J.B. Skinner

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: J.B. Skinner
• Type: Two-masted schooner
• Year Built: 1841
• Builder: Conneaut, Ohio
• Dimensions: Length 72 ft 10 in (22.2 m); Beam 20 ft 3.25 in (6.2 m); Depth of hold 7 ft 9 in (2.4 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 100 23/95 tons (original); 142 40/95 tons (post-rebuild)
• Location: Near Big Sable Point, north of Ludington, Lake Michigan
• Original Owners: Henry C. Walker & Marshall Capron, Conneaut, OH
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Wooden, two-masted schooner built for cargo transport on the Great Lakes. Like many schooners of her era, she operated primarily under sail and was engaged in bulk material transport, especially lumber.

Description

Built in 1841 in Conneaut, Ohio, the J.B. Skinner exemplified the schooner type common to early commercial navigation on the Lakes. After a rebuild in the mid-1840s in Milan, OH, her capacity and size increased. She was involved in multiple incidents throughout her service, including a collision on Lake Erie in 1851 with one fatality, and grounding near Port Burwell, Ontario, in September 1855.

History

The J.B. Skinner was constructed in 1841 and initially operated under the ownership of Henry C. Walker and Marshall Capron. Following her rebuild, she continued to serve in the lumber trade, which was a significant industry in the Great Lakes region during that period.

Significant Incidents

• Collision on Lake Erie in 1851 resulting in one fatality.
• Grounding near Port Burwell, Ontario, in September 1855.

Final Disposition

The J.B. Skinner met her end in December 1855, when she was driven ashore in a storm while loading or offloading lumber near Big Sable Point, Lake Michigan, north of present-day Ludington, MI. She was reportedly anchored close to shore when she parted her cables during deteriorating weather. The wreck was declared a total loss.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No formal archaeological discovery or dive site for J.B. Skinner has been documented. The vessel’s remains are likely dispersed or buried along the shifting sands and shallow waters of Big Sable Point.

Resources & Links

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The J.B. Skinner was among the earliest generation of purpose-built Great Lakes schooners. Serving for 14 years, she experienced collisions, strandings, and rebuilds before being driven ashore in a December gale. Her story adds to the maritime heritage of Michigan’s west coast and the frequent perils faced by early lake mariners.