Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: J.W. Doane
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: Circa early 1880s
- Builder:
- Dimensions: Length X ft (Y m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage:
- Location: Buffalo Harbor, Lake Erie
- Official Number: Not recorded
- Number of Masts: Likely two-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A wooden-hulled schooner typical of Great Lakes coastal freight, used for short-haul cargo transport.
Description
Though specifics like tonnage and dimensions remain undocumented, the J.W. Doane was noted as a well-maintained vessel “complete little craft” prior to its stranding. Built for general-purpose freight, she was capable in coastal navigation and harbor work.
History
In November 1882, a fierce Lake Erie storm battered Buffalo Harbor and surrounding waters. The J.W. Doane was forced onto the breakwater at Buffalo, grounding heavily. Following the incident, the vessel was salvaged and sold, reportedly for about half its pre-accident value. Despite being described initially as a total wreck, her hull’s condition attracted a buyer, indicating partial integrity post-stranding.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded on the Buffalo breakwater during a storm in November 1882.
Final Disposition
After grounding on the breakwater, she was raised, sold, and likely dismantled or repurposed by the purchaser. No record indicates she re-entered service under the same name.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern dive surveys have documented the wreck. Any remnants would have been removed during salvage; no underwater remains are known.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”j-w-doane-1880s” title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The J.W. Doane illustrates the vulnerability of coastal schooners to freak storms in harbor entrances. While initially stranded and reportedly wrecked in November 1882, she was salvaged and sold — a fate more salvageable than irretrievable. Though her hull was likely broken up subsequently, the incident offers insight into late 19th-century shipyard economics and Lake Erie storm risks.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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