Wood on the bottom

"For many centuries wood was the preferred material for ships, both salt and freshwater. Masts, cabins, decks and hulls were all made from it. It was strong, resilient, easy to work with and inexpensive. Properly used and maintained, a wooden ship could last for many years. But it was no guarantee of safety... Stress of storm, collision, poor navigation, bad luck and human folly all played a part in sending thousands of wooden ships to the bottom of the Great Lakes, where they are quietly rotting away into the ages. Wood on the bottom tells the dramatic tales of a dozen wooden shipwrecks"--P. [4] of cover.