Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Razal Brothers (aka Razel Bros.)
  • Official number: 259751
  • Year built: 1949 by Burger Boat Company, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
  • Type: Steel-hulled propeller Tug, engaged in fishing/towing
  • Dimensions: 39 ft × 11 ft × 5 ft; tonnage 20 GRT / 17 NRT
  • Date lost: 20 August 1986
  • Location: Northern Lake Michigan, just west of Whiskey Island near Charlevoix, Michigan
  • Loss type: Collision with wake (run down/swamped) by the Yugoslav freighter Jablanica in heavy seas and poor Visibility
  • Casualties: 3—no survivors among her crew (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Project Geo)

Vessel Type & Description

A compact steel-hulled Tug built for fisheries work—likely towing nets or tending fish gear—equipped with a small pilot house, powerful diesel engine, and robust construction typical of mid-20th-century workboats (20 GRT, 17 NRT) .

History

  • 1949–1986: Served fishermen and small-boat operators on Lake Michigan, operating from Naubinway, Michigan, under owners Ed Perkins and Russell King (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files).
  • Maintained a consistent presence in northern Lake Michigan fisheries, performing towing and crew operations in organized or commercial capacities.

Final Voyage & Disposition

  • 20 August 1986, ~11:21 EDT: In northern Lake Michigan, the Yugoslavian freighter Jablanica collided with or swamped the Razal Brothers. Investigations determined that the Tug was overwhelmed by a large wave generated by the freighter’s wake, later run down and swamped. All three crew members aboard Razal Brothers—owner‑operators—drowned. (Justia Law)
  • The Jablanica remained unaware of the impact until given notice; legal findings held both vessels partly at fault in the fatal accident .

Located By & Date Found

  • The wreck remains near the site of the incident, just west of Whiskey Island.
  • No formal salvage or dive surveys have been undertaken. Local sources suggest the vessel still rests where she sank, in relatively shallow water accessible to wreck divers .

Notmar & Advisories

  • No Notices to Mariners specifically cite this wreck.
  • The area near Whiskey Island, close to Charlevoix, remains heavily trafficked and occasionally fog-bound. Mariners should maintain vigilant watch practices, especially when navigating near small craft or fishing vessels.

Resources & Links

  • R – Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – Entry on Razel Bros., detailing build, loss type, and relationship with Jablanica (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
  • U.S. District Court case (Slobodna Plovidba v. King) – Comprehensive account of the collision, legal findings, and risk assessment on Lake Michigan (Justia Law)
  • Project on post‑1950 Great Lakes wrecks – Tabulates Razel Bros. as lost with three fatalities in 1986 (Project Geo)

Conclusion

The tragic loss of Razal Brothers is one of the few modern fatalities on the Great Lakes. Struck by the wake or directly by a large freighter in foggy conditions, her sinking highlights the persistent collision risks in waters shared by large freighters and small fishing vessels. No known remains have been recovered, yet her wreck lies as testament to the dangers on Lake Michigan even late in the 20th century.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

  • Keywords: Razal Brothers, Tug collision, Jablanica, Lake Michigan 1986 wreck
  • Categories: Steel Tug wrecks, mid‑20th-century losses, fishing vessel fatalities
  • Glossary:
    • Run down: Being overrun by a larger vessel despite right-of-way rules.
    • Swamped: Boat taking on water until buoyancy is lost.
    • GRT/NRT: Gross and net register tonnage—internal volume measurements.
    • Wake collision: Impact caused by waves from another vessel.