Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: George Penniman
- Type: Wooden two-masted schooner
- Year Built: 1894
- Builder: Charles Dutcher
- Dimensions: 93 ft × 20 ft × 6 ft; 84 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 84 tons
- Location: Near Duck Islands, Lake Huron
- Official Number: 86301
- Original Owners: American owners, later Canadian interests
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small to mid-sized wooden schooner designed for general freight. Her dimensions made her suitable for regional supply runs on Lake Huron ports.
Description
Launched in 1894, George Penniman served American coastal trade on Lake Huron. On 6 November 1903, she was lost after a storm near Duck Islands. Official records show that on June 1904, her registration was surrendered at Port Huron, annotated “total loss, Duck Islands, 11-03.” There are indications her American owners abandoned her; Canadian interests later recovered and rebuilt her as a barge under the same name.
History
Declared a total loss by her American operators. Recovered by Canadian parties, converted into a barge, and returned to service under the same name.
Significant Incidents
- Lost in a storm near Duck Islands on 6 November 1903.
- Registration surrendered in June 1904, annotated as a total loss.
Final Disposition
No precise coordinates have been documented. The wreck was recorded near Duck Islands; subsequent rebuild indicates the hull was salvaged—no diving remains exist.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No navigational markers highlight the former wreck. Duck Islands and adjacent waters constitute natural hazards during storms but lack charted wreck sites.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”george-penniman-us-86301″ title=”References & Links”]
George Penniman, a schooner built in 1894, foundered in a storm near Duck Islands on 6 November 1903. She was declared a total loss, later salvaged and rebuilt by Canadian interests as a barge of her original name. Her story illustrates late-era cross-border shipping resilience. No wreckage remains, but she continued to impact Great Lakes trade in a new form.
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.
Identification & Site Information
- Name: George Penniman
- Built: 1894 at Sebewaing, Michigan by Charles Dutcher
- Official Number: 86301
- Vessel Type: Wooden two‑masted schooner
- Dimensions: 93 ft × 20 ft × 6 ft; 84 tons
- Final Loss: 6 November 1903
- Location: Near Duck Islands, Lake Huron
- Cargo: Not documented
- Crew & Casualties: None mentioned
Vessel Type
A small to mid-sized wooden schooner designed for general freight. Her dimensions made her suitable for regional supply runs on Lake Huron ports.
History & Final Voyage
Launched in 1894, George Penniman served American coastal trade on Lake Huron. On 6 November 1903, she was lost after a storm near Duck Islands. Official records show that on June 1904, her registration was surrendered at Port Huron, annotated “total loss, Duck Islands, 11‑03.” There are indications her American owners abandoned her; Canadian interests later recovered and rebuilt her as a barge under the same name. (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss by her American operators. Recovered by Canadian parties, converted into a barge, and returned to service under the same name.
Located By & Date Found
No precise coordinates have been documented. The wreck was recorded near Duck Islands; subsequent rebuild indicates the hull was salvaged—no diving remains exist.
Notmars & Advisories
No navigational markers highlight the former wreck. Duck Islands and adjacent waters constitute natural hazards during storms but lack charted wreck sites.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files entry for George Penniman (build date, loss, surrender record) (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Conclusion
George Penniman, a schooner built in 1894, foundered in a storm near Duck Islands on 6 November 1903. She was declared a total loss, later salvaged and rebuilt by Canadian interests as a barge of her original name. Her story illustrates late-era cross-border shipping resilience. No wreckage remains, but she continued to impact Great Lakes trade in a new form.