Shotline Diving

Connecting You to the Depths of the Great Lakes

Silver Lake US 116263

Explore the wreck of the Silver Lake, a rare double centreboard scow schooner lost in 1900, now a significant dive site in Lake Michigan.

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

  • Name: Silver Lake
  • Type: Double centreboard scow schooner (wooden)
  • Year Built: 1889
  • Builder: M.L. Johnson, Little Point Sable, Michigan
  • Dimensions: 95 ft × 20 ft × 7.6 ft (29 m × 6.1 m × 2.3 m); ~105 grt
  • Registered Tonnage: 105 grt
  • Depth at Wreck Site: 64 m / 210 ft
  • Location: Lake Michigan, ~15 mi E of Manitowoc, Wisconsin (~8.5 mi NE of Sheboygan)
  • Official Number: 116263
  • Number of Masts: Foremast and bowsprit still standing

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A rare and architecturally significant double-centreboard scow schooner, featuring a flat-bottomed hull with two centreboards—an innovation that improved windward performance. She was a stout workhorse of the lumber coastal trade on Lake Michigan.

Description

The Silver Lake was built in 1889 and is notable for its unique design as a double-centreboard scow schooner. This type of vessel was particularly effective in the lumber trade, allowing for better maneuverability and performance in varying wind conditions.

History

Constructed by M.L. Johnson in Little Point Sable, Michigan, the Silver Lake served primarily in the coastal lumber trade. It was a significant vessel of its time, showcasing advancements in naval architecture.

Significant Incidents

  • On May 28, 1900, in heavy fog, the car ferry Pere Marquette struck the Silver Lake amidships, shearing her in two.
  • Within minutes, the vessel sank, resulting in the loss of First Mate Henry Eastman, one of the four crew members.

Final Disposition

The Silver Lake sank rapidly after the collision, with debris and a section of mast washing ashore shortly thereafter. The wreck is now recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

Current Condition & Accessibility

  • Wreck depth: ~210 ft (64 m)
  • Orientation: Lying upright, split at midships, with foremast and bowsprit still standing.
  • Condition: Exceptionally intact wooden hull—considered the most complete scow schooner wreck in the Great Lakes.
  • Recognition: A National Historic Landmark and prominent wreck within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”siler-lake-us-116263″ title=”References & Links”]

The Silver Lake wreck is a rare and instructive example of a double-centreboard scow schooner. Its preservation offers researchers exceptional access to late-19th-century naval architecture, centreboard mechanisms, and collision damage, highlighting the navigational perils of night-time ferry operations in fog.

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.

Silver Lake (Scow‑Schooner – Built 1889; Lost May 28, 1900)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

Vessel Type & Description

A rare and architecturally significant double-centreboard scow schooner, featuring a flat-bottomed hull with two centreboards—an innovation that improved windward performance. She was a stout workhorse of the lumber coastal trade on Lake Michigan .

Final Disposition

In heavy fog, the car ferry Pere Marquette struck Silver Lake amidships, shearing her in two. Within minutes, she sank while debris and a section of mast later washed ashore (wisconsinshipwrecks.org).

Located & Site Condition

  • Wreck depth: ~210 ft (64 m)
  • Orientation: Lying upright, split at midships, with foremast and bowsprit still standing (3dshipwrecks.org, wisconsinhistory.org)
  • Condition: Exceptionally intact wooden hull—considered the most complete scow schooner wreck in the Great Lakes (3dshipwrecks.org)
  • Recognition: A National Historic Landmark and prominent wreck within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary (en.wikipedia.org).

Modern Dive Conditions

  • Location: ~8 mi NE of Sheboygan; mooring buoy often present
  • Water clarity: Spring clarity excellent; 60–80 ft (18–24 m) visibility (reddit.com)
  • Temperature: 50 °F (10 °C) spring; 60s °F (16–18 °C) summer (divebuddy.com)
  • Depth to deck: ~200 ft (60 m)—advanced technical dive depth requiring proper training and decompression protocols
  • Depth for bow/mast: Accessible features like bowsprit and centreboard around 150–180 ft (45–55 m) (dan.org)
  • Equipment: Full technical gear recommended; penetration not advised due to age
  • Season: Best in late spring/early summer when clarity peaks

Diving Community Notes

Dive photos show architectural details like port-side collision damage, intact centreboards, anchor, and masts . Annual surveys and photogrammetry-led research continue thanks to Wisconsin Sea Grant and the Wisconsin Historical Society (seagrant.wisc.edu).

Significance

The Silver Lake wreck is a rare and instructive example of a double-centreboard scow schooner—its preservation offers researchers exceptional access to late-19th-century naval architecture, centreboard mechanisms, and collision damage. The site also underscores the navigational perils of night-time ferry operations in fog (3dshipwrecks.org).

siler-lake-us-116263 1900-05-28 11:31:00