O.V. Brainard (1848)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: O.V. Brainard
• Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
• Year Built: 1848
• Builder: Sacket’s Harbor, New York
• Dimensions: Not recorded in surviving registers
• Registered Tonnage: 98.31 original tons; 114 gross tons after rebuild
• Location: Near Port Hope, Ontario
• Original Owners: Read & Stone, N. Golding, M. Golding of Oswego, NY
• Number of Masts: 2

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The O.V. Brainard was a typical two-masted Great Lakes schooner of the mid-19th century, built for transporting bulk goods—likely including grain, lumber, or stone—between ports on Lake Ontario and adjacent lakes. Schooners of this scale were agile and shallow-drafted, enabling access to smaller ports and river mouths. Their simplicity and economy made them a workhorse of inland commerce.

Description

The O.V. Brainard was built in 1848 in Sacket’s Harbor, New York. Constructed from wood, this two-masted schooner had a tonnage of 98.31 and served as a vital vessel in the bustling maritime trade on Lake Ontario.

History

• 1848: Launched at Sacket’s Harbor, NY, and began cargo service across Lake Ontario.
• 1851: Caught fire during a gale on Lake Ontario; run aground at Long Point to save the crew. The vessel was destroyed, resulting in a loss valued at $6,500.
• 1852: Rebuilt with increased tonnage (114 gross tons), allowing it to return to active trade.
• 1860, November: Grounded at Oakville, Canada West; later refloated.
• Ownership: Passed through several hands, including Read & Stone, N. Golding, and finally M. Golding of Oswego, NY.
• 1866, October: While underway during a severe Lake Ontario storm near Port Hope, Ontario, the O.V. Brainard was overwhelmed and wrecked. No full record of casualties has survived, but the vessel was declared a total loss.

Significant Incidents

• 1851: Caught fire during a gale on Lake Ontario; run aground at Long Point to save the crew.
• 1860: Grounded at Oakville, Canada West; later refloated.
• 1866: Wrecked during a storm near Port Hope, Ontario.

Final Disposition

The schooner O.V. Brainard was wrecked in a storm and lost near Port Hope in 1866. No formal salvage is recorded, and the vessel is presumed to have broken up in heavy surf or submerged fully along the lakebed.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There are no significant above-bottom remains reported. Visibility conditions, historical data gaps, and minimal tonnage have left the wreck undocumented underwater. The site remains of regional historical interest but lacks formal archaeological status.

Resources & Links

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The O.V. Brainard reflects the challenges of mid-century lake navigation and the durability of schooner commerce amid repeated damage and recovery. From fire in 1851 to grounding in 1860 and its final loss in 1866, the vessel’s career illustrates the limits of wooden schooner resilience in the face of Lake Ontario’s violent weather. Though no remains are visible today, its story endures in Great Lakes maritime history.