Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: R.F. Goodman
- Type: Tug (Towboat)
- Year Built: 1882
- Builder: Union Dry Dock Company, Buffalo, New York
- Dimensions: Length 51 ft (15.5 m); Beam 13.8 ft (4.2 m); Depth of hold 6.7 ft (2.0 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 22.72 Gross; 11.36 Net
- Location: 3 miles north of Lester River, Lake Superior
- Coordinates: 46°51'24"N, 91°58'00"W
- Official Number: 110546
- Original Owners: Maytham Tug Line, Thomas Maytham, Lake Superior Elevator Company, Union Improvement Co., William Freer, Thompson family
- Number of Masts: Single-stack
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Type: Tug (Towboat)
- Class: Single-stack harbor and light service tug
- Intended Use: Towage and harbor operations
Description
The R.F. Goodman was a wooden-hulled steam screw tug built by Union Dry Dock Company of Buffalo, New York, with design and construction led by O’Grady & Maher. She was compact and functional, intended for regional towing and support roles on the Great Lakes. Power was supplied by a 15″ x 17″ high-pressure engine built by Sutton & Wood, fed by a 5′ x 10′ boiler operating at 130 psi.
- Length: 15.5 m (51 ft)
- Beam: 4.2 m (13.8 ft)
- Depth: 2.0 m (6.7 ft)
- Gross Tonnage: 22.72
- Net Tonnage: 11.36
- Propulsion: 1 screw, high-pressure engine, 1 boiler
History
- 1882: Constructed for the Maytham Tug Line of Buffalo, NY. First mechanical failure occurred at Windmill Point, Lake Erie, soon after launching.
- 1884–1886: Owned by Thomas Maytham; underwent minor refits and operational assignments across Lake Erie.
- 1886: Acquired by Lake Superior Elevator Company and Union Improvement Co., Duluth, Minnesota.
- 1889: Transferred to Charlotte E. Thompson, Duluth, MN.
- 1893: Underwent significant winter drydock repairs and maintenance.
- 1895: Owned jointly by William Freer and Thompson family (Charles E. & Arthur M.).
- 1898: Caught fire off the North Shore of Lake Superior; burned to the waterline and declared a total loss.
Significant Incidents
- Cause of Loss: Fire onboard
- Date of Incident: August 19, 1898
- Casualties: None recorded
- Cargo: None reported
- Wreckage Status: Located in 1976 by divers; heavily deteriorated remains
Final Disposition
- Year Discovered: 1976
- Discoverers: Recreational divers (unofficial survey)
- Method: Visual dive survey
- Condition: Burned to waterline; wreckage minimal
Current Condition & Accessibility
- None noted: No active Notices to Mariners apply to the site.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”r-f-goodman-us-110546″ title=”References & Links”]
The R.F. Goodman represents a class of compact but indispensable harbor tugs that formed the backbone of late-19th century Great Lakes commercial infrastructure. Though not a glamorous vessel, her service in Buffalo, Duluth, and on Lake Superior illustrates the essential support role of towboats in ore and grain commerce. The fire that destroyed her is emblematic of the risk faced by small wooden steamers operating with volatile machinery and no standardized firefighting equipment.
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
- Vessel Name(s): R.F. Goodman
- Official Number: 110546
- Year Built: 1882
- Place Built: Buffalo, New York
- Final Disposition Date: August 19, 1898
- Final Location: 3 miles north of Lester River, Lake Superior
- Coordinates: 46°51′24″N, 91°58′00″W
- Final Depth: Wreckage status not depth-referenced; burned to waterline
- Wreck Status: Total loss, burned
Vessel Type
- Type: Tug (Towboat)
- Class: Single-stack harbor and light service tug
- Intended Use: Towage and harbor operations
Description
The R.F. Goodman was a wooden-hulled steam screw tug built by Union Dry Dock Company of Buffalo, New York, with design and construction led by O’Grady & Maher. She was compact and functional, intended for regional towing and support roles on the Great Lakes. Power was supplied by a 15″ x 17″ high-pressure engine built by Sutton & Wood, fed by a 5′ x 10′ boiler operating at 130 psi.
- Length: 15.5 m (51 ft)
- Beam: 4.2 m (13.8 ft)
- Depth: 2.0 m (6.7 ft)
- Gross Tonnage: 22.72
- Net Tonnage: 11.36
- Propulsion: 1 screw, high-pressure engine, 1 boiler
History
- 1882: Constructed for the Maytham Tug Line of Buffalo, NY. First mechanical failure occurred at Windmill Point, Lake Erie, soon after launching.
- 1884–1886: Owned by Thomas Maytham; underwent minor refits and operational assignments across Lake Erie.
- 1886: Acquired by Lake Superior Elevator Company and Union Improvement Co., Duluth, Minnesota.
- 1889: Transferred to Charlotte E. Thompson, Duluth, MN.
- 1893: Underwent significant winter drydock repairs and maintenance.
- 1895: Owned jointly by William Freer and Thompson family (Charles E. & Arthur M.).
- 1898: Caught fire off the North Shore of Lake Superior; burned to the waterline and declared a total loss.
Final Disposition
- Cause of Loss: Fire onboard
- Date of Incident: August 19, 1898
- Casualties: None recorded
- Cargo: None reported
- Wreckage Status: Located in 1976 by divers; heavily deteriorated remains
Located By & Date Found
- Year Discovered: 1976
- Discoverers: Recreational divers (unofficial survey)
- Method: Visual dive survey
- Condition: Burned to waterline; wreckage minimal
Notmars & Advisories
- None noted. No active Notices to Mariners apply to the site.
Resources & Links
- NOAA Lake Superior Dive Sites
- R.L. Polk Marine Directory Records (Buffalo, Duluth)
- [Board of Lake Underwriters Marine Directory]
- Edward J. Dowling Collection – University of Detroit Mercy
- [Historical Tug Registries – Duluth Marine Museum]
- [Great Lakes Shipwreck File – David Swayze]
Conclusion
The R.F. Goodman represents a class of compact but indispensable harbor tugs that formed the backbone of late-19th century Great Lakes commercial infrastructure. Though not a glamorous vessel, her service in Buffalo, Duluth, and on Lake Superior illustrates the essential support role of towboats in ore and grain commerce. The fire that destroyed her is emblematic of the risk faced by small wooden steamers operating with volatile machinery and no standardized firefighting equipment.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
- Region: Lake Superior
- Vessel Type: Tug (Towboat)
- Cause of Loss: Fire
- Material: Wood
- Period: 1880s–1890s
- Difficulty: Recreational Dive (with caution)
- Hazards: Debris field minimal; potential boiler artifacts
- Research Tags: Maytham Tug Line, Duluth harbor, Lake Superior Elevator Co.