NY NY- Paul “Preston” Zerwas, 32, last seen delivering houseboat, Vincent Marina, St. Lawrence River, to Oswego, 14 Sept 1973 *Boat found 2012*

[dotr]

Boat of Clayton man missing since ’73 found in lake

Shipwreck hunters say they’ve found the sunken houseboat of a northern New York businessman who disappeared during a trip on Lake Ontario 40 years ago. Daniel Scoville and Christopher Koberstein tel…

www.the-leader.com

2013
''Shipwreck hunters say they’ve found the sunken houseboat of a northern New York businessman who disappeared during a trip on Lake Ontario 40 years ago.

Daniel Scoville and Christopher Koberstein tell the Watertown Daily Times that they found the houseboat last summer while using side-scan sonar to search for another sunken vessel. They say the 32-foot-long houseboat was found in about 30 feet of water several miles north of Oswego.

The men say the registration number matches that of a houseboat that disappeared in September 1973. Paul “Preston” Zerwas vanished while delivering the vessel from Clayton, on the St. Lawrence River in Jefferson County, to Oswego to trade it for another boat.

The president of a Clayton shipyard was 32 when he disappeared. His body was never found.''

Jefferson County, to Oswego - Google Search

Recollections of Minnie Zerwas

House boat lost in 1973 while being piloted by Preston Zerwas. Preston and the boat disappeared en-route from Clayton to Oswego NY. This is a letter written by Prestons widow about the time when Preston disapperared

www.shipwreckstories.com

 

[dotr]

Recollections of Minnie Zerwas

House boat lost in 1973 while being piloted by Preston Zerwas. Preston and the boat disappeared en-route from Clayton to Oswego NY. This is a letter written by Prestons widow about the time when Preston disapperared

www.shipwreckstories.com

noted this case here.

CT - CT - Norwalk, Rex Marine Yacht Club docks in Charles Creek off of Beach Rd, WhtMale 30-40, UP8937, drowned, 30 X 29 Levis, Grooves brand shirt, Jul'73

I didn't see a thread for this UID, but I'm sorry if it's a duplicate! NamUs: https://identifyus.org/en/cases/8937 PDF by Norwalk PD: http://www.norwalkct.org/DocumentCenter/View/4946 CASE: 73-25064 CASE TYPE: Unidentified Male Body DATE: 7-27-1973 LOCATION: Charles Creek VICTIM...

www.websleuths.com

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Zerwas Houseboat Shipwreck

House boat lost in 1973 while being piloted by Preston Zerwas. Preston and the boat disappeared en-route from Clayton to Oswego NY.

www.shipwreckstories.com

 

[dotr]

Wish i could find Paul's height to compare him to uid persons.

2013
Preston Zerwas left Clayton, NY in the Saint Lawrence Seaway at about 4pm on September 14th 1973 to deliver a boat to a client in Oswego NY. He stopped in Cape Vincent to get fuel at 6:00pm before heading out to cross Lake Ontario. The Coast Guard made exhaustive week long search but no trace of Preston or the houseboat was found.In summer 2012 Dan Scoville and Chris Koberstein were searching the Lake Ontario for lost wrecks and came upon what is believed to be the house boat that Preston Zerwas was driving the night he disappeared.

 

[Sleuthster]

I wonder what the weather was like that night

 

[Sleuthster]

Paul Zerwas find a grave. Interesting stuff on there. Paul Preston Zerwas (1941-1973) - Find a Grave...

 

[shetalksinstereo]

Paul Zerwas find a grave. Interesting stuff on there. Paul Preston Zerwas (1941-1973) - Find a Grave...

I am local to this area, and was only 7 years old, so no memories of this. However, I can say with complete authority, that September on the lake can turn on a dime! My family has had a cottage on Lake Ontario since the 1940s and I have been witness to so many freak storms, especially since I started living at the lake for the summer annually since 2006. My husband's birthday is 9/14 and there was a storm in 2008 or 2009 that was not forecast, there were 60-75mph sustained winds and a storm surge. We have a ramp to launch our jetski and the jetski was on the trailer parked on the ramp, way up toward the driveway. We heard a noise and went outside, and the storm surge had pushed the water up the ramp, and floated the jetski and trailer back out into the lake. It was 1am and there was nothing we could do. The storm took it out, the jetski cable snapped, and down the shore it went. We found it beached the next day about a third of a mile away. The trailer as found first in knee deep water. I had to call my parents and tell them the jetski was gone, lol. Well, at that point, we hadn't gone looking for it yet and assumed the worst.

The area where the river meets the lake is especially tempestuous as well. There is a lighthouse there and it's a great place to watch the storms roll in.

 

[Sleuthster]

I am local to this area, and was only 7 years old, so no memories of this. However, I can say with complete authority, that September on the lake can turn on a dime! My family has had a cottage on Lake Ontario since the 1940s and I have been witness to so many freak storms, especially since I started living at the lake for the summer annually since 2006. My husband's birthday is 9/14 and there was a storm in 2008 or 2009 that was not forecast, there were 60-75mph sustained winds and a storm surge. We have a ramp to launch our jetski and the jetski was on the trailer parked on the ramp, way up toward the driveway. We heard a noise and went outside, and the storm surge had pushed the water up the ramp, and floated the jetski and trailer back out into the lake. It was 1am and there was nothing we could do. The storm took it out, the jetski cable snapped, and down the shore it went. We found it beached the next day about a third of a mile away. The trailer as found first in knee deep water. I had to call my parents and tell them the jetski was gone, lol. Well, at that point, we hadn't gone looking for it yet and assumed the worst.

The area where the river meets the lake is especially tempestuous as well. There is a lighthouse there and it's a great place to watch the storms roll in.

My mothers family are from Governeur area. Original settlers there. I've been to aleandria bay and waddington on the lake, oh and Tupper lake to visit. Thank you for telling me how fast the weather changes.

 

[Brightchaser47]

So, it's very possible he went down in a storm?