Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Lua
- Type: Wooden sloop (sailboat)
- Year Built: 1905
- Builder: Likely Skipper Wesley Boutin
- Dimensions: Not recorded (likely under 25 ft)
- Registered Tonnage: Unknown (small unregistered vessel)
- Location: Bayfield Harbor, Lake Superior
- Coordinates: N 46° 48.527′, W 090° 47.559′
- Official Number: Not registered
- Original Owners: Skipper Wesley Boutin
- Number of Masts: Not recorded
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Lua was classified as a wooden sloop, a type of small sailing vessel typically used for recreation and light utility.
Description
The Lua was a small wooden sailing sloop built in Bayfield or La Pointe, Wisconsin, in 1905. Constructed by Skipper Wesley Boutin, a member of the well-known Apostle Islands fishing and maritime family, the vessel was intended for private use, possibly as a personal sailboat or light utility craft. Named in honor of Miss Lua Hoxie of Hampton, Iowa—a guest at the Island View Hotel—the vessel was meant to be christened shortly after completion, but fate intervened before the ceremony could take place.
History
The Lua was one of many small craft constructed in Bayfield and La Pointe around the turn of the 20th century. Boats of this type served dual purposes: recreation for summer visitors and practical use for island residents, who often built their own sail and fish boats. Skipper Boutin, its builder, was part of the prominent Boutin family, long associated with fishing, tug operations, and local shipbuilding in Bayfield.
Significant Incidents
On 1 September 1905, just three days before her planned christening, the Lua was caught in a storm at Bayfield. The vessel was wrecked in the harbor before it had even officially entered service. Contemporary reports suggest she had not yet been properly outfitted or launched for extended voyages, meaning her sinking was a premature end to a vessel barely completed. Fortunately, no lives were lost.
Final Disposition
The Lua was a total loss at Bayfield Harbor in 1905. No salvage records are known, and as a small unregistered craft, she left little trace in maritime registries. Her wreckage likely dispersed in shallow harbor waters and has not been documented by archaeological surveys.
Current Condition & Accessibility
Not located. No archaeological surveys have confirmed remains in Bayfield Harbor. The wreck is presumed lost in shallow nearshore waters.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”lua-1905″ title=”References & Links”]
No lives were lost in the incident, and there are no known memorials for the Lua. The wreck has long since dispersed, and it is not considered a dive site.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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