TRIAL US 24233

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: TRIAL
• Type: Sloop (later converted to schooner)
• Year Built: 1857
• Builder: G.S. Rand, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: Length 45 ft (13.7 m); Beam 15.9 ft (4.8 m); Depth of hold 6 ft (1.8 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 33 tons
• Location: Near harbor entrance, Muskegon, Michigan
• Coordinates: Not precisely recorded
• Official Number: 24233
• Original Owners: Multiple owners over the years, including Hanson, Milwaukee
• Number of Masts: 1 (originally as sloop)

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The TRIAL began service as a single-masted sloop in 1857, typical of the small trading craft on Lake Michigan during the mid-19th century. Sloops were valued for their simplicity and low crew requirements. In 1863, she was rebuilt as a schooner, improving her cargo capacity and handling under heavier conditions, and re-enrolled at 35.54 gross tons.

By 1865, the TRIAL was lengthened to 67.4 feet (20.5 metres) with a beam of 16.4 feet (5.0 metres) and depth of 5.2 feet (1.6 metres), modernizing her for increased trade demands on Lake Michigan.

Description

The TRIAL served in regional trade along the Wisconsin and Michigan lakefronts, carrying cargo such as lumber, grain, and other bulk commodities. She underwent several repairs and changes of ownership through the years:

• 1863: Converted to schooner rig at Milwaukee
• 1865: Lengthened
• 1869: Heavily damaged (details of incident not fully recorded)
• 1876: Owned by Hanson, Milwaukee
• 1878: Underwent repairs to continue trading

Her final voyage ended on 15 November 1883 when she stranded in a storm near Muskegon while carrying cargo from Milwaukee to Manistee. She was declared a total loss.

History

The TRIAL served in regional trade along the Wisconsin and Michigan lakefronts, carrying cargo such as lumber, grain, and other bulk commodities. She underwent several repairs and changes of ownership through the years:

• 1863: Converted to schooner rig at Milwaukee
• 1865: Lengthened
• 1869: Heavily damaged (details of incident not fully recorded)
• 1876: Owned by Hanson, Milwaukee
• 1878: Underwent repairs to continue trading

Her final voyage ended on 15 November 1883 when she stranded in a storm near Muskegon while carrying cargo from Milwaukee to Manistee. She was declared a total loss.

Significant Incidents

• Stranded in a storm on 15 November 1883 near Muskegon, Michigan.

Final Disposition

Stranded near Muskegon harbor entrance, Lake Michigan. Broken up and abandoned; precise remains unconfirmed.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No archaeological surveys have confirmed remnants of the TRIAL. If remains exist, they would likely be scattered near the Muskegon harbor approach in relatively shallow water.

Resources & Links

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The TRIAL is a classic example of mid-19th-century Great Lakes working sail craft, transitioning from sloop to schooner to remain viable in the changing demands of lake trade. Her final stranding underscores the ever-present risk of violent November storms on Lake Michigan.