Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Spanker
- Type: Scow Schooner
- Year Built: 1865
- Builder: Gibraltar, Michigan
- Dimensions: 67 ft (20.4 m) X 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m); Depth: 6 ft (1.83 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 52.50 tons
- Location: Near Centreville, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 57281
- Original Owners: Alexander R. Sinclair of Port Huron
- Number of Masts: 2
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Scow Schooner — A flat-bottomed wooden sailing vessel with two masts, primarily used for hauling heavy or bulky cargoes such as lumber across the Great Lakes. Scow schooners were economical to build and particularly suited to smaller or shallow harbours.Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Number of Masts: 2
- Length: 67 ft (20.4 m)
- Beam: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
- Depth: 6 ft (1.83 m)
- Tonnage (Gross): 52.50 tons
- Built At: Gibraltar, Michigan
History
- 1865: Enrolled at Detroit, Michigan
- 1866: Re-enrolled at both Port Huron and Detroit; owned by Alexander R. Sinclair of Port Huron
- 1868: Enrolled at Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- 1869, Nov 22: Caught in a storm, driven ashore near Centreville, WI on the western shore of Lake Michigan, and quickly pounded to pieces. No specific record of casualties was noted.
Significant Incidents
- Driven ashore in a storm on November 22, 1869, leading to rapid destruction of the vessel.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after grounding and breakup. The ship’s lumber cargo likely washed ashore or was lost. The remains were not recovered or salvaged in any significant way.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There are no confirmed records indicating that the wreck of Spanker has been located or surveyed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”spanker-us-57281″ title=”References & Links”]
Spanker represents a common type of utilitarian sailing vessel used in Great Lakes commerce during the mid-19th century. Her loss near Centreville in 1869 underscores the vulnerability of lightly built scow schooners to sudden storms, particularly late in the navigation season. She served in multiple Great Lakes ports, indicating her role in the dynamic lumber trade that connected Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ontario.
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(s): Spanker
- Official Number: 57281
- Year Built: 1865
- Final Location: Near Centreville, Wisconsin, Lake Michigan
- Date Lost: 22 November 1869
- How Lost: Driven ashore in storm and rapidly destroyed
- Final Cargo: Lumber
Vessel Type
Scow Schooner — A flat-bottomed wooden sailing vessel with two masts, primarily used for hauling heavy or bulky cargoes such as lumber across the Great Lakes. Scow schooners were economical to build and particularly suited to smaller or shallow harbours.
Description
- Hull Material: Wood
- Number of Decks: 1
- Number of Masts: 2
- Length: 67 ft (20.4 m)
- Beam: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
- Depth: 6 ft (1.83 m)
- Tonnage (Gross): 52.50 tons
- Built At: Gibraltar, Michigan
History
- 1865: Enrolled at Detroit, Michigan
- 1866: Re-enrolled at both Port Huron and Detroit; owned by Alexander R. Sinclair of Port Huron
- 1868: Enrolled at Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- 1869, Nov 22: Caught in a storm, driven ashore near Centreville, WI on the western shore of Lake Michigan, and quickly pounded to pieces. No specific record of casualties was noted.
Final Disposition
Declared a total loss after grounding and breakup. The ship’s lumber cargo likely washed ashore or was lost. The remains were not recovered or salvaged in any significant way.
Located By & Date Found
There are no confirmed records indicating that the wreck of Spanker has been located or surveyed.
Notmars & Advisories
None noted.
Resources & Links
- C. Patrick Labadie Collection
- Great Lakes Vessels Database – BGSU
- Historical Collections, Bowling Green State University
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
Conclusion
Spanker represents a common type of utilitarian sailing vessel used in Great Lakes commerce during the mid-19th century. Her loss near Centreville in 1869 underscores the vulnerability of lightly built scow schooners to sudden storms, particularly late in the navigation season. She served in multiple Great Lakes ports, indicating her role in the dynamic lumber trade that connected Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ontario.
Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms
Tags: Scow schooner, wooden sailing ship, Lake Michigan, lumber trade, 19th-century shipwreck, storm loss
Glossary:
- Driven Ashore: Forced onto land or a shoreline by wind and wave action
- Scow Schooner: A flat-bottomed cargo vessel, often used for shallow port access and heavy freight