Identification & Site Information

  • Name: TRIAL
  • Official Number: 24233
  • Year Built: 1857
  • Type: Sloop (later converted to Schooner)
  • Builder: G.S. Rand, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
  • Number of Masts: 1 (originally as sloop)
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Length: 45 feet (13.7 metres) as built
  • Beam: 15.9 feet (4.8 metres)
  • Depth: 6 feet (1.8 metres)
  • Tonnage (old style): 33 tons

Final Disposition

  • Final Location: Near harbor entrance, Muskegon, Michigan, Lake Michigan
  • Date Lost: 15 November 1883
  • How Lost: Stranded in a storm while bound from Milwaukee, WI to Manistee, MI
  • Coordinates: Not precisely recorded

Vessel Type Description
The TRIAL began service as a single-masted sloop in 1857, typical of the small trading craft on Lake Michigan during the mid-19th century. Sloops were valued for their simplicity and low crew requirements. In 1863, she was Rebuilt as a Schooner, improving her cargo capacity and handling under heavier conditions, and re-enrolled at 35.54 gross tons.

By 1865, the TRIAL was lengthened to 67.4 feet (20.5 metres) with a beam of 16.4 feet (5.0 metres) and depth of 5.2 feet (1.6 metres), modernizing her for increased trade demands on Lake Michigan.

History
The TRIAL served in regional trade along the Wisconsin and Michigan lakefronts, carrying cargo such as lumber, grain, and other bulk commodities. She underwent several repairs and changes of ownership through the years:

  • 1863: Converted to Schooner rig at Milwaukee
  • 1865: Lengthened
  • 1869: Heavily damaged (details of incident not fully recorded)
  • 1876: Owned by Hanson, Milwaukee
  • 1878: Underwent repairs to continue trading

Her final voyage ended on 15 November 1883 when she stranded in a storm near Muskegon while carrying cargo from Milwaukee to Manistee. She was declared a Total Loss.

Final Disposition
Stranded near Muskegon harbor entrance, Lake Michigan. Broken up and Abandoned; precise remains unconfirmed.

NOTMARs & Advisories
No active Notices to Mariners apply to this wreck site, though Muskegon harbor is a high-traffic area and caution is always warranted around submerged hazards.

Located By & Date
The TRIAL’s exact wreck site has not been formally documented or located by sonar or divers.

Current Condition & Accessibility
No archaeological surveys have confirmed remnants of the TRIAL. If remains exist, they would likely be scattered near the Muskegon harbor approach in relatively shallow water.

Resources & Links

Conclusion
The TRIAL is a classic example of mid-19th-century Great Lakes working sail craft, transitioning from sloop to Schooner to remain viable in the changing demands of lake trade. Her final stranding underscores the ever-present risk of violent November storms on Lake Michigan.

Keywords
Trial, Lake Michigan Shipwreck, Muskegon, 19th Century Schooner, Great Lakes Maritime History, Wisconsin Shipbuilding, G.S. Rand