Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Fintry (1853)

Explore the wreck of the Fintry, a twin-propeller wooden steamer that tragically sank in 1855 after a catastrophic boiler explosion, resulting in significant loss of life.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Fintry
  • Type: Twin-propeller wooden steamer (propeller vessel)
  • Year Built: 1853
  • Builder: Detroit
  • Dimensions:
  • Registered Tonnage:
  • Location: Lake Erie (off Port Stanley, Ontario)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Twin-propeller wooden steamer designed for mixed passenger and freight service.

Description

The Fintry was a wooden-hulled propeller steamer, built for the transportation of agricultural produce and occasional passengers. It featured a twin-propeller setup, indicating robust propulsion and redundancy.

History

Launched in early 1853, the Fintry was part of a trio of Detroit-built propellers intended for the Buffalo trade. It served on Lake Erie routes, carrying agricultural produce and occasional passengers, and suffered no prior major incidents before its catastrophic loss in November 1855.

Significant Incidents

  • On November 8, 1855, the Fintry suffered a catastrophic boiler explosion while east of Port Stanley, resulting in the vessel sinking within approximately three minutes.
  • The explosion killed 8 crew members instantly, while 17 survivors clung to floating wreckage until rescue arrived.

Final Disposition

The wreck of the Fintry remains unlocated, having sunk stern-first under quick sinking conditions. It is likely severely fragmented, with scattered boiler parts and cargo debris across the lake bed.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Current status indicates that the wreck is unlocated, with the likelihood of a fragmented hull and debris scattered across the lake bed. The exact coordinates of the wreck are unknown.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”fintry-1853″ title=”References & Links”]

The tragedy of the Fintry highlights the hazards of early steam-era navigation on the Great Lakes, particularly the dangers posed by boiler explosions. Documenting the wreck would enhance understanding of early Canadian–U.S. steam navigation history.

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: Fintry
  • Type: Twin-propeller wooden steamer (propeller vessel)
  • Built: Winter 1852–53 in Detroit (alongside sister ships Challenge and Falcon) (Shipwreck World)
  • Loss date: November 8, 1855
  • Location: Lake Erie (off Port Stanley, Ontario)
  • Cargo: Wheat and flour (approximately unknown tonnage)
  • Crew: 25 onboard; 8 fatalities (Shipwreck World, Wikipedia)

Explosion & Final Voyage

On November 8, 1855, while east of Port Stanley on Lake Erie, the Fintry suffered a catastrophic boiler explosion. The blast was powerful enough to blow off her stern, causing her to sink within approximately three minutes. The vessel was rapidly engulfed by frigid waters, resulting in eight crew members killed instantly. The 17 survivors managed to cling to floating wreckage until rescue arrived. (Shipwreck World)

Description & Construction

  • Hull Type: Wooden-hulled propeller steamer, designed for mixed passenger and freight service
  • Boiler/Engine: Typical mid-19th-century steam propulsion; exact capacity and boiler specs remain undocumented
  • Configuration: Twin-propeller setup, indicating intends for robust propulsion and redundancy (Shipwreck World)

Operational History

  • Launched in early 1853 as part of a trio of Detroit-built propellers intended for the Buffalo trade
  • Fintry served on Lake Erie routes, carrying agricultural produce and occasional passengers
  • Suffered no prior major incidents before the November 1855 disaster

Casualties & Survivors

  • Fatalities: 8 crew members died on the spot in the boiler explosion
  • Survivors: 17 individuals escaped aboard debris until rescued; precise crew/passenger lists remain to be sourced

Wreck Site & Discovery Status

  • Estimated location: Off Port Stanley, Lake Erie – exact coordinates unknown
  • Current status: Wreck remains unlocated; sunk stern-first under quick sinking conditions
  • Likely condition: Severely fragmented hull, scattered boiler parts, cargo debris; wreckage may lie buried or broken across the lake bed

Notmars & Admiralties

  • No Notices to Mariners or long-standing navigation warnings recorded regarding Fintry; sinking likely posed limited hazard due to rapid inflation and debris distribution

Sources & Citations

  • Shipwreck World article detailing Fintry alongside Challenge and Falcon, with explosion account and sinking details (Shipwreck World, Facebook)

Research Gaps & Next Steps

  • Newspaper accounts: Investigate 1855 Canadian and U.S. papers (e.g., Port Stanley, London Advertiser, or Detroit Free Press) for crew lists, inquiry outcomes, and eyewitness testimonies.
  • Steamboat inspection reports: The U.S. Steamboat Inspectors’ annual report and Canadian equivalents may record investigation details.
  • Technical specs: Locate Detroit ship registries or builder’s plans for boiler capacity and structural layout.
  • Wreck survey: Initiate side-scan sonar sweep in plausible sinking area off Port Stanley to locate wreck site.

Conclusion

The Fintry tragedy is emblematic of early steam-era hazards on the Great Lakes—boiler explosions stemming from primitive pressure systems and safety oversight. Her sudden loss, with significant loss of life, underscores the dangers of mid-19th-century maritime engineering. Discovering and documenting the wreck would greatly contribute to understanding early Canadian–U.S. steam navigation history and propulsion design.

Keywords

Lake Erie · 1855 boiler explosion · wooden propeller steamer · Port Stanley wreck · mid-19th century steam hazards · Canadian Great Lakes shipwrecks

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