Shotline Diving

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Rollo US 208819

Explore the wreck of Rollo, a wooden gas-powered fish tug that foundered in 1919 during a storm in Lake Huron, with no loss of life.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Rollo
  • Type: Wooden gas-powered fish tug
  • Year Built: 1911
  • Builder: Bois Blanc Island, Michigan
  • Dimensions: 34 × 11 × 4 ft (15 gross / 13 net tons)
  • Registered Tonnage: 15 gross / 13 net tons
  • Location: Near Bois Blanc Island, Straits of Mackinac
  • Official Number: 208819
  • Original Owners: Registered in Grand Haven, Michigan

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Type: Wooden gas-powered fish tug

Description

Built in 1911 on Bois Blanc Island, Michigan, the Rollo was a wooden gas-powered fish tug measuring 34 feet in length, 11 feet in beam, and 4 feet in depth. It had a registered tonnage of 15 gross tons and 13 net tons.

History

The Rollo was registered in Grand Haven, Michigan, and served as a fish tug until its loss on November 28, 1919. During a storm in the Straits of Mackinac, the vessel was driven aground near Bois Blanc Island, suffering extensive hull damage.

Significant Incidents

  • Stranded during a storm on November 28, 1919, near Bois Blanc Island.
  • Strong winds and waves caused the vessel to break free of command and suffer extensive damage.
  • No casualties reported; the crew safely reached shore.

Final Disposition

The crew was rescued without loss of life, and the Rollo was declared a total loss. In 1921, two years after the wreck, the vessel was officially struck from the Great Lakes Shipping registries. No salvage efforts were recorded, and the wooden hull remains near the shoreline as a shallow wreck.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck of the Rollo likely still lies near the shoreline, with no recorded salvage or recovery efforts. A shoreline dive or ROV survey could confirm the wreck’s condition and any extant structure.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”rollo-us-208819″ title=”References & Links”]

The small wooden fish tug Rollo foundered in a November 1919 storm, stranding off Bois Blanc Island in Lake Huron. No lives were lost, but the vessel was a complete loss. As a gas-powered tug built in 1911 and locally registered in Grand Haven, she embodies the maritime and cultural history of early motorized fishing craft in the Great Lakes.

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.

Built 1911 – Wrecked November 28, 1919

Vessel Overview

  • Type: Wooden gas-powered fish tug
  • Built: 1911 on Bois Blanc Island, Michigan
  • Dimensions: 34 × 11 × 4 ft (15 gross / 13 net tons)
  • Official Number: 208819
  • Owner: Registered in Grand Haven, Michigan
  • Final Voyage & Loss: November 28, 1919, stranded during a storm near Bois Blanc Island in the Straits of Mackinac, Lake Huron
  • Casualties: None reported; crew safely arrived ashore (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, michiganshipwrecks.org)

Incident Synopsis

While navigating the Straits of Mackinac during a November storm, Rollo was driven aground near Bois Blanc Island. The strong winds and waves caused her to break free of command, strand on the rocks, and suffer extensive hull damage. The storm’s severity prevented any possibility of saving the vessel, resulting in her being declared a total loss(Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Wreck Outcome & Aftermath

  • The crew was rescued—likely reaching shore or assisted by local Lake Huron vessel traffic—without loss of life. Two years post-wreck, in 1921, she was officially struck from the Great Lakes Shipping registries(michiganshipwrecks.org).
  • No salvage or recovery efforts are recorded; the wooden hull was left where it grounded. Her remains likely still lie near the shoreline as a shallow wreck.

Historical & Archaeological Significance

  • Era Insight: Rollo represents early 20th-century transition from sail to small gasoline-powered workboats on the Great Lakes.
  • Storm Danger: The Straits of Mackinac have long been known for treacherous weather and currents—this loss underscores persistent maritime hazards in that region.
  • Local Heritage: Owned out of Grand Haven, the wreck reflects the tight-knit fishing communities of that era and might yield artifacts relevant to early powerboats if surveyed.

Sources & Documentation

  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (entry “Rollo”), providing technical specs, date and location of wreck, and crew survival (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).

Research Gaps & Next Steps

  • Crew Identities & Accounts: No records indicate who was aboard—local newspapers (Grand Haven or Mackinac region) from Dec 1919 may hold details.
  • Wreck Site Condition: A shoreline dive or ROV survey could confirm the wreck’s condition and any extant structure.
  • Official Reports: Michigan maritime incident logs or Coast Guard files from 1919 might document the grounding.
  • Community Memory: Oral histories or archives in Grand Haven could include references to Rollo in fishing heritage.

Conclusion

The small wooden fish tug Rollo foundered in a November 1919 storm, stranding off Bois Blanc Island in Lake Huron. No lives were lost, but the vessel was a complete loss. As a gas-powered tug built in 1911 and locally registered in Grand Haven, she embodies the maritime and cultural history of early motorized fishing craft in the Great Lakes. Investigating her wreck could yield valuable insights into early 20th-century working vessels and regional storm-response practices.

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