The Cuirassier, a steamship, was transporting machinery and horse bedding from Glasgow to Bonawe when she ran aground near Little Cumbrae Lighthouse on 15th July 1894. As the tide rose, she slipped from her initial position and sank. The wreck lies in the Firth of Clyde, approximately 500 metres north of the lighthouse.
Her remains are scattered along a steep mud and shingle slope, with depths ranging from 30 to 36 metres. The wreck is broken, with the aft section from boiler to stern being the most identifiable part. The engine and boiler are partially buried in the mud, rising only slightly above the seabed. The site can be located using an echo sounder or by following an old steel braided cable down the slope to the wreck.
The Cuirassier's condition is notably broken, with her hull and machinery submerged in the soft seabed.