Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: O.N. Chapin
- Type: Wooden propeller steam tug
- Year Built: 1854
- Builder: Albany, New York
- Dimensions: 64 ft × 14 ft × 6 ft (19.5 m × 4.3 m × 1.8 m); approx. 47 tons
- Registered Tonnage: ~47 tons
- Location: ~4 mi east of Port Stanley, Ontario
- Official Number: None recorded
- Original Owners: Recently purchased by S.L. Watson of Buffalo
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small wooden steam tug powered by a propeller (or paddle), typical of mid-19th-century harbor and lake service vessels used for towing, logging, or freight transfer.
Description
Built in 1854 at Albany, O.N. Chapin measured 64 × 14 × 6 ft, with 47-ton displacement. After being sold to Buffalo interests—S.L. Watson among them—it entered Lake Erie service. Her wooden hull and steam-powered propulsion would have made her agile in harbour and nearshore operations.
History
Purchased by S.L. Watson of Buffalo shortly before October 1856, the tug operated locally until caught in a strong storm over Lake Erie on October 31. While moving or returning to Port Stanley, she was overpowered by weather and driven ashore. The vessel broke up and was declared a total loss, though her crew survived uninjured.
Significant Incidents
- October 31, 1856: Caught in a storm on Lake Erie, O.N. Chapin was driven ashore and suffered hull failure, leading to her breaking apart in the surf.
Final Disposition
The storm-stranded tug suffered hull failure, broke apart in surf, and was abandoned. No salvage or recovery is recorded, marking her as a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There are no known documented discoveries or dive findings related to her wreck. The site remains unconfirmed and uninvestigated.
Resources & Links
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O.N. Chapin epitomizes the mid-19th-century steam tug—small, service-driven, and vulnerable to Lake Erie’s autumn storms. Built in 1854 and newly owned by Buffalo’s S.L. Watson, she succumbed to a gale on October 31, 1856, stranding off Port Stanley and breaking up in surf. While no lives were lost, her remains lie uncharted and her site undocumented—a compelling underwater research opportunity.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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