Hunting New England Shipwrecks

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Vineyard Lightship photo ca 1940 (fredsplace.org)	Vineyard Lightship sonar image of wreck (Klein Associates)

Diver Brad Luther and friends located the wreck in 1963 (Brad Luther collection)	The Lightship's bell, recovered by divers, is now on display in New Bedford

Shipwreck Data
Vessel Name	Vineyard Lightship (LV-73)
Other Names
Vessel Type	Lightship
Owner
Length / Beam / Draft (feet)	112' / 29' / 13'
Tonnage	538
Hull Construction	Steel
Propulsion	Steam / Propellers
Cargo
Built	1901 at Baltimore, MD
Date of Loss	September 14, 1944
Reason for Loss	Sunk in hurricane
Fatalities	12 (entire crew)
Location	One mile east of Buzzards Light Tower, Buzzards Bay, MA
Coordinates (Lat/Lon)	41-23-48N / 71-00-58W
Coordinates (Loran C)
Water Depth (feet)	60'
Typical Visibility (feet)	Usually poor
Wreck Condition	Partially intact, lying on its side
Diving Considerations	Strong current area, heavy boat traffic
Other Information

Attention Divers

The information on this page was obtained from a variety of sources. Although we have attempted to make it as accurate as possible, it may contain errors. For your personal safety, use extreme caution when diving on this wreck.