Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Lucky
- Type: Wooden scow (workboat/bargelike)
- Year Built: 1931
- Builder:
- Dimensions:
- Registered Tonnage: Approximately 109 tons (likely gross)
- Location: Off Cordwood Point, just east of Cheboygan, Michigan
- Official Number: 257127
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The Lucky was a wood-hulled scow, a rugged flat-bottomed utility vessel intended for hauling bulk material in protected waters. With a low freeboard and simple construction, she was vulnerable in choppy or shallow conditions—not engineered for open-lake navigation during rough weather.
Description
The Lucky was a wood-hulled scow, a rugged flat-bottomed utility vessel intended for hauling bulk material in protected waters. With a low freeboard and simple construction, she was vulnerable in choppy or shallow conditions—not engineered for open-lake navigation during rough weather.
History
Commissioned in 1931, the Lucky likely served in local transport or construction roles along Michigan’s coast. On 22 September 1951, she ran aground off Cordwood Point (east of Cheboygan) and was battered by waves until she broke apart. No further operational or registry history is documented afterward.
Significant Incidents
- Grounded off Cordwood Point on 22 September 1951.
- Waves battered the vessel until she broke apart.
- No casualties reported.
Final Disposition
The Lucky was declared a total loss and not salvaged. Her remains fragmented on the shore or shallow seabed, where tidal action likely dispersed her remains.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No modern surveys or dives have identified the wreck. The fractured remains may still lie near the shoreline, but none have been formally documented.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”lucky-us-257127″ title=”References & Links”]
The Lucky typifies the fate of many small, low-value workboats used into the mid-20th century—built for calm-water service, she succumbed to exposure when grounded in open-lake conditions. Though lightly documented, her dramatic end near Cheboygan adds a modest chapter to Lake Huron’s maritime history.
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: Lucky
- Official Number: 257127
- Year Built: 1931
- Type: Wooden scow (workboat/bargelike)
- Tonnage: Approximately 109 tons (likely gross)
- Final Date of Loss: 22 September 1951
- Location: Off Cordwood Point, just east of Cheboygan, Michigan, in Lake Huron
- Loss Type: Grounded (stranded) and smashed (“went to pieces”)
- Casualties: None reported (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, MuseumShips, Library of Congress Tile )
Vessel Type & Description
The Lucky was a wood-hulled scow, a rugged flat-bottomed utility vessel intended for hauling bulk material in protected waters. With a low freeboard and simple construction, she was vulnerable in choppy or shallow conditions—not engineered for open-lake navigation during rough weather.
History & Final Voyage
Commissioned in 1931, the Lucky likely served in local transport or construction roles along Michigan’s coast. On 22 September 1951, she ran aground off Cordwood Point (east of Cheboygan) and was battered by waves until she broke apart. No further operational or registry history is documented afterward .
Final Disposition
The Lucky was declared a total loss and not salvaged. Her remains fragmented on the shore or shallow seabed, where tidal action likely dispersed her remains.
Located By & Survey Status
No modern surveys or dives have identified the wreck. The fractured remains may still lie near the shoreline, but none have been formally documented.
Notmar & Navigation Advisories
No Notices to Mariners have flagged the site. However, the Cordwood Point area can pose navigational hazards in low-water or storm conditions. Modern boaters should consult updated charts and depth-finder readings when navigating near the shoreline.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – entry under “L” list, confirms build, loss location, and fate (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Conclusion
The Lucky typifies the fate of many small, low-value workboats used into the mid-20th century—built for calm-water service, she succumbed to exposure when grounded in open-lake conditions. Though lightly documented, her dramatic end near Cheboygan adds a modest chapter to Lake Huron’s maritime history.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Keywords: Lucky scow, Cordwood Point grounding, 1951 Lake Huron shipwreck
- Categories: Wooden scows, mid-century wrecks, Lake Huron strandings
- Glossary:
- Scow: Flat-bottomed barge or workboat, intended for shallow or protected waters
- Stranded: Grounded on shore or shoal, unable to refloat unaided
- Went to pieces: Hull was broken apart by waves and structural failure