Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

Name: Cantin
Other Names: None known
Official Number: 71611
Registry: Canada
Vessel Type: Screw-propelled wooden Tugboat
Builder: A. Cantin, Montreal, Quebec
Year Built: 1875
Dimensions: Length 96 ft (29.3 m); Beam 18.6 ft (5.7 m); Depth 8.2 ft (2.5 m)
Tonnage: 74 gross tons / 50 net tons
Cargo on Final Voyage: None (moored)
Date of Loss: 19 September 1878
Location: Ile Perrot, Quebec, Canada
Coordinates: Unknown
Depth: Presumed destroyed
Home Port: Montreal, Quebec
Owners: J.B. Blanchard (as of 1877)
Crew: Unknown
Casualties: None reported

Description

The Cantin was a single-Deck, wooden-hulled screw Tug built in 1875 by A. Cantin in Montreal, Quebec. Designed for utility on inland waters, she measured 96 feet in length and was powered by a Screw Propulsion system suitable for towing and maneuvering river vessels along the Ottawa and St. Lawrence waterways.

History

Owned by J.B. Blanchard of Montreal by 1877, Cantin served as a Tugboat on the Ottawa River. Her duties likely included towing barges, assisting steamers in confined or swift-current sections, and supporting dock operations. Tugboats such as Cantin were essential to maintaining safe and efficient inland navigation during the late 19th century.

Final Dispositions

On 19 September 1878, the Cantin was destroyed by fire while moored at Ile Perrot, Quebec. The wooden vessel burned entirely, and no salvage was recorded. The cause of the fire remains undocumented, but no fatalities were reported.

Located By & Date Found

The wreck is presumed completely destroyed. No physical remains have been located or documented in archaeological surveys.

NOTMARs & Advisories

None noted.

Dive Information

Access: N/A (no wreck remains)
Entry Point: N/A
Conditions: N/A
Depth Range: N/A
Emergency Contacts: Canadian Coast Guard (Quebec); Sûreté du Québec
Permits: Not applicable
Dive Support: Not applicable

Crew & Casualty Memorials

No known memorials. No fatalities reported.

Documented Statements & Extracts

“The Cantin met a tragic end when a fire broke out aboard the vessel while it was docked at Ile Perrot, Quebec. The fire consumed the wooden Tugboat entirely, leaving no salvageable remains.” — Summary based on regional maritime records.

Registry, Enrollment & Insurance Trails

Official number 71611. Listed as a screw-propelled Tug with 74 gross tons. Registered to J.B. Blanchard, Montreal. No insurance claims or enrollment transfers have been documented in accessible archives.

Site Documentation & Imaging

No physical site has been located. No imagery exists of the vessel or wreck. Archival research continues.

Image Gallery

Resources & Links

References

  • Lovell’s Montreal Directory, 1878–79.
  • Summary record, Ship Registry Index (Canada), Library & Archives Canada.

NOAA Shipwreck Record Card

Wreck Name: Cantin
Other Names: None known
Official Number: 71611
Coordinates: Unknown
Depth: None – total burn
Location Description: Moored at Ile Perrot, Quebec
Vessel Type: Wooden screw Tug
Material: Wood
Dimensions: 96 × 18.6 × 8.2 ft (29.3 × 5.7 × 2.5 m), 74 gross tons
Condition: Destroyed
Cause of Loss: Fire
Discovery Date: N/A
Discovered By: N/A
Method: N/A
Legal Notes: Registry lapsed post-destruction
Hazards: None
Permits Required: N/A