Ferret – Lake Erie Schooner Shipwreck (1895)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Ferret
• Type: Schooner (converted to propeller-driven)
• Year Built: 1864
• Builder: F. Carpenter
• Dimensions: Length: 81.8 ft (24.9 m); Beam: 18.7 ft (5.7 m); Depth of hold: 5.7 ft (1.7 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 74 tons (old style); 73 tons (later gross)
• Location: Maumee Bay near Toledo Crib Light
• Official Number: 9212
• Original Owners: Multiple owners including J. Craig, William McGarry, and Captain Young
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden schooner with a scow bottom, converted later to a propeller-driven vessel.

Description

• Hull Material: Wood
• Decks: 1
• Rig Type: Originally schooner, later propeller-driven
• Masts: 2
• Dimensions (Post-Conversion):
  • Length: 81.8 ft (24.9 m)
  • Beam: 18.7 ft (5.7 m)
  • Depth: 5.7 ft (1.7 m)
• Tonnage:
  • Old Style: 74 tons
  • Later Gross: 73 tons (post-conversion)
• Capacity: Small general cargo vessel

History

Originally constructed as a small wooden schooner in Bay City in 1864 by builder F. Carpenter, Ferret served in the lumber and coal trades across Lakes Huron and Erie. She changed hands multiple times:

• 1865: Registered 58 gross tons
• 1866: Owned by J. Craig, Detroit; capsized in Saginaw Bay carrying lumber
• 1871–76: Owned by Black River interests (Stange, then Mapes)
• 1889: Enrolled at Port Huron under William McGarry
• 1891: Converted from schooner to powered propeller vessel
• 1892: Sold at auction
• 1895: Owned by Captain Young, Toledo, OH

Significant Incidents

Significant Incident:

• Collision with the steamer Idlewild in Maumee Bay, resulting in sinking on 22 August 1895.

Final Disposition

While operating as a propeller-driven coal carrier, Ferret collided with the steamer Idlewild in Maumee Bay near the Toledo Crib Light. The vessel sank on 22 August 1895 with a cargo of 100 tons of coal. No fatalities were reported. Her enrollment documents were officially surrendered in Port Huron later that year.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No official survey or rediscovery has been recorded. It is likely that the wreck site is buried or broken up in the shallow silty waters of Maumee Bay.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”ferret-us-9212″ title=”References & Links”]

Though small and humble in purpose, Ferret‘s transformation from sail to steam represents a significant transitional period in Great Lakes shipping. Her long service life and final loss in collision reflect the persistent hazards of inland navigation in congested ports like Toledo.