Skinner’s Sloop

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Skinner’s Sloop
• Type: Sloop
• Year Built: early 1800s (pre-1804)
• Builder: Unknown (likely locally built at Niagara or York, Upper Canada)
• Dimensions: 40-50 ft (12-15 m); 12-15 ft (3.6-4.5 m); Unknown
• Registered Tonnage: 10-20 tons
• Location: Lake Ontario, between Niagara and York
• Coordinates: Estimated vicinity: 43°20'N, 79°20'W
• Official Number: None recorded
• Original Owners: Skinner (owner or master)
• Number of Masts: 1

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Sloop

The vessel known only as Skinner’s Sloop was a small, single-masted sloop, the workhorse vessel type used extensively in the early 19th century for short-haul trade across the Great Lakes. Sloops were ideal for navigating the relatively small harbours of the era, offering good cargo capacity while requiring only a small crew.

These vessels formed the lifeline of communication and trade between Niagara, York, and other settlements along the upper lakes, transporting everything from supplies and lumber to passengers and correspondence.

Description

Skinner’s Sloop (often referred to as simply “the sloop belonging to Skinner”) was in regular service between Niagara and York in the early 1800s. In 1804, during one of these routine crossings, the vessel was lost under unknown circumstances, vanishing somewhere along the route.

The loss was significant enough to be recorded in local historical accounts, but no detailed reports of weather, cargo, or the number of people aboard have survived. Skinner, the sloop’s owner or master (or both), was a known figure in regional shipping, though personal details about him have also been largely lost to time.

History

Skinner’s Sloop was in regular service between Niagara and York in the early 1800s. In 1804, during one of these routine crossings, the vessel was lost under unknown circumstances, vanishing somewhere along the route.

The loss was significant enough to be recorded in local historical accounts, but no detailed reports of weather, cargo, or the number of people aboard have survived. Skinner, the sloop’s owner or master (or both), was a known figure in regional shipping, though personal details about him have also been largely lost to time.

Significant Incidents

• Cause of Loss: Unknown. Potential causes include:
• Severe storm (common on Lake Ontario)
• Collision with uncharted shoals
• Structural failure (given the relatively primitive shipbuilding materials and techniques of the era)

Final Disposition

• Final Resting Place: Somewhere along the well-travelled route between Niagara and York, across western Lake Ontario.
• Status: Presumed completely lost, no confirmed recovery or discovery.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Depth: Unknown; likely within 10 to 30 metres (33-100 feet), based on typical sailing routes of the time.
• Bottom Composition: Sand, silt, with occasional glacial erratics and submerged cultural debris.
• Visibility: Typically low to moderate (3-10 metres / 10-33 feet), highly weather-dependent.
• Condition: Presumed completely deteriorated, with only scattered, unidentifiable remains possibly surviving.

Resources & Links

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The loss of Skinner’s Sloop is a stark reminder of the hazards faced by early Great Lakes mariners. Before the advent of modern navigational aids, weather forecasting, and sophisticated shipbuilding techniques, even the short hop between Niagara and York could be a dangerous undertaking.

While no physical trace of the vessel has ever been found, the story of her loss remains part of the maritime heritage of Ontario, highlighting the essential role small vessels played in connecting and supplying new settlements along the lakes.