SAULT STE. MARIE — On Saturday, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum held a dedication ceremony of its newest addition – a U.S. Coast Guard lifeboat and the lifeboat house it will be displayed in.
The 36-foot USCG 36381 lifeboat was found in Maryland around a decade ago, then restored at E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works in Hessel over several years. The restored lifeboat was transported from Hessel to Whitefish Point last October and installed in the restored 1923 lifeboat house.
While the USCG lifeboat stationed at Whitefish Point starting in the 1930s was a model 36371, the museum said this boat is still a rare find that they’re glad to have.
“For us to find this one, with help from the friends of the organization, to be able to get it back here, get it restored, and now have it on display, it’s a part of Whitefish Point that most people don’t know about,” said Bruce Lynn, GLSHS executive director.
The museum is open this season until Oct. 31 and will reopen May 1, 2025.