1953 — May 11, freight Henry Steinbrenner sinks, Lake Superior storm, so. off Isle Royale MI- 17

— 17 Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News, May 2009.
— 17 Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (Revised). 1969, p. 272.
— 17 Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks Beginning with the letter S.
— 17 Swayze, David D. Shipwreck!…Directory…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 224.
— 17 Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. 2004, p. 297.
— 17 USCG. Marine Board of Investigation: Foundering of the S. Henry Steinbrenner…, 1953.
— 17 Wolff, Julius F., Jr. Lake Superior Shipwrecks. 1990, p. 203.

Narrative Information

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive: “On May 11, 1953, the Henry Steinbrenner went down in Lake Superior near Isle Royale with 17 of her 31 crewmembers. The storm followed an unseasonably warm and humid stretch of weather in northern Minnesota for that time of year which fueled the storm’s fast growth.” (Report News, May 2009).)

Ratigan: “On May 11, 1953, the Henry Steinbrenner foundered in a gale off the Isle Royale light with a death toll of seventeen. Captain Albert Stiglin lost his license for alleged negligence.” (Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (Revised). 1969, p. 272.

Swayze: “Henry Steinbrenner
….
“Type at loss: propeller, steel, bulk freight
“Build info: 1901, Jenks Ship Building, Port Huron hull #14
“Specs: 427x50x28, 4719g
“Date of loss: 1953, May 11
“Place of loss: off Isle Royale
“Lake: Superior
“Type of loss: storm
“Loss of life: 17 of 30 (crew loss list included in Runge document)
“Carrying: iron ore
“Detail: She foundered in a 75 mph gale when her hatch covers blew off. She filled and sank
quickly. Part of her crew had abandoned before she went down. Master: Capt. Albert Stiglin. Owned by Kinsman Trans. Co. and managed by Henry Steinbrenner.” (Swayze)

United States Coast Guard: “….The SS Henry Steinbrenner, a bulk freight vessel, built in 1901 of 4,345 g.t., loaded with 6,800 tons of iron ore, departed from Superior, Wisconsin, at 0511, Sunday 10 May 1953 en route to a port on Lake Erie. After departure, while the weather was favorable, her twelve telescopic type cargo hatches were closed and secured with clamps and the topside otherwise secured for sea. Weather worsened and the first sea was taken on board at 1930. At about 2000 a leaf in No. 11 hatch worked loose but was rescued with difficulty under adverse weather conditions. At no time were tarpaulins fitted in place or battened down on the hatches. Although throughout the night the weather became more severe, the vessel proceeded on its voyage at reduced speed and slightly altered course, evidently making water in her cargo holds due to the nonwatertightness of the hatches. At about 0600 the vessel’s movements became sluggish and her pumps could not control the flooding of the vessel. The Henry Steinbrenner was abandoned at approximately 0730, 11 May 1953, and sank almost immediately thereafter in approximate position 15 miles south of Isle Royale Light, Lake Superior. Seventeen crew members were lost, evidently due to difficulty in launching lifesaving equipment and an apparent lack of confidence in the lifesaving equipment by some of the crew members who made no effort to abandon the vessel. The Henry Steinbrenner received timely weather reports of the impending strong weather conditions from the time of her departure to her foundering.” (USCG. Marine Board of Investigation: Foundering of the S. Henry Steinbrenner…, 1953, p. 1, para. 2.)

“The Board made the following Conclusions:

“1. The cause of the Steinbrenner’s foundering was heavy seas dislodging the after three (3) hatch covers, numbers 10, 11, and 12, and permitting flooding of the cargo holds. The adverse weather conditions with mountainous seas combined to make this foundering an act of God.

“2. The Steinbrenner was seaworthy….

“6. It is the opinion of the board that the use of tarpaulins would have reduced general loosening of the clamps and would have prevented free ingress of water between the hatch leaves.

“7. In connection with the decision not to use tarpaulins, the board concluded that any reasonably prudent master could have used the same judgment under the same conditions with erroneous weather forecasts and the favorable weather conditions prevailing at the start of the voyage. Failure to batten down the tarpaulins while underway and while conditions still permitted appears to be a situation where experienced seamen underestimated the force of the sea….” (USCG. Marine Board of Investigation: Foundering of the S. Henry Steinbrenner…, 1953, 7-8.)

“Remarks

“”Conclusion paragraph 1 of the Board states that the adverse weather conditions with mountainous seas combined to made the foundering of the Henry Steinbrenner an act of God. This conclusion is not concurred with. Conclusions paragraphs 6 and 17 of the Board, in effect, state that had tarpaulins been battened down on the hatches of the Henry Steinbrenner she in all probability would not have foundered. Conclusions paragraphs 6 and 17 of the Board are concurred with, particularly in view of the requirements of 46 CFR 97.15-20 (a) which provide that ‘It shall be the responsibility of the master to assure himself before leaving protected waters that all exposed cargo hatches of his vessel are closed and made properly tight.’ Failure to comply with this regulation very largely contributed to the foundering of the Henry Steinbrenner and for which failure appropriate action is to be instituted against the license of the master.

“In conformance with R.S. 4450, as amended, (46 USC 239) and regulations thereunder, two duplicate copies of the record of investigation of subject casualty are to be forwarded to Headquarters for transmittal to the U.S. Attorney General, as such record contains evidence of probable criminal liability on the part of the master of the Henry Steinbrenner at the time subject casualty occurred.” [signed P.A. Ovenden; approved Vice Admiral Merlin O’Neill, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, July 31, 1953.] (USCG. Marine Board of Investigation: Foundering of the S. Henry Steinbrenner…, 1953, 11.)

Sources

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News (May 2009). “Today in Great Lakes History – May 11.” Accessed 1-15-2021 at: http://www.boatnerd.com/news/archive/5-09.htm

Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (New Revised and Enlarged Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1969.

Swayze, David D. Great Lakes Shipwrecks S. Accessed 1-15-2021 at: http://greatlakeshistory.homestead.com/files/s.htm

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lake. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2004.

United States Coast Guard. Marine Board of Investigation; foundering of the S. Henry Steinbrenner, off Passage Island, Lake Superior, on 11 May 1953, with loss of life (Memorandum from Chief, Merchant Vessel Inspection Division to Commandant, USCG, 7-11-1953.) Washington: DC: USCG, 12 pages. Accessed 1-15-2021 at: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/hensteinbrenner.pdf

Wolff, Julius F., Jr. Lake Superior Shipwrecks: Complete Reference to Maritime Accidents and Disasters. Duluth, MN: Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc., 1990.