and Launched: 1835
- Builder: Grand Island, New York
- Specifications: 69 ft (21.03 m) length x 20 ft (6.10 m) beam x 7 ft (2.13 m) depth; 85 tons
- Date Lost: October 20, 1844
- Place of Loss: Near Dunkirk, New York
- Lake: Lake Erie
Vessel Type
Schooner – wooden, two-masted
Description
The Dayton was a relatively small, two-masted schooner constructed in 1835 on Grand Island, New York. Built for versatility on Lake Erie, the vessel was designed to carry cargo in the growing regional trade. Like many schooners of her class and era, she was built with shallow draft suitable for coastal and river operations as well.
History
The Dayton sailed during a formative period of Great Lakes commercial shipping. Although her complete operational history is not fully documented, her build location and dimensions suggest she was employed in the transport of regional goods—possibly timber, grain, or general merchandise—between burgeoning port towns along the lake.
While some sources mention confusion regarding her final year of service, with 1846 occasionally cited, the primary record places her loss in October 1844. The discrepancy might be due to another vessel of similar name or reporting delays in shipwreck news during that period.
Final Disposition
On October 20, 1844, the Dayton encountered a violent gale on Lake Erie near Dunkirk, New York. She was reported to have capsized and sunk during the storm, with the total loss of all hands aboard. It remains one of the many tragic schooner losses of the mid-19th century attributed to sudden and extreme Great Lakes weather.
There are secondary records stating a schooner of this name went ashore near Erie, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1846, and was declared a total wreck. This could be a misidentification or suggest the presence of a similarly named replacement vessel.
Located By & Date Found
Nil return. There is no confirmed discovery of the Dayton wreck site to date.
Notmars & Advisories
None reported. No navigation hazards or current advisories are associated with this site.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- David Swayze Shipwreck File – USACE
- Great Lakes Ships – Bowling Green State University
Conclusion
The Dayton is emblematic of the many schooners that plied the Great Lakes during the early industrial period of North American inland navigation. Lost in a gale with all hands, her story is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by sailors on Lake Erie. With no confirmed wreckage recovered, she remains a ghost on the lake’s floor, remembered only through fragments of historical record.
Suggested Keywords: Dayton schooner, Lake Erie shipwreck, Dunkirk NY maritime loss, 1844 storm wreck, early Great Lakes vessels
Categories: Shipwrecks of Lake Erie, Schooners, 19th Century Great Lakes Disasters
Glossary Terms:
- Schooner: A sailing ship with two or more masts, typically fore-and-aft rigged.
- Capsize: To overturn in the water, often resulting in the vessel sinking.
- Gale: A strong wind, especially one capable of producing heavy waves and maritime disaster on inland lakes.