Harkness
Tug · United States · Lost 1992 · Penobscot Bay & Midcoast Maine
A Maine-built steel tug foundered off Matinicus Island on a bitter January night in 1992, and her three-man crew survived a widely told rescue.
Become Captain of Record
The Vessel and Her Loss
Built in 1964 at East Boothbay, Maine, and originally named O. A. Harkness, this 70-foot steel tug foundered off Zephyr Ledges near Matinicus Island on the night of January 16, 1992, in cold and windy conditions. All three crewmen survived a dramatic rescue, later recounted in Yankee magazine. The wreck lies in about 100 feet of water.
Vessel
- 1964
- Not established
- East Boothbay, Maine
- Steel
- 70 ft
- Not established
- Not established
- Diesel, single screw
- Not established
Loss
- January 16, 1992
- Mechanical failure
- Off Zephyr Ledges, near Matinicus Island, Maine
- Penobscot Bay
- Not established
- Not established
- 3
- 0
- Not established
The Wreck Today
- 100 ft
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
Position
- Not established
- Position not established
- Matinicus Island, Maine
Evidence
Overall confidence: Partially documented (68/100)
The precise mechanical cause of the sinking and the wreck's exact coordinates are not established in the sources reviewed.
Build data, former name, loss date, location, depth, and rescue account.
