AH-WR-0216

Sport

Tug · United States · Lost 1920 · Saginaw Bay & the Michigan Thumb

An early iron tug lost in a 1920 gale off Lexington, the first Michigan wreck marked as an underwater historic site.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents.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

Documented Likeness. Drawn from surviving builder's plans or clear photographs of this vessel. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Built in 1873, the Sport was one of the earliest iron-hulled tugs on the Great Lakes and worked for nearly fifty years. She foundered in a December gale off Lexington in 1920; her crew made shore. The upright hull was later designated Michigan's first underwater historic site and is listed on the National Register.

Vessel

Built: 1873
Builder: Not established
Yard: Not established
Material: Iron
Length: Not established
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Steam
Owners: Not established

Loss

Date: December 13, 1920
Cause: Storm
Location: Off Lexington, Michigan, Lake Huron
Water: Lake Huron
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: 45 to 55 feet
Condition: Upright and largely intact iron hull.
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Within a Michigan underwater preserve; listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Position

Coordinates: 43.27° N 82.50° W
Accuracy: Approximate position
Nearest: Lexington, Michigan
Region: Saginaw Bay & the Michigan Thumb

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (85/100)

Exact depth varies slightly between accounts.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources underwater preserves
Wreck location, condition, protection.
National Register of Historic Places nomination
Construction, service, significance.