Racer
Vessel Type: Sail: brig
GPS Location: N45° 34.900’ W84° 08.919’
Depth: 11 Feet
Wreck Length: 130 feet
Beam: 28 feet
Gross Tonnage: 257
Cargo: Iron ore
Launched: 1856 by Benjamin B. Jones in Buffalo, New York
Wrecked: November 17, 1869
Description: In 1869, a severe November storm drove the schooner Racer upon the rocks at Hammond Bay. Fully loaded with iron ore, Racer could not free itself and quickly broke apart. It eventually settled in 11 feet of water.
Today, the 130-foot vessel that could carry 260 tons of cargo is a stunning site, easily accessible to divers, snorkelers, and paddlers. Its lower bilge is intact from stem to stern. Keelsons, the centerboard pocket piece, mast steps, ceiling planking, and a portion of a built-in wooden arch are still in place. The lower hull (bilge), partly covered with iron ore, is an orientated bow towards shore. A large section of the port side remains beside the bilge and a section of the starboard side is several hundred feet north of the main wreckage.
Great Lakes Maritime Collection digital archive: http://greatlakeships.org/2895903/data?n=4
