Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: L.D. Coman
- Type: Wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1848
- Builder: Carrick & Wilkes
- Dimensions: Length 90 ft (27.4 m); Beam; Depth of hold 8 ft (2.4 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 165 tons
- Location: Point aux Barques (Port Austin), Michigan
- Original Owners: C.M. Tibbats? of Erie, PA; John Johnson, Port Huron, Michigan
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The L.D. Coman was a wooden two-masted schooner, typical of the mid-19th-century Great Lakes fleet, built for bulk cargo trade.
Description
Built with oak frames and pine planking, the Coman measured 27.4 metres (90 ft) in length, with a depth of hold of 2.4 metres (8 ft), and was rated at 165 tons (old measurement). No beam measurement was recorded. Her hull was designed for stability and capacity to carry grain, lumber, and general goods between major Lake Erie and Lake Huron ports.
History
Launched in Erie in 1848, the Coman quickly entered the lake trade, being recorded in Buffalo and Presque Isle as early as 1848–1849. In 1856, she stranded at Freeport (modern Fairport Harbor), Lake Erie, but was repaired. In 1858, large repairs were carried out, possibly reflecting a major rebuild or refit.
By 1860 she was owned by Hearn & Scott of Erie, then sold in 1863 to James Cox of Port Huron, Michigan. That same year, she was badly damaged in a collision in the Detroit River but repaired once again.
In May 1865, while under ownership of John Johnson of Port Huron, the Coman was wrecked near Point aux Barques on Lake Huron. Precise details of the wrecking event are scarce, but no later registry indicates she returned to service, confirming a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- 1856: Stranded at Freeport (modern Fairport Harbor), Lake Erie, but repaired.
- 1863: Badly damaged in a collision in the Detroit River, repaired.
- 1865: Wrecked near Point aux Barques on Lake Huron, confirmed total loss.
Final Disposition
Total loss, abandoned on site.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern survey or diver documentation of the wreck has been reported.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”l-d-coman-l-d-cowan” title=”References & Links” show_ref_button=”yes”]
The L.D. Coman had a service history reflecting the resilience — and the risks — of wooden schooners on the Great Lakes. Surviving strandings, collisions, and damage across almost two decades, she ultimately succumbed near Point aux Barques in 1865, closing the book on a hardworking regional cargo carrier.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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