Side-scan-sonar shots: 30 foot Tug Boat

[Diver1111]

Found this recently; 30 feet long +-, intact with entire hull in place including engine, tranny, wheelhouse, prop, rudder; Decking south of wheelhouse was odd-all flat with no gunwhales, just one big sheet of deck. Glass still in some windows. big stones in engine compartment.

In left channel image the tiny horizontal white line is my flag line down into the water column marking the wreck, around which I scan more for multiple images.

Image #756 is a split shot directly over the wreck; Squarish protrusion is the wheelhouse. Visibility at this location was great, pushing 40 feet, not something I see often in Winni.

Video to come with pictures.

One of eight wrecks I have found since May 27th, 2012.

[bilproject]

Cool can we go see it first 2 weeks July? Looking good for BI first full week of August.

[Diver1111]

Yes we can dive it noting that temp at that depth is, basically, ice-cold water. You can dive wet but it will be a short dive. Worth it though-this thing is beautiful.

[AC2717]

photos photos photos
video video video

thanks!

[Senter Cove Guy]

This could be the new premier wreck in Lake Winnipesaukee to visit. It should go without saying but, if you dive this wreck, PLEASE, don't move, break or remove ANYTHING from this wreck.

[Grant]

Originally Posted by Senter Cove Guy

This could be the new premier wreck in Lake Winnipesaukee to visit. It should go without saying but, if you dive this wreck, PLEASE, don't move, break or remove ANYTHING from this wreck.

Unfortunately, the only way to ensure this would be to keep the location close to the (hooded 5mm) vest. Sounds great. I want to see it. Wish we could've splashed over the past week, but I was doing the Manchester Shuffle every day.

Back in a few days.

g

[scubajay1153]

...I am missing out on all the great wreck dives. Anyone else going to try and make Hans presentation this week?

[diz]

Originally Posted by scubajay1153

...I am missing out on all the great wreck dives. Anyone else going to try and make Hans presentation this week?

Could you post the time and location for the presentation?

[Diver1111]

This Saturday 6/23/12 at 11am at the Lake Winni Historical Society & Museum, top of the hill next to Fun Spot; It fills up fast as they have seats for maybe 60.

[Diver1111]

Regarding the presentation on Saturday, PLEASE note that when I was asked by the Museum to create and present this program, with the first one being in June 2011, about 120 showed up (seating for maybe 60); I was asked to do it again (August?) and about 100 showed up; I was asked to do it again in Sept. and about 80 showed up. Each time people were turned as there was simply no room. If this happens again I will come back as I did last year and do it again. If you get there and see a line out the door if I were you I'd come back another day.

They do have "The Barn" completed now immediately adjacent to the Museum which is bigger and laid out better.

[Grant]

You're a regular Lake celebrity, HH. Who knew our little hobby would prove so interesting to the masses?

You are the man.

g

[KTO]

I don't suppose there would be any circumstance where you would give away the location/coordinates?

I'm respectful of any dive site, wreck or not, and would really love to see this one.

[Diver1111]

Attached are some pictures of the tug; Only my 2nd time using the camera and it was murky when I took them-not at all like when I found this wreck-that day viz pushed 40 feet-you could see the entire wreck end-to-end no problem.

Video to follow of this and of some of the other wrecks I found, plus a 9th wreck found yesterday.

[NoBozo]

That's quite an outfit you are wearing. Not like a single bottle on your back and a mask and flippers like in the old days.

I was watching a documentary on the History channel this weekend, about diving on the HMHS Britannic (Sister ship to Titanic) in the Mediterranean in 400+ feet of water. Half hour on the wreck..and Five hours decompression coming up. Amazing stuff. NB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Britanic

[SharkBaitDiving]

Just wanted to say "Thank You" for the great info and photo's Diver 111! I'm brand new to the Lake and have started my own Dive Charter at Fays Boat Yard in Gilford, NH. Looking for Divers and Divemasters to accompany me as I learn more about the "Lake". My Charters are $50.00 for a two tank dive aboard a 32' Carver. 6 passengers is the most I want to take out. I have two dive ladders on back swim platform. I have my Commercial License and passed NH Marine Patrol Commercial inspection this year already.
Thanks again everyone for the great info! Book 6 spots and pay for only 5! Plus if you dive with us 5 times your 6th dive is free!

Jim Carozza
Owner
Shark Bait Diving Adventures

[Diver1111]

Actually that's my buddy with his wreck/cave set-up, a classic side-mount affair.

As to releasing the Lat/Lon of this tug yes I plan to however I need to hold off for just a bit to tie up some loose ends with it. It will be available soon.

I have five more wrecks in one tight location that Senter Cove Guy has been running surveyors tape to from wreck to wreck, thus connecting all of them so they can all be dived in one shot. These will be released soon. I have some more work to do first.

I have others I plan on releasing as well; If they don't get the crap kicked out of them I will release more to the public. Lacking that I only give the positions to a few divers I trust.

[Grant]

Cool wreck -- dove it last week. Love to know how that location was chosen, as it was obviously scuttled (big rocks inside).

[Diver1111]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E53g0...ature=youtu.be

[Grant]

Viz was very good that day. Not so good when we dove it. Still...a great find.

[Jonas Pilot]

Cool vid. Thanks for sharing. The boat looks like it was really built strong. I was going to say , like a brick ship house.

[SunsetPointWentworth]

From 7pm to 7:30pm weeknights on channel 9 they have N.H Chronicle. They would probably love to have you on their show, talking about and showing all the things that you've found under the waves. Maybe someone on this site has a connection over there.

[Grant]

That would be an ideal segment for the show -- how 'new' old wrecks are being found at an unprecedented rate thanks to HH's passion and the side-scan technology. (Of course, it would have to include a little plug for operations like Dive Winnipesaukee and Cap'n Pat...)

[secondcurve]

Diver:

Do you have a guess as to how long the boat has been down there? The quality of your video is outstanding! Thanks

[Diver1111]

The son of the owner told me it was scuttled about 1947. He helped load it with rock. Reason it was scuttled: Boat was "just worn out".

[Senter Cove Guy]

starting around 1:32, you can see painted, red block letters just above the windows of the wheelhouse that says "DOCK BUILDING - PILE DRIVING”. You won't see this while diving unless you shine a light on it. It appears on both sides of the Tug's wheelhouse.

[WeirsBeachBoater]

Very cool video. From your earlier post, I assume you know the ownership history of the vessel. How cool would it be to post on old picture while it was above the lakes surface!

[Senter Cove Guy]

Just got back from diving the Tug. Saw something new today. There are painted, red block letters just above the windows on the FRONT of the wheelhouse that looks like it says "MILLER MARINE".

[Diver1111]

43 36.069
71 23.821

wgs84

[Senter Cove Guy]

The depth is about 57 feet and the bottom is very silty so watch your buoyancy and bring a light. On 07/27/14, the bottom temp was 57 degrees. This is a great dive site.

[Diver1111]

I scanned the tug with the EdgeTech. Tight but doable as it sits near a slope and perpendicular to the slope, thus making good side shots a challenge due to the risk of crashing the towfish into the slope.

First shot, if they post in the order I uploaded them, is at a range of 50 meters/165 feet left. Total swath covered at that range is 330 feet.

[Descant]

I'm enjoying the thread about the 30' tug. Thank you. Around 1960, Floyd Miller built docks and a breakwater for my family on Welch Island. Since the tug apparently said "Miller Marine", "Dock Building" and "Pile Driving" on the wheel house, I wonder if this is the same operation? At the time (1960+), Miller owned a barge and crane and a 26' Steelcraft boat that was used to push the barge and to transport workers. I believe he lived in Wentworth Cove and stored the barge on the beach there in the winter. The current tug site adds to the possible connection by geography, as opposed to finding the tug in, say, Alton Bay or Wolfeboro.

I recall a story that Miller was transporting a load of rocks from Welch Island to a work site when his barge started taking on water faster than the pumps could handle, the load having brought the waterline up to where the topsides were not swollen or watertight. The solution was to start up the crane and throw rocks overboard until the barge gained freeboard. This could have created an "artificial" rock pile a few hundred yards SW of FL68. I believe it was common practice in those days to "mine" rocks from the Witches and island shore fronts for breakwater construction elsewhere.
I considered posting this inquiry, but was reluctant to intrude on privacy between you and tug owner's son.

Anyway, is the Miller Marine Tug the same Miller?
Thanks for any info.

[8gv]

Thanks for the pictures.

How do you manage the depth of the fish to avoid collisions with the bottom?

[rsmlp]

Originally Posted by Grant

Viz was very good that day. Not so good when we dove it. Still...a great find.

Crazy good viz. The best I've seen in a video of the lake.

[Diver1111]

Answers to some questions posted:

- Yes it is the Miller tug, owned by Cracker Miller's Dad;

- Collisions: Avoiding drilling the sonar towfish into the bottom is a constant issue if the depth changes alot. If it is drilled into mud it generally is not a problem but into rock(s) is a huge issue.

I have several techniques to avoid this including flying it high off the bottom (much higher than a normal scan should be run at but adjusting for overlapping lanes accordingly to account for the nadir-the blind spot in a scan), dropping it into the the deep area and scanning at a speed of perhaps 2 mph so my depth finder has a chance of warning me of shallow water ahead, checking the general depths in the area first with the Echosounder (fishfinder), and studying a bathymetric chart showing depth contours in color)

- Visibility: When I first found the tug wreck I was amazed at the viz; I was descending into approx. 58 feet of water when at a depth of only 20 feet I stopped and hovered because to my amazement I could see the wreck on the bottom from that depth.

[8gv]

Have you found any aircraft in the big lake?

[Diver1111]

The answer as to whether or not I have found any planes in Winni is no.

I am however pondering where one-a float plane up near Bald Peak Colony Club-in the attached article I found during research, might be. The crash took place roughly in the 1930's. That would be a spectacular find even if it's condition could be described as toast.

Somebody did mention-perhaps on the Forum-about a WW2 war plane that was supposed to have crashed in Winni but further research lead me to believe it was or is, in Sebago not Winni.

I am always interested in hearing from people about anything they think I might like to search for.

[Diver1111]

Sorry I spaced out-article attached-read through it towards the end where the crash is described.

The one that landed on the BPCC Golf Course must have been a sight to see.