Identification & Vessel Details
- Name: J. Oswald Boyd
- Official Number: 223043
- Type: Steel-hulled propeller fuel tanker, twin-engine
- Built: 1913 by Bow, McLachlan & Co., Paisley, Scotland
- Registered Owner: Gotham Marine Corp., New York, NY
- Dimensions & Tonnage: 244 × 44 × 20 ft; 1,806 GRT / 1,273 NRT (The Free Library, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Final Voyage & Incident – November 11, 1936, Lake Michigan
- While in a blizzard, J. Oswald Boyd stranded on Simmons Reef, north side of Beaver Island, loaded with approximately 900,000–1,500,000 gal gasoline (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- U.S. Coast Guard rescued all ~20 crew from Beaver Island (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- The ship was Abandoned and left stranded through fall and winter.
Post-Stranding Salvage & Explosion – January 1, 1937
- Salvage crews siphoning gasoline using the Ferry Marold II caused a horrific explosion while transferring cargo on January 1, 1937 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Interlochen Public Radio).
- The explosion and fire destroyed Marold II, killing five local salvors, whose names are memorialized on Beaver Island (Interlochen Public Radio).
- Debris from Marold II scattered across Boyd’s Deck, illustrating the force of the blast (Interlochen Public Radio).
Final Disposition
- The burned tanker remained stranded until June 1937, when it was moved to Detour, Michigan, and ultimately scrapped in 1942 (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
- Structural remnants were likely dismantled during salvage operations; no intact wreck remains in situ.
Casualties & Impact
- Boyd crew: None lost
- Marold II crew: All five perished in the mid-winter explosion (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Interlochen Public Radio).
Cause & Hazards
- Stranding resulted from a winter blizzard that caused navigational error (The Free Library).
- The subsequent explosion highlights the risk of gasoline vapor in enclosed spaces when transferring volatile cargo without adequate ventilation or safety protocols.
Sources & Verification
- Interlochen Public Radio’s “Maritime Time: Free gas and a deadly explosion”, and Beaver Island Historical Society records (Interlochen Public Radio).
- Great Lakes Vessel History database confirms ID, build info, and rescue details (greatlakesvesselhistory.com).
- Local Michigan salvage accounts, Lost in Michigan blog, and WordPress Great Lakes Shipwreck Files confirm explosion and victim names (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
Significance & Research Notes
- The J. Oswald Boyd incident underscores early 20th-century fuel tanker hazards during winter operations.
- Its aftermath—the fatal Marold II explosion—illustrates the dangers of in situ salvage interruption of volatile cargo.
- While the Boyd remains scrapped, the event remains a culturally important maritime tragedy for Beaver Island, complete with memorials at Whiskey Point.