Lake Name: Lake Michigan
Shipwreck Name: L.R. Doty
Vessel Type: Wooden Steamer
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Vessel Build Info: 1893, F.W. Wheeler, W Bay City, MI
Shipwreck Specs: 291x41x20 2050g 1709n
Official Number: 141272
Names Other: none
Sinking Detail
The Doty was one of six nearly identical sisters, including the steamers William F. Sauber, C.F. Bielman, Tampa, Iosco and Uganda. She was built of white oak with a hull length of 291 ft., a beam of 41 ft. and a depth of 19.8 ft., with a capacity of 2056.34 gross tons. She had nine deck hatches and was built with a tall fore-mast, on which she could set canvas, if necessary. The Doty was built with steel arches embedded in the sides of her hull in order to provide the additional stability necessary for a wooden hull of her size.
Loss Date: 10/25/1898
Loss Place: Off of Oak Creak / Milwaukee, WI
Loss Life: 17
Loss Reason: Storm
Vessel Cargo: Corn
Shipwreck Description
The L.R. Doty sits at 320ft of water off of Oak Creek, WI. Shipwreck Explorers discovered this shipwreck in 2010 after re-locating the original Loran coordinates that Jerry Guyer acquired from local fisherman in 1991 and was able to share. The L.R. Doty is intact with the steel cabin boilers still present. Divers can see her rudder with water depth marks by it, yawl boat, beautiful bow with anchors, and much more. Penetration is also possible but it is very silty inside. Due to the depth this is considered advanced expedition diving and divers need proper training and equipment.
Dive Type: Expedition
Depth Deck(ft): 300 ft
Depth Bottom(ft): 320 ft
Depth Deck(m): 91 m
Depth Bottom(m): 98 m