Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Pine Lake
- Type: Steambarge
- Year Built: 1895
- Builder: Pine Lake Lumber Company, Charlevoix, MI
- Dimensions: 137.3 ft (41.9 m); Beam 28.1 ft (8.6 m); Depth of hold 10.9 ft (3.3 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 388 gross; 274 net tons
- Location: Off Belle Isle, Detroit River
- Official Number: 150695
- Original Owners: Pine Lake Lumber Company; John Hickler; John M. McKerchey; E.P. Merritt
- Number of Masts: 1
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A wooden-hulled Great Lakes steambarge, originally designed for heavy lumber transport. Converted later in its career to a sand sucker. The vessel’s construction utilized the repurposed hull bottom of the Ida M. Torrent.
Description
Built with a length of 137.3 feet (41.9 m), a beam of 28.1 feet (8.6 m), and a depth of 10.9 feet (3.3 m). Tonnage was recorded at 388 gross and 274 net tons. She could carry 400,000 board feet of lumber. Powered by a 250 horsepower steeple compound engine (16 + 30 x 24″) turning a single screw propeller. Steam was provided by a 9′ x 121″ firebox boiler rated at 115 psi.
History
- 1895: Built and enrolled at Grand Haven, MI by the Pine Lake Lumber Company using salvaged hull material from the Ida M. Torrent.
- 1908: Sold to John Hickler, Buffalo, NY.
- 1909–1910: Owned by John M. McKerchey, Detroit, MI; converted into a sand sucker at the William Oades Shipyard, Detroit.
- 1912: Owned by E.P. Merritt, Detroit.
Significant Incidents
Collision and Sinking: On 21 October 1912, Pine Lake collided with the steamer Fleetwood in the Detroit River off Belle Isle, sinking in the navigational channel. The incident resulted in one fatality.
Final Disposition
Due to her obstructive position, the hulk was dynamited and destroyed shortly after the accident. Her official documents were surrendered in Detroit on 10 November 1912, listed as “vessel lost”.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no record of a modern rediscovery or archaeological survey of the Pine Lake wreckage site. The remains were reportedly demolished after the collision.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”pine-lake-us-150695″ title=”References & Links”]
The Pine Lake is notable for her origin—constructed atop a salvaged hull—and her transition from lumber hauler to sand sucker, reflecting changing maritime industrial needs. Her catastrophic loss in the Detroit River and subsequent demolition mark her as a unique example of vessel obsolescence and maritime hazard mitigation in the early 20th century Great Lakes navigation 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(s): Pine Lake
- Official Number: 150695
- Year Built: 1895
- Builder: Pine Lake Lumber Company, Charlevoix, MI
- Master Carpenter: Edward Roney
- Built on Bottom of: Ida M. Torrent (US110469)
- Vessel Type: Steambarge
- Hull Material: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Final Date Lost: 21 October 1912
- Final Location: Off Belle Isle, Detroit River
- Final Cargo: Sand (converted to sand sucker)
- Casualties: One
Vessel Type
A wooden-hulled Great Lakes steambarge, originally designed for heavy lumber transport. Converted later in its career to a sand sucker. The vessel’s construction utilized the repurposed hull bottom of the Ida M. Torrent.
Description
Built with a length of 137.3 feet (41.9 m), a beam of 28.1 feet (8.6 m), and a depth of 10.9 feet (3.3 m). Tonnage was recorded at 388 gross and 274 net tons. She could carry 400,000 board feet of lumber. Powered by a 250 horsepower steeple compound engine (16 + 30 x 24″) turning a single screw propeller. Steam was provided by a 9′ x 121″ firebox boiler rated at 115 psi.
History
- 1895: Built and enrolled at Grand Haven, MI by the Pine Lake Lumber Company using salvaged hull material from the Ida M. Torrent.
- 1908: Sold to John Hickler, Buffalo, NY.
- 1909–1910: Owned by John M. McKerchey, Detroit, MI; converted into a sand sucker at the William Oades Shipyard, Detroit.
- 1912: Owned by E.P. Merritt, Detroit.
Final Disposition
On 21 October 1912, Pine Lake collided with the steamer Fleetwood in the Detroit River off Belle Isle, sinking in the navigational channel. The incident resulted in one fatality. Due to her obstructive position, the hulk was dynamited and destroyed shortly after the accident. Her official documents were surrendered in Detroit on 10 November 1912, listed as “vessel lost”.
Located By & Date Found
There is no record of a modern rediscovery or archaeological survey of the Pine Lake wreckage site. The remains were reportedly demolished after the collision.
Notmars & Advisories
None currently active. Site was officially cleared post-sinking.
Resources & Links
- Great Lakes Vessels Database – BGSU
- Maritime History of the Great Lakes
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- U.S. Merchant Vessel Enrollments
- Great Lakes Shipwreck File (David Swayze)
Conclusion
The Pine Lake is notable for her origin—constructed atop a salvaged hull—and her transition from lumber hauler to sand sucker, reflecting changing maritime industrial needs. Her catastrophic loss in the Detroit River and subsequent demolition mark her as a unique example of vessel obsolescence and maritime hazard mitigation in the early 20th century Great Lakes navigation history.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Tags: Steambarge, lumber trade, sand sucker, wooden vessel, collision loss, Detroit River
- Glossary:
- Steambarge: A powered barge designed for bulk cargo transport.
- Sand Sucker: A vessel converted for excavating or transporting dredged materials.
- Hulk: A ship’s hull without machinery or superstructure, often derelict or stripped.
- Board feet: A lumber volume measure, 1 foot long x 1 foot wide x 1 inch thick.