Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Emma L. Coyne
- Type: Wooden three-masted bark (later converted to schooner-barge)
- Year Built: 1867
- Builder: Detroit Dry Dock Co., Detroit, Michigan
- Dimensions: Length 154 ft 6 in (47.1 m); Beam 33 ft (10.1 m); Depth of hold 13 ft (4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 497 tons
- Location: Lake Huron
- Coordinates: exact coordinates not recorded
- Official Number: 7331
- Original Owners: Capt. Hugh Coyne & Capt. James Jackson (Johnson), Detroit, MI
- Number of Masts: 3
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Three-masted wooden bark, later converted to a schooner-barge, designed for the iron ore, grain, and lumber trade throughout the Great Lakes.
Description
The Emma L. Coyne was a full-rigged bark with three masts, built strongly of oak for heavy cargoes. Originally rigged for sail, she was quickly converted in 1868 to operate as a schooner-barge, designed to be towed behind steamers but capable of limited independent sailing. She featured a deep hold and broad beam to accommodate bulk cargoes such as iron ore, salt, grain, and lumber.
History
Launched in 1867 at Detroit as the first vessel built by the Detroit Dry Dock Company, the Emma L. Coyne carried the largest cargo of iron ore by sail through the Soo Locks that same year (780 tons).
Her working history was eventful:
- 1868: Grounded near St. Martin’s Island, then converted to a schooner-barge at Detroit.
- 1872: Waterlogged off Port Washington, Wisconsin.
- 1875: Rigging damaged near Apostle Islands, Lake Superior.
- 1877: Collided with and sank the schooner Hippogriff off Kenosha, WI.
- 1878–79: Chartered in Chicago and Sarnia grain and lumber trade.
- 1881: Sprang a leak, required tow to Cleveland.
- 1888–89: Rebuilt at Smith Yard, Algonac, Michigan.
- 1898: Waterlogged in a gale, crew rescued by the Middle Island Life-Saving Station and vessel towed to Alpena, then to Marine City for repairs.
By 1907, still in use for bulk cargo, she was involved in a collision with the steel freighter Wallula on 13 July 1907 and was sunk. No loss of life is noted, though the barge was declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded near St. Martin’s Island in 1868.
- Waterlogged off Port Washington, Wisconsin in 1872.
- Rigging damaged near Apostle Islands, Lake Superior in 1875.
- Collided with and sank the schooner Hippogriff off Kenosha, WI in 1877.
- Sprang a leak in 1881, required tow to Cleveland.
- Waterlogged in a gale in 1898, crew rescued and vessel towed for repairs.
Final Disposition
Total loss due to collision on Lake Huron in 1907.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern dive survey has confirmed the final resting site of the Emma L. Coyne, presumed broken and scattered after collision.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”emma-l-coyne-us-7331″ title=”References & Links”]
The Emma L. Coyne is a classic example of the robust wooden Great Lakes bark that transitioned into the schooner-barge era, adapting from sail to steam-tow service to remain viable. Its 40-year career included multiple rebuilds, groundings, and accidents, a testament to both the durability of her construction and the harsh demands of Great Lakes trade. Her final loss in collision with Wallula ended a long and historically valuable chapter of 19th-century maritime operations.
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.
EMMA L. COYNE (Official No. 7331, 1867–1907)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Emma L. Coyne
- Official Number: 7331
- Year built: 1867
- Builder: Detroit Dry Dock Co., Detroit, Michigan (first vessel completed by this yard)
- Master carpenters: Campbell & Owen
- Original owners: Capt. Hugh Coyne & Capt. James Jackson (Johnson), Detroit, MI
- Vessel type: Wooden three-masted bark (later converted to schooner-barge)
- Hull material: Wood
- Number of decks: 1
- Hull number: 1
- Hull dimensions:
- Length: 47.1 m (154 ft 6 in)
- Beam: 10.1 m (33 ft)
- Depth: 4 m (13 ft)
- Gross tonnage: 497 tons
- Capacity: approximately 900 tons cargo
- Date lost: 13 July 1907
- Final location: Lake Huron (exact coordinates not recorded)
Vessel Type
Three-masted wooden bark, later converted to a schooner-barge, designed for the iron ore, grain, and lumber trade throughout the Great Lakes.
Description
The Emma L. Coyne was a full-rigged bark with three masts, built strongly of oak for heavy cargoes. Originally rigged for sail, she was quickly converted in 1868 to operate as a schooner-barge, designed to be towed behind steamers but capable of limited independent sailing. She featured a deep hold and broad beam to accommodate bulk cargoes such as iron ore, salt, grain, and lumber.
History
Launched in 1867 at Detroit as the first vessel built by the Detroit Dry Dock Company, the Emma L. Coyne carried the largest cargo of iron ore by sail through the Soo Locks that same year (780 tons).
Her working history was eventful:
- 1868: Grounded near St. Martin’s Island, then converted to a schooner-barge at Detroit.
- 1872: Waterlogged off Port Washington, Wisconsin.
- 1875: Rigging damaged near Apostle Islands, Lake Superior.
- 1877: Collided with and sank the schooner Hippogriff off Kenosha, WI.
- 1878–79: Chartered in Chicago and Sarnia grain and lumber trade.
- 1881: Sprang a leak, required tow to Cleveland.
- 1888–89: Rebuilt at Smith Yard, Algonac, Michigan.
- 1898: Waterlogged in a gale, crew rescued by the Middle Island Life-Saving Station and vessel towed to Alpena, then to Marine City for repairs.
By 1907, still in use for bulk cargo, she was involved in a collision with the steel freighter Wallula on 13 July 1907 and was sunk. No loss of life is noted, though the barge was declared a total loss.
Final Dispositions
Total loss due to collision on Lake Huron in 1907.
Located By & Date Found
No modern dive survey has confirmed the final resting site of the Emma L. Coyne, presumed broken and scattered after collision.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- Great Lakes Vessels Online Index — Bowling Green State University
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
- Edward J. Dowling Collection, University of Detroit Mercy
- Burton Historical Collection
- Donald V. Baut archives
- C.E. Feltner Enrollments Database
Conclusion
The Emma L. Coyne is a classic example of the robust wooden Great Lakes bark that transitioned into the schooner-barge era, adapting from sail to steam-tow service to remain viable. Its 40-year career included multiple rebuilds, groundings, and accidents, a testament to both the durability of her construction and the harsh demands of Great Lakes trade. Her final loss in collision with Wallula ended a long and historically valuable chapter of 19th-century maritime operations.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- bark
- schooner-barge
- wooden hull
- Lake Huron
- collision
- grain trade
- iron ore
- Detroit Dry Dock Co.
- 19th century
- Great Lakes commerce