Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Lizzie Doak
- Type: Wood-hulled schooner
- Year Built: 1868
- Builder: Gibson
- Dimensions: 75 ft × 20 ft × 6 ft (22.9 × 6.1 × 1.8 m); gross tonnage ~64 ft, net tonnage ~60 ft
- Registered Tonnage: 64 ft
- Location: Beached in storm about ½ mile south of Ludington piers, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 15640
- Original Owners: Wallace & Barnes of St. Joseph, Michigan
- Number of Masts: Two-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A regional two‐masted schooner used in mid‐ to late 19th-century Great Lakes trade, likely hauling bulk goods like lumber, grain, or stone.
Description
Standard wooden schooner construction for the period, featuring two masts and one deck, built for efficiency in lake trade.
History
- Built in 1868 (or 1871) by Gibson at Winneconne or Milwaukee.
- By 1871, owned by Wallace & Barnes, St. Joseph, MI.
- In 1874, struck the St. Joseph bridge.
- In November 1889, stranded near Muskegon but refloated.
Significant Incidents
- Struck the St. Joseph bridge in 1874.
- Stranded near Muskegon in November 1889 but was refloated.
Final Disposition
On 30 August 1892, the LIZZIE DOAK sprang a leak during a storm near Ludington. To avoid sinking in the open lake, the captain beached the vessel approximately 0.5 mile south of the piers. However, incoming waves broke her apart, resulting in a total wreck. The entire crew survived.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern discovery or archaeological survey is recorded. Wreckage was likely dismantled or dispersed in shallow shore zones near Ludington; no remnants accessible today.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”lizzie-doak-us-15640″ title=”References & Links”]
The LIZZIE DOAK typifies mid‐19th-century regional schooners navigating the volatile conditions of Lake Michigan. Her end near Ludington—running aground to save her crew, then breaking apart in surf—was a common fate for similar vessels. Though no physical remains exist today, her story, drawn from official registry and incident reports, highlights the ever-present risks of Great Lakes sailing.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Lizzie Doak (commonly LIZZIE DOAK)
- Official number: 15640 (linkstothepast.com)
- Year built: 1868 (some sources suggest 1871), built by Gibson in Winneconne, Wisconsin (linkstothepast.com)
- Type: Wood-hulled schooner, two‐masted, single deck
- Dimensions: 75 ft × 20 ft × 6 ft (22.9 × 6.1 × 1.8 m); gross tonnage ~64 t, net tonnage ~60 t (linkstothepast.com)
- Original owner: Wallace & Barnes of St. Joseph, Michigan (from 1871)
- Date lost: 30 August 1892
- Location: Beached in storm about ½ mile south of Ludington piers, Lake Michigan
- Cause of wreck: Sprang a leak in heavy seas; captained to shore to avoid sinking, then wrecked by waves
- Cargo & casualties: Unknown cargo; no loss of life (wisconsinshipwrecks.org)
Vessel Type
A regional two‑masted schooner used in mid‑ to late 19th-century Great Lakes trade, likely hauling bulk goods like lumber, grain, or stone.
Description
Standard wooden schooner construction for the period, featuring two masts and one deck, built for efficiency in lake trade.
History Prior to Loss
- Built in 1868 (or 1871) by Gibson at Winneconne or Milwaukee (linkstothepast.com)
- By 1871, owned by Wallace & Barnes, St. Joseph, MI
- In 1874, struck the St. Joseph bridge
- In November 1889, stranded near Muskegon but refloated (Wikipedia)
Final Disposition
On 30 August 1892, the LIZZIE DOAK sprang a leak during a storm near Ludington. To avoid sinking in the open lake, the captain beached the vessel approximately 0.5 mile south of the piers. However, incoming waves broke her apart, resulting in a total wreck. The entire crew survived.
Located By & Date Found
No modern discovery or archaeological survey is recorded. Wreckage was likely dismantled or dispersed in shallow shore zones near Ludington; no remnants accessible today.
Notmar & Advisories
No current Notices to Mariners mention this wreck. Mariners should note the history of sudden storms near Ludington piers and proceed with caution—especially in late summer.
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks database entry on Lizzie Doak (linkstothepast.com)
Conclusion
The LIZZIE DOAK typifies mid‑19th-century regional schooners navigating the volatile conditions of Lake Michigan. Her end near Ludington—running aground to save her crew, then breaking apart in surf—was a common fate for similar vessels. Though no physical remains exist today, her story, drawn from official registry and incident reports, highlights the ever-present risks of Great Lakes sailing.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: schooner, Ludington, storm, beaching, 1892 wreck
- Categories: Wooden lake schooners, Great Lakes storm losses, shipwreck at shore
- Glossary:
- Beach: Deliberate grounding to prevent sinking.
- Gross/net tonnage: Measurements of a ship’s volume and carrying capacity.
- Leak: Entry of water into the hull, risking sinking.