Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Fred King
- Type: Wooden steam fish tug
- Year Built: 1889
- Builder: Erie, Pennsylvania
- Dimensions: Approximately 50 × 10 × 5 ft; 13 gross / 6 net tons
- Registered Tonnage: 13 gross / 6 net tons
- Location: Off Rocky River, Ohio
- Official Number: 120785
- Original Owners: Cleveland
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Fred King was a wooden steam fish tug, primarily utilized for commercial fishing operations on Lake Erie.
Description
Built in 1889, the Fred King measured approximately 50 feet in length, 10 feet in beam, and 5 feet in depth. It had a registered tonnage of 13 gross tons and 6 net tons. The vessel was homeported in Cleveland, Ohio.
History
The Fred King served as a fishing tug, carrying fishing gear and equipment at the time of its loss. The vessel was engaged in commercial fishing activities on Lake Erie.
Significant Incidents
- The Fred King caught fire and burned to a total loss while underway or at anchor off Rocky River. The specific ignition source and timeline of the fire are not documented.
- There were three persons aboard at the time of the incident, and no fatalities were reported.
Final Disposition
The vessel was completely destroyed by fire, burned to the waterline, and subsequently abandoned. No known salvage operations or documentation of recovered remains exist.
Current Condition & Accessibility
As of now, there is no modern dive or survey data reported regarding the wreck. The fire occurred near shore, and remnants of the wreck may have settled in shallow water.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”fred-king-us-120785″ title=”References & Links”]
The Fred King was a small steam-powered fishing tug lost to fire off the coast of Rocky River, Ohio, in April 1915. Although no one was harmed, the vessel was entirely consumed by the blaze. The incident remains minimally recorded, and no wreck identification or subsequent fieldwork has been noted.
If you’d like help in retrieving period newspaper stories, port logs, or historical vessel registries, I’d be glad to assist.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
Join Shotline to read more →