Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Victor
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1867
- Builder: W. Andrews, Port Dalhousie, Ontario
- Dimensions: Approximately 126 ft × 24 ft × 12 ft; ~320 tons (registered)
- Registered Tonnage: ~320 tons
- Location: South of Sand Beach, Michigan
- Official Number: (not listed)
- Original Owners: Edward Brown, Hamilton, Ontario
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
Victor was a two-masted wooden schooner, typically used for coal transportation.
Description
Built in 1867 by W. Andrews in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, the Victor measured approximately 126 feet in length, 24 feet in beam, and had a depth of hold of 12 feet. The vessel was registered at around 320 tons.
History
Owned and commanded by Edward Brown of Hamilton, Ontario, the Victor operated primarily out of Chicago, transporting coal freight across Lake Huron.
Significant Incidents
- Date of Loss: 30 May 1889 (some sources list 1888).
- Voyage Circumstances: Under tow of the steamer C. W. Chamberlain.
- During a gale, the Victor broke loose from her tow and was driven ashore south of Sand Beach, Michigan, near the Straits.
- The hull split longitudinally and was deemed a total loss.
- Casualties: None reported; crew survival is implied by absence of fatalities.
Final Disposition
The vessel was declared a total wreck, structurally destroyed by grounding and storm forces. Her remains were abandoned and not salvaged or recovered.
Current Condition & Accessibility
There is no record of modern rediscovery, wreck survey, or dive site documentation. The remains likely lie in shallow coastal waters near the Straits of Mackinac, fragmented and dispersed.
Resources & Links
The Victor was a mid-19th-century wooden schooner lost on 30 May 1889 after breaking from tow in a gale. The incident highlights the hazards of tow operations in storm conditions on Lake Huron. No modern archaeological survey has located her remains, presenting an opportunity for future maritime-historical investigations.