AH-WR-1934

Racer

Brig · Lost 1869 · Thunder Bay & Lake Huron

Fully laden with iron ore, the Buffalo-built Racer was driven onto Hammond Bay's rocks by an 1869 storm and broke apart.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Interpretive Reconstruction, drawn to convey the vessel's era, type and general form. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Benjamin B. Jones built Racer at Buffalo, New York, in 1856, a 130-foot sailing vessel able to carry about 260 tons. In November 1869, fully loaded with iron ore, she was driven onto the rocks at Hammond Bay by a severe storm and quickly broke apart. Her lower hull, partly covered with ore, lies intact from stem to stern in 11 feet of water, a site popular with snorkelers and paddlers.

Vessel

Built: 1856
Builder: Benjamin B. Jones
Yard: Buffalo, New York
Material: Wood
Length: 130 ft
Beam: 28 ft
Tonnage: 257 gross tons
Propulsion: Sail
Owners: Not established

Loss

Date: November 17, 1869
Cause: Storm
Location: Rocks at Hammond Bay, Lake Huron, Michigan
Water: Lake Huron
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Iron ore
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: 11 ft
Condition: Not established
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Within Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Position

Coordinates: 45.58° N 84.15° W
Accuracy: Approximate position
Nearest: Rogers City, Michigan
Region: Thunder Bay & Lake Huron

Sanctuary-published site position (mooring/GPS listing); displayed rounded.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (85/100)

Crew numbers and casualties are not established in the source reviewed.

NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary — Shipwrecks: Racer
Specification table and complete description read; underlying archival records not independently inspected.