Brigand

Vessel numberHV000712

Date1890

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 8.53 m × 7.31 m × 2.44 m × 1.22 m, 4.57 tonnes (28 ft × 24 ft × 8 ft × 4 ft, 4.5 tons)

DescriptionBRIGAND is an 8.5m ( 28’) long gaff rig cutter. The vessel was built by Fred Potts in his workshop at Calliope in Langhorne Creek, using local red gum Eucalyptus camalduensis and steamed American elm for the frames and jarrah Eucalyptus marginata for the planking. It was launched on 29 November 1890 at Milang on Lake Alexandrina. Fred Potts loaded the boat onto a timber wagon pulled by eight bullocks for transportation to Milang There he was assisted by his father Frank and the boat was slung from the wagon by crane into the lake off the Milang jetty.

Shortly after the launch, Fred entered BRIGAND in the Milang Regatta, taking first prize. Three months later BRIGAND won the Wellington Regatta and the handsome sterling silver cup remains in the Potts’ family possession. Fred sold the vessel to LC Oliver of Milang for 70 pounds in 1906.

BRIGAND competed in Milang Regattas until 1916 and was owned during this time by the Grundy family and HH Landseer, before passing to the Rumbelow family of Victor Harbor who used it as a fishing boat. From Victor Harbor the vessel went west to the Fleurieu Peninsula and was moored at American River, Kangaroo Island. At a later date it moved to Edithburgh and Port Adelaide, finally returning to Goolwa under the ownership of David James in the late 1990s.

In 2002 BRIGAND was sold to meteorologist Dr Roger Badham and brought over to Port Hacking, New South Wales, after which the vessel underwent a major overhaul and extensive restoration bringing it back to an excellent condition. The sail area remains true to the original plan at approx. 650 square feet and the mast and spars are still original.

Dr Badham found that his work commitments took him away from Australia for six months each year, and in 2015 decided to gift BRIGAND to Alexandrina Council and the community so it could be returned to its home waters. It is now back in Goolwa and part of the sailing scene in the region again.

SignificanceBRIGAND is a wooden yacht built in SA in 1890. It is one of the very few remaining yachts in Australia from this period and it is particularly significant to South Australia’s yachting history. Small open cutters such as BRIGAND were the typical craft used for commerce and pleasure in South Australia at this time, and BRIGAND spent many decades around Goolwa and later at Kangaroo Island in SA.