I finally got chance to edit some video footage I took a few weeks ago. Although the visibility was poor (only ~10ft or so), the little Sony FDR-X3000 does a decent job in challenging conditions. Despite the marginal visibility and a camera battery that died 15 minutes into the dive I still managed to get a little video footage, mostly of the pilot house. I hope to get back here again in late fall or even early spring when the conditions can be better. The first time I ever dove on this wreck I had less than 5ft of visibility so this was definitely an improvement.
The William H. McAllister was steel tugboat that sank on November 17th, 1963 when at approximately 11pm while towing an empty oil barge she struck Schuyler Reef on Lake Champlain. According to the press report, “It was crushed past aft of midship on the port side.” The boat went down within five minutes, forcing the eight crew members aboard to abandon ship and make for the barge.
The owners of the sunken tug McAllister Brothers, Inc., now McAllister Towing, is still in business and operating out of New York City and 10 other ports along the east coast and Puerto Rico. The family-owned company was established in 1864. The current President is a great-grandson of the founder.
The tug was a steel-hulled diesel boat built in 1942. It was over 80 feet long by 23 feet in breadth. It served during World War II as ST-243. In 1949 it was purchased by McAllister Brothers and rechristened the William H. McAllister with its homeport in New York City. At the time of its sinking the boat was worth $250,000.
Today the William H. McAllister sits in approximately 155ft of water in Lake Champlain and is mostly intact. Red paint is still visibility on the hull and the vessel’s name can still be seen painted on the stern and the bow.
The pilot house is rounded in shape, although sadly most of the windows are broken. Inside you can still see the wheel and radio, as well as numerous other artifacts. The galley pantry is still filled with all sorts of china. An engine order telegraph and compass are also still present on top of the cabin. She is a beautiful wreck!
Sources:
https://www.lakechamplaincommittee.org/…/tugboat-mcallister/
https://www.lcmm.org/…/shi…/tugboat-wm-h-mcallister-wreck-o/
The William H. McAllister was steel tugboat that sank on November 17th, 1963 when at approximately 11pm while towing an empty oil barge she struck Schuyler Reef on Lake Champlain. According to the press report, “It was crushed past aft of midship on the port side.” The boat went down within five minutes, forcing the eight crew members aboard to abandon ship and make for the barge.
The owners of the sunken tug McAllister Brothers, Inc., now McAllister Towing, is still in business and operating out of New York City and 10 other ports along the east coast and Puerto Rico. The family-owned company was established in 1864. The current President is a great-grandson of the founder.
The tug was a steel-hulled diesel boat built in 1942. It was over 80 feet long by 23 feet in breadth. It served during World War II as ST-243. In 1949 it was purchased by McAllister Brothers and rechristened the William H. McAllister with its homeport in New York City. At the time of its sinking the boat was worth $250,000.
Today the William H. McAllister sits in approximately 155ft of water in Lake Champlain and is mostly intact. Red paint is still visibility on the hull and the vessel’s name can still be seen painted on the stern and the bow.
The pilot house is rounded in shape, although sadly most of the windows are broken. Inside you can still see the wheel and radio, as well as numerous other artifacts. The galley pantry is still filled with all sorts of china. An engine order telegraph and compass are also still present on top of the cabin. She is a beautiful wreck!
Sources:
https://www.lakechamplaincommittee.org/…/tugboat-mcallister/
https://www.lcmm.org/…/shi…/tugboat-wm-h-mcallister-wreck-o/
