Hazel R. Knight (1919)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Hazel R. Knight
• Type: Wooden-hulled propeller steam vessel
• Year Built: 1919
• Builder:
• Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
• Registered Tonnage:
• Location: Lake Huron
• Original Owners: Herbert E. Coe, New York, NY

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

• Propeller-driven wooden steamship—one of many small to mid-sized vessels used for freight or passenger service on Lake Huron during the early 20th century.
• Exact dimensions, tonnage, and engine details are currently undocumented but likely align with similar vessels built around 1919.

Description

• On November 17, 1927, Hazel R. Knight collided with the sidewheel steamer F. W. Sargent. The impact caused Hazel R. Knight to sink rapidly on Lake Huron.
• All crew survived; no casualties were reported. The incident resulted in the vessel being declared a total loss.

History

• Active in Lake Huron trade from her commissioning (1919) until loss (1927).
• Operated by New York-based Herbert E. Coe—specific trade routes are unrecorded but likely involved regional freight service.

Significant Incidents

• Collision with sidewheeler F. W. Sargent on November 17, 1927, resulting in sinking.
• No fatalities reported; vessel declared a total loss.

Final Disposition

• Final resting place: Likely near the collision site on Lake Huron. Precise coordinates are not recorded.
• Expected wreck condition: Sunk intact or nearly intact, given no fire or explosion was involved. Remains likely include hull structure, machinery, and cargo.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Depth and environmental conditions remain unknown—could be submerged in either shallow coastal waters or deeper mid-lake basin.

Resources & Links

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Hazel R. Knight represents an example of the smaller commercial steam vessels that supported Great Lakes trade before steel hulls predominated. Her well-documented sinking—with no loss of life—makes her an excellent candidate for archaeological survey, capable of providing insight into early 20th-century wooden steamship construction, mid-lake collision dynamics, and regional transport networks.