Haltiner's Barge
Working derrick interpretation, before c. 1929
An interpretive 3D reconstruction of the vessel afloat, in the form named above and from before its loss in Thunder Bay. It is informed by the historical record set out under History below, where the documented evidence and the interpretation are kept apart; rigging, colours and fittings are partly inferred. It is not a survey of the wreck.
Nobody knows the exact spot where this ship went down, so the marker shows the general area.
Starboard bow · complete vessel · drag to rotate, scroll or pinch to zoom, right-drag to pan. Hiding a part shows what sat beneath it; it does not recreate the wreck.
What the model represents
From the model specification. Two lists, kept apart on purpose.
Documented
- NOAA identifies an 80×33 ft wooden derrick barge. NOAA vessel record
- The wreck includes a steel crane, boiler and winches. NOAA vessel record
Inferred
- Underwater hull lines and draft
- Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Configuration caveat. Wreck evidence establishes a wooden barge, steel crane, boiler and winches. Their working arrangement, crane height and boom angle are inferred from period derrick practice, not a recovered plan. Build date is unknown. NOAA says c. 1929 loss; the tracker says 1927.
Two numbers that are not the same thing. The waterline toggle sits at 1.30 m above the keel, a display assumption, not a measured draft. The wreck lies in about 17 ft of water; that describes the site, not the ship.
Renders from the model
History, evidence and limits
The research notes behind the reconstruction, reproduced with their citations.
Version 1.1. Metadata and presentation revised September 8, 2026; original evidence review retained.
Selected appearance
Working derrick interpretation, before c. 1929. Wreck evidence establishes a wooden barge, steel crane, boiler and winches. Their working arrangement, crane height and boom angle are inferred from period derrick practice, not a recovered plan. Build date is unknown. NOAA says c. 1929 loss; the tracker says 1927.
Documented evidence
NOAA identifies an 80×33 ft wooden derrick barge. NOAA vessel record
The wreck includes a steel crane, boiler and winches. NOAA vessel record
Reasonable interpretation
Underwater hull lines and draft
Exact colors, fittings, hatch layout and rigging routes
Visual evidence and comparisons. NOAA’s crane photograph was inspected. It shows a long steel lattice member in the wreckage. This confirms an open metal crane form, but it does not recover its original stance, pivot location, boom length or operating angle.
Reasonable interpretations and limits. The broad timber work-scow body and open lattice boom form a credible working-vessel interpretation from the recorded footprint and surviving machinery. The boom is shown over one end, with a braced support frame, cables and a hook. Boiler placement, open weather shelter, winch positions and lifting tackle are period mechanical inferences, not an identification of a specific crane maker. No dredge bucket type, hydraulic equipment, engine-driven propeller, passenger cabin or navigation bridge is asserted. The visibility switch hides the derrick for inspection; it is not an animation or a historically dismantled condition.
Further sources and how they were used.
Unresolved uncertainties
No complete original lines plan is claimed. Exact loaded draft, concealed surfaces and fine fittings remain interpreted. The earlier research context below retains the source distinctions used for this reconstruction.
Evidence assessment: build a qualified interpretation. The selected vessel class, dimensions and the evidence described below support a credible overall likeness. It is not an exact or authenticated as-built replica.
Documented baseline and source differences. NOAA identifies an 80 × 33 ft wooden derrick barge, also known as Scanlon’s Barge. Its wreck includes a steel crane, boiler, winches and anchor. Construction date and circumstances of loss are unknown. NOAA gives circa 1929; the source workbook lists 1927 and a fire. NOAA vessel record.
Selected geometry references. Hull length 80 ft; beam 33 ft. Hold depth unknown (null). Model deck Y=2.05 m and waterline Y=1.3 m are illustrative construction coordinates, not surveyed draft. Wreck water depth is not vessel draft. Existing approximate map coordinates, site attribution and catalogue text were preserved.
Sources
Illustration conditions
Lake, shoreline, lighting and weather are artistic staging, not evidence of a specific historical voyage. AI artwork is supplemental; the GLB and direct renders establish the delivered geometry.
Sources used for the model
Rights and respect
Removing or disturbing wreckage on Great Lakes bottomlands is a felony under Michigan Part 761, 1994 PA 451, at a fair market value of $100 or more. Positions are historical reference only — not navigation and not dive-planning data. Wreck records are published by the Michigan Underwater Preserve Council.
Treat these as graves. Lives were lost on many Great Lakes wrecks and human remains may still be present. Look, photograph, and leave everything exactly as you found it.
Model and renders were newly made for this project (2026). Three.js r160.1 is used under the MIT licence; its notice ships with the vendored files. Wreck position, depth and dates: Michigan Underwater Preserve Council. The model specification (version 1.1, revised 2026-09-08) is published beside the assets (model-spec.json).