Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Don US 157619

Explore the wreck of the Don, a wooden fishing tug that sank in 1918 after a collision near Cleveland, Ohio.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Don
  • Type: Wooden propeller-driven fish tug
  • Year Built: 1901
  • Builder: Erie, Pennsylvania
  • Dimensions: 44 × 12 × 5 ft; tonnage ~11 gross tons
  • Registered Tonnage: 11 gross tons
  • Location: Near Cleveland, Lake Erie
  • Official Number: 157619

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Don was a small wooden propeller-driven fish tug, purpose-built for fishing operations on Lake Erie. With a modest tonnage and dimensions, she was typical of early-20th-century patrol and net-hauling tugs used by small-scale commercial fishermen out of Cleveland.

Description

No modern archaeological documentation (side-scan surveys, diving reports, or underwater footage) has been located. The wreck site has not been specifically identified or cataloged in Great Lakes maritime archaeological records. The shallow structure and limited tonnage suggest any remains may have deteriorated, been salvaged, or lie buried in Lake Erie sediments.

History

Constructed in 1901 in Erie, Pennsylvania, she entered service shortly thereafter as a fish tug operating from Cleveland.

  • Final Incident: On 27 September 1918, Don collided with the steamer Buckeye near Cleveland and sank quickly. All four persons aboard escaped without injury. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • No known previous incidents or notable operational history has been documented beyond this collision entry.

Significant Incidents

  • Collision with the steamer Buckeye on 27 September 1918, resulting in sinking.
  • No crew casualties; all four aboard escaped without injury.

Final Disposition

Following the collision with Buckeye, the Don sank and was recorded as a total loss. Given her small scale and utility, no salvage was likely pursued, and no further documentation regarding hull recovery or liability has emerged.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Not located by modern explorers or dive teams; no public record of wrecksite survey or discovery has been published.

Notices & Navigational Advisories: None noted. No historical Notices to Mariners or hazard bulletins referencing the wreck have been found.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”don-us-157619″ title=”References & Links”]

The Don was a modest-sized fishing tug built in 1901 in Erie, Pennsylvania. She met her end on 27 September 1918 in a collision with the steamer Buckeye near Cleveland on Lake Erie. No crew members were lost, and no cargo was aboard beyond fishing gear. The vessel sank and was lost with little fanfare; today, the wreck remains undocumented and the vessel’s operational history remains largely blank outside the collision listing in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files. Please let me know if you’d like assistance in exploring newspaper records or draft searches in 1918 shipping registers.

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.

Wooden Propeller Fish Tug – Lake Erie, near Cleveland, OH

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

Vessel Type Description

The Don was a small wooden propeller-driven fish tug, purpose-built for fishing operations on Lake Erie. With a modest tonnage and dimensions, she was typical of early-20th-century patrol and net-hauling tugs used by small-scale commercial fishermen out of Cleveland.

Description

No modern archaeological documentation (side‑scan surveys, diving reports, or underwater footage) has been located. The wreck site has not been specifically identified or cataloged in Great Lakes maritime archaeological records. The shallow structure and limited tonnage suggest any remains may have deteriorated, been salvaged, or lie buried in Lake Erie sediments.

History & Chronology

  • Constructed in 1901 in Erie, Pennsylvania, she entered service shortly thereafter as a fish tug operating from Cleveland.
  • Final Incident: On 27 September 1918, Don collided with the steamer Buckeye near Cleveland and sank quickly. All four persons aboard escaped without injury. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • No known previous incidents or notable operational history has been documented beyond this collision entry.

Final Disposition

Following the collision with Buckeye, the Don sank and was recorded as a total loss. Given her small scale and utility, no salvage was likely pursued, and no further documentation regarding hull recovery or liability has emerged.

Located By & Date Found

  • Not located by modern explorers or dive teams; no public record of wrecksite survey or discovery has been published.

Notices & Navigational Advisories

  • None noted. No historical Notices to Mariners or hazard bulletins referencing the wreck have been found.

Resources & References

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – entry for Don, with official number, build data, incident summary, and collision details. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)

Gaps & Research Opportunities

  • No registry entries beyond basic classification are currently found.
  • No ownership records, vessel logs, or insurance documents located.
  • No crew names, fishing operations data, or port manifest records identified.
  • Unknown whether wreck remains exist or can be located.
  • Suggested avenues:
    • Examine Cleveland newspaper archives (e.g., Cleveland Leader, Plain Dealer) around late September 1918 for collision reports and any follow-up coverage.
    • Consult U.S. Coast Guard, state archives, or Great Lakes shipping registers from 1901–1918 for ownership and licensing information.
    • Reach out to dive operators or local maritime museums in Cleveland for any undocumented knowledge of small fish-tug wrecks near the city harbor.

Keywords & Glossary

Lake Erie, small wooden tug, fishing tug, collision sinking, Buckeye, 1918 wreck, Cleveland maritime history, minor vessel losses.

Summary

The Don was a modest-sized fishing tug built in 1901 in Erie, Pennsylvania. She met her end on 27 September 1918 in a collision with the steamer Buckeye near Cleveland on Lake Erie. No crew members were lost, and no cargo was aboard beyond fishing gear. The vessel sank and was lost with little fanfare; today, the wreck remains undocumented and the vessel’s operational history remains largely blank outside the collision listing in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Files. Please let me know if you’d like assistance in exploring newspaper records or draft searches in 1918 shipping registers.

don-us-157619 1918-09-27 11:30:00