Year Built: 1936, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Official Number: 234923
Vessel Type: Wooden propeller diesel Tug / fishing tender
Dimensions: 38 ft × 12 ft × 5 ft
Tonnage: 23 gross / 16 net
Original Owner: Norman and Harris Johnson, Port Wing, Wisconsin

Final Disposition

  • Date of Loss: 9 July 1975
  • Location: Port Wing, Wisconsin, Lake Superior
  • Cause: Destroyed by fire—blaze spread from neighboring fishhouse dock to the vessel
  • Casualties: None reported
  • Cargo: Not carrying freight at the time
  • Wreck Status: Burned to the waterline; Hull remains likely charred and partially submerged but exhaustively damaged
  • Source: Great Lakes Shipwreck Files – R‑entry summary (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)

Site & Dive Notes

  • Condition: High-severity damage by fire means only metal Hull components may remain; wood largely destroyed
  • Depth & Accessibility: Berth was dockside in Port Wing harbor; shallow water (<10 ft), accessible via shore or small boat
  • Dive Recommendation: Exploration possible but unsafe without verifying structural stability; appropriate for documentation diver survey

Research Recommendations

  1. Local Records & Newspaper Archives (July 1975):
    • Ashland Daily Press, Superior Telegram, or Bayfield County Journal may contain fire incident reports, asset valuations, and dockowner statements.
  2. Marina/Dock Owner Records:
    • Fishhouse operator or Johnson family’s records may include logs or photographs of the fire and subsequent cleanup.
  3. Insurance & Fire Reports:
    • Wisconsin state marine insurance filings or Bayfield County fire department incident reports could provide official loss valuation and cause determination.
  4. Historical Society or Museums:
    • Port Wing Fish Company archives or Bayfield County Historical Society may hold visual documentation or oral histories from the event.

Summary

The Roamer was a modest 38-foot wooden diesel Tug based in Port Wing, Wisconsin. On 9 July 1975, a fire from an adjacent fishhouse destroyed her at the dock—a Total Loss but without loss of life. While her remains likely lie in shallow harbor waters, extensive structural damage makes salvage unlikely. Historical or photographic records may be the best source for documenting her existence and demise.