Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Keller, Willie
- Type: Schooner
- Year Built: 1871
- Builder: Jasper Hanson, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
- Dimensions: 134 ft (40.8 m); Beam: 25 ft (7.6 m); Depth of hold: 9 ft (2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 236 GT / 224 NT
- Location: Southwest of Big Sable Point, Michigan
- Official Number: 80315
- Original Owners: Ripson et al. in Oswego, NY (after 1876)
- Number of Masts: Three masts (likely topsail schooner)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A large three-masted wooden schooner, constructed for high-capacity grain transport and typical of Great Lakes cargo sailing vessels of the era.
Description
- Hull: Wooden, single-deck
- Sail Plan: Three masts (likely topsail schooner)
- Dimensions: 40.8 m (134 ft) length × 7.6 m (25 ft) beam × 2.7 m (9 ft) depth
- Tonnage: 236 GT / 224 NT
- Built robustly for cross-lake voyages with bulk cargo
History
- 1871, Apr: Launched in Manitowoc; financed at US 20,000
- 1876: Ownership transferred to Ripson et al. in Oswego, NY
- 1877, Sep: Stranded in Detroit River, suffering severe keel damage (“broke her back”)
- 1885, Jul: Sank once in Port Colborne, Ontario
- 1888, Jun 15: Final sinking—collision off Big Sable Point with propeller vessel Robert Mills; sank swiftly
Significant Incidents
Significant incidents include:
- Stranded in Detroit River in 1877, resulting in severe keel damage.
- Previous sinking in Port Colborne, Ontario in 1885.
- Final collision with Robert Mills leading to sinking in 1888.
Final Disposition
Struck in collision with the Robert Mills and sank southwest of Big Sable Point. Records on crew survival and salvage are minimal; the vessel was declared a total loss.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No known dive surveys or wreck rediscovery. The site remains uncharted, though historical coordinates place it in offshore waters near Big Sable Point.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”willie-keller-us-80315″ title=”References & Links”]
The Keller, Willie was emblematic of Great Lakes grain schooners: sturdy, high-volume freight carriers facing frequent wear or accidents. After multiple mishaps—river grounding, previous sinking—her end in 1888 by collision marks a final chapter. No visible remains persist, but her operational history illustrates both the persistence and peril of wooden cargo sailers.
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: Keller, Willie
- Official Number: 80315
- Year Built: 1871, Manitowoc, Wisconsin (Jasper Hanson)
- Final Loss Location: Southwest of Big Sable Point, Michigan, Lake Michigan
- Loss Method: Sank following a collision with the propeller steamboat Robert Mills
- Cargo (likely): Grain—en route to Midland, Ontario
Vessel Type
A large three-masted wooden schooner, constructed for high-capacity grain transport and typical of Great Lakes cargo sailing vessels of the era.
Description
- Hull: Wooden, single-deck
- Sail Plan: Three masts (likely topsail schooner)
- Dimensions: 40.8 m (134 ft) length × 7.6 m (25 ft) beam × 2.7 m (9 ft) depth
- Tonnage: 236 GT / 224 NT
- Built robustly for cross-lake voyages with bulk cargo
History & Chronology
- 1871, Apr: Launched in Manitowoc; financed at US 20,000
- 1876: Ownership transferred to Ripson et al. in Oswego, NY
- 1877, Sep: Stranded in Detroit River, suffering severe keel damage (“broke her back”)
- 1885, Jul: Sank once in Port Colborne, Ontario
- 1888, Jun 15: Final sinking—collision off Big Sable Point with propeller vessel Robert Mills; sank swiftly
Final Disposition
Struck in collision with the Robert Mills and sank southwest of Big Sable Point. Records on crew survival and salvage are minimal; the vessel was declared a total loss.
Located By & Date Found
No known dive surveys or wreck rediscovery. The site remains uncharted, though historical coordinates place it in offshore waters near Big Sable Point.
Notmars & Advisories
None. The wreck is in deeper waters and not a navigational hazard; no charted warnings exist.
Resources & Links
- Enrollment and incident reports from U.S. National Archives
- Steamboat Era in the Muskokas by Richard Tatley
- Lake shipping logs and wreck reports from the 1870s–1880s region
Conclusion
The Keller, Willie was emblematic of Great Lakes grain schooners: sturdy, high-volume freight carriers facing frequent wear or accidents. After multiple mishaps—river grounding, previous sinking—her end in 1888 by collision marks a final chapter. No visible remains persist, but her operational history illustrates both the persistence and peril of wooden cargo sailers.
Keywords & Glossary
- Wooden grain schooner
- Three‑mast topsail sailing vessel
- Great Lakes collision wreck
- Big Sable Point
- 1880s maritime disasters
- Robert Mills collision