Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: George Lamont
- Type: Wooden tug
- Year Built: 1875
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Lake Erie
- Original Owners: Not conclusively recorded
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The George Lamont was a wooden-hulled steam tug, a powerful vessel built to tow schooners, barges, or other lake vessels in and out of harbours.
Description
She was constructed with heavy oak framing and pine planking, with a strong steam engine for towing duties. Tugs of this period were compact, with a short hull, high pilothouse, and strong hull bracing to handle ice and collisions in crowded harbours.
History
Launched in 1875, the George Lamont worked out of Lake Erie ports, assisting shipping traffic. Reports note that in 1877, she may have sunk but was later raised and returned to service, a not-uncommon fate for tugboats of the era.
On 14 March 1880, while participating in what was described as a “tug race” — likely a local informal contest between tugs during idle time — she was overtaken by a sudden blizzard on Lake Erie. Unable to make a safe harbour, the tug was overwhelmed by heavy seas and foundered. All three crew members aboard were lost.
Significant Incidents
- In 1877, the George Lamont reportedly sank but was later raised and returned to service.
- On 14 March 1880, the tug foundered during a blizzard, resulting in the loss of all three crew members.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after sinking in the 1880 storm. No salvage was recorded.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern archaeological survey or diver documentation of the George Lamont has been reported.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”george-lamont-1875″ title=”References & Links”]
The loss of the George Lamont demonstrates the hazards faced by even powerful harbour tugs on Lake Erie in unpredictable weather. Her loss in a March blizzard, while engaged in a competitive run, shows how quickly conditions could turn fatal on the Great Lakes, even close to port.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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