Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Sand Merchant

Explore the wreck of the Sand Merchant, a self-unloading dredge that sank in Lake Erie during a storm in 1936, claiming 19 lives.

GPS: 41.573850, -82.958667

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Sand Merchant
  • Type: Self-unloading sandsucker/dredge
  • Year Built: 1927
  • Builder: Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
  • Dimensions: Length 252 ft (77.0 m); Beam 43 ft (13.1 m); Depth 17 ft (5.2 m)
  • Registered Tonnage: 1,981 GT
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 19.8 m / 65 ft
  • Location: Off Avon Point, Lake Erie
  • Coordinates: 41° 34.428′ N, 81° 57.524′ W
  • Official Number: Canadian O.N. 153433
  • Original Owners: Interlake Transportation Co., Ltd.
  • Number of Masts: None

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Sand Merchant was a steel-hulled self-unloading sandsucker dredge, designed for the industrial sand trade.

Description

The Sand Merchant was a steel-hulled self-unloading sandsucker dredge launched in 1927. Built with a trailing suction hopper dredge configuration, she used a suction pipe to collect sand from the lakebed, stored it in onboard hoppers, and discharged it via a self-unloading system. The vessel featured screw propulsion and operated with a coal-fired triple expansion engine.

History

From 1927 to 1936, the Sand Merchant served the industrial sand trade across the Great Lakes. She routinely transported sand from locations like Point Pelee to construction centers like Cleveland. On 17 October 1936, while fully loaded with sand and en route to Cleveland, she encountered gale-force winds and rough seas on Lake Erie.

Reportedly overwhelmed by water ingress in open holds and affected by her top-heavy deck gear, she capsized and sank approximately 13.5 miles from Cleveland. Nineteen of the 26 aboard, including a passenger, perished.

Significant Incidents

  • 17 October 1936: The Sand Merchant capsized in a storm on Lake Erie, resulting in the loss of 19 lives.

Final Disposition

Declared a total loss. The vessel lies inverted in deep silt with the propeller and rudder facing northwest. The trench around the wreck likely formed upon impact. The debris field west of the hull includes the unloading boom, spotlight, and whistle.

Current Condition & Accessibility

The wreck site has been known since the time of loss. Divers and local researchers have surveyed and documented the site, though no formal date of discovery is noted. Hazardous conditions include unstable silt, trench collapse risk, and entanglement hazards.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”sand-merchant” title=”References & Links”]

The Sand Merchant remains a significant wreck in Lake Erie, serving as a reminder of the dangers faced by vessels in severe weather conditions. Divers are advised to approach the site with caution due to the challenging conditions.

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: Sand Merchant
Other Names: —
Official Number: Canadian O.N. 153433
Registry: Canada
Vessel Type: Self‑unloading sandsucker/dredge
Builder: Collingwood Shipyards Ltd., Collingwood, Ontario, Canada
Year Built: 1927
Dimensions: Length 252 ft (77.0 m); Beam 43 ft (13.1 m); Depth 17 ft (5.2 m)
Tonnage: 1,981 GT
Cargo on Final Voyage: Lake sand (loaded at Point Pelee, bound for Cleveland)
Date of Loss: 17 October 1936
Location: Off Avon Point, Lake Erie (Ohio side)
Coordinates: 41° 34.428′ N, 81° 57.524′ W
Depth: 65 ft (19.8 m)
Home Port: Canada (specific port unknown)
Owners: Interlake Transportation Co., Ltd.
Crew: 26
Casualties: 19

Description

The Sand Merchant was a steel-hulled self-unloading sandsucker dredge launched in 1927. Built with a trailing suction hopper dredge configuration, she used a suction pipe to collect sand from the lakebed, stored it in onboard hoppers, and discharged it via a self-unloading system. The vessel featured screw propulsion and operated with a coal-fired triple expansion engine.

History

From 1927 to 1936, the Sand Merchant served the industrial sand trade across the Great Lakes. She routinely transported sand from locations like Point Pelee to construction centers like Cleveland. On 17 October 1936, while fully loaded with sand and en route to Cleveland, she encountered gale-force winds and rough seas on Lake Erie.

Reportedly overwhelmed by water ingress in open holds and affected by her top-heavy deck gear, she capsized and sank approximately 13.5 miles from Cleveland. Nineteen of the 26 aboard, including a passenger, perished.

Final Dispositions

Declared a total loss. The vessel lies inverted in deep silt with the propeller and rudder facing northwest. The trench around the wreck likely formed upon impact. The debris field west of the hull includes the unloading boom, spotlight, and whistle.

Located By & Date Found

Wreck site known since time of loss. Divers and local researchers have surveyed and documented the site, though no formal date of discovery is noted.

Notmars & Advisories

None formally issued.
Diver Advisory: Hazardous conditions include unstable silt, trench collapse risk, and entanglement hazards.

Dive Information

Access: Boat
Entry Point: Avon Point, Ohio
Conditions: Low visibility, unstable sediment, thermocline present
Depth Range: 65 ft (19.8 m)
Emergency Contacts: USCG Sector Cleveland, local emergency services
Permits: Check Ohio state dive laws
Dive Support: Cleveland-area dive shops and charters

Crew & Casualty Memorials

19 of 26 souls lost, including crew and a passenger. Names available from newspaper reports. Further identification may be possible via Find A Grave, FamilySearch, or Canadian maritime personnel archives.

Documented Statements & Extracts

“Eighteen crew members and a woman passenger of the Canadian ship Sand Merchant drowned Saturday night [Oct 17] when the 252‑foot sand sucker rolled over in a 50 mile gale which swept across treacherous Lake Erie… many of the sailors desperately clung to two capsized lifeboats for hours before sliding off to their death.”

Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails

Canadian Official Number 153433. Built 1927 for Interlake Transportation Co. Insurance and enrollment records may be located in Canadian maritime archives.

Site Documentation & Imaging

The wreck is documented by divers and underwater photographers. No NOAA VR currently found. Site images available on wreck mapping platforms.

Image Gallery

Resources & Links

References

  1. DredgePoint.org Equipment Database
  2. Great Lakes Vessel Histories
  3. ErieWrecks.com
  4. US Deadly Events
  5. ShipwreckWorld Map

NOAA Shipwreck Record Card

Wreck Name: Sand Merchant
Other Names: —
Official Number: 153433 (Canada)
Coordinates: 41° 34.428′ N, 81° 57.524′ W
Depth: 65 ft (19.8 m)
Location Description: Inverted on muddy bottom off Avon Point, Lake Erie
Vessel Type: Steel self-unloading dredge
Material: Steel
Dimensions: 252 ft × 43 ft × 17 ft; 1,981 GT
Condition: Inverted, trench formed, debris field to west
Cause of Loss: Capsizing in storm
Discovery Date: Unknown
Discovered By: Unknown
Method: Diver survey / local dive community
Legal Notes: Not salvaged, registry struck, insurance unknown
Hazards: Entanglement, trench collapse risk, low visibility
Permits Required: Check Ohio dive regulations

#GreatLakes #Shipwrecks #LakeErie #MaritimeHistory #SandMerchant #Dredge #AvonPoint #HistoricalShipwreck #UnderwaterExploration

sand-merchant 1936-10-17 07:50:00