Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Velocipede
- Type: wooden scow-schooner
- Year Built: 1869
- Builder: J. Dickie at Menominee, Michigan
- Dimensions: ~40 × 11 × 4 ft; tonnage ~10 GRT
- Registered Tonnage: 10 GRT
- Location: Approximately 8 mi east-southeast of Kenosha Harbor
- Official Number: 25848
- Number of Masts: two-masted
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A small wooden scow-schooner combining elements of scow flat-bottom and schooner rig, commonly used for lake transportation of bulk goods. At loss, she carried no cargo (“light”), making her vulnerable to wind and waves.
Description
The Velocipede departed Racine under calm conditions but was soon hit by a sudden storm. The vessel was overwhelmed and broke amidships, with the hull splitting and decks washed away. Her remains were found a week later, heavily damaged, with no crew survivors. Wreckage was identified several miles offshore and reportedly towed to Kenosha, where she was left abandoned.
History
All hands were lost; eyewitness accounts reported no lifeboats onboard, consistent with larger scow-schooner practices. None of the crew were ever recovered, indicating sudden and catastrophic failure.
Significant Incidents
- Final Departure: April 26, 1877 from Racine, Wisconsin, bound for Muskegon, Michigan in ballast.
- Last Known Position: Caught in a severe spring squall shortly after departure; presumed foundered on April 27, 1877 on Lake Michigan.
Final Disposition
The Velocipede was considered a total constructive loss. Remnants were towed into Kenosha and abandoned. The wreck remains unlocated, and the exact site is unknown, with debris observable only in contemporary wreck reports.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck remains unlocated, but archival clues and modeled drift path could guide search efforts. This case offers a poignant example of small-boat vulnerability and the hidden losses of Great Lakes maritime history.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”velocipede-us-25848″ title=”References & Links”]
The Velocipede was a modest but resilient scow-schooner lost suddenly to a spring gale on Lake Michigan. Her breakup amidships and total loss—with no survivors—reflects the danger of under-rigged vessels in sudden squalls.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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