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.
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.
(built 1889; lost April 27, 1915)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Official Number: 120785 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Year Built: 1889, at Erie, Pennsylvania (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Vessel Type: Wooden steam fish tug, used for commercial fishing on Lake Erie (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Dimensions: Approximately 50 × 10 × 5 ft; 13 gross / 6 net tons (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Home Port: Cleveland (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Loss Date: April 27, 1915 (chautauquacountyny.gov)
- Loss Location: Off Rocky River, Ohio, Lake Erie (Wikipedia)
Cargo & Operation
- Cargo: Fishing gear—carrying fishing nets/equipment at time of incident (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
Circumstances of Loss
- The Fred King caught fire and burned to a total loss while underway or at anchor off Rocky River. Specific ignition source and fire timeline are not documented. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
- Crew: Three persons aboard; no fatalities reported (Wikipedia)
Final Disposition
- The vessel was completely destroyed by fire—burned to the waterline—and abandoned.
- No known salvage or documentation of recovered remains exists.
Summary Table
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Fred King |
| Official Number | 120785 |
| Built | 1889, Erie, Pennsylvania |
| Type | Wood steam fish tug |
| Dimensions | ~50 × 10 × 5 ft; 13 gt / 6 nt |
| Home Port | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Loss Date | April 27, 1915 |
| Loss Location | Off Rocky River, OH (Lake Erie) |
| Cargo | Fishing gear |
| Crew & Casualties | 3 aboard; none lost |
| Cause | Fire while underway or anchored |
| Final Status | Burned to total loss |
Research Notes & Suggestions
- No record of the fire’s cause or any official investigation is noted in accessible summaries.
- Local newspapers from late April 1915 (e.g. Cleveland Plain Dealer, Rocky River Bulletin) may contain incident reports, eyewitness accounts, or fire department responses.
- Port records or local vessel insurance filings—if preserved—might provide details on ownership, firefighting, and post-loss administrative handling.
- Since the fire occurred near shore, remnants of the wreck may have settled in shallow water—though no modern dive or survey data is reported.
Conclusion
Fred King was a small steam-powered fishing tug built in 1889 and lost to fire off the coast of Rocky River, Ohio, in April 1915. Though no one was harmed, she was consumed entirely 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.
fred-king-us-120785 1915-04-27 21:32:00