Silver Lake US 116263

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

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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.