The Dotterel was a brig launched in 1817 at Coringa, India. As a sailing vessel of the early 19th century, she was constructed in Coringa and operated primarily in the waters around Bengal and eastern India. In September 1817, she encountered a heavy gale while en route from Bengal, which resulted in her arriving at the Roads flying a distress flag before she immediately went down after shipping a heavy sea. This incident indicates her exposure to the treacherous weather conditions common in the region and her vulnerability as a brig of that era. By November 1818, the Dotterel was reported to have arrived at Bengal from Masulipatnam, although she was noted to be without her mainmast, suggesting she had sustained damage or had undergone repairs. Despite her earlier loss report, she continued her service until her final wreck in 1827. On March 18, 1827, the Dotterel was wrecked in the Tamar River at Launceston, Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania), shortly after leaving the river. The wreck resulted in the drowning of one crew member. At the time, she was under the command of Captain Charles Bell and was transporting wheat and wool to Sydney, indicating her role in regional trade, particularly in commodities vital to the Australian colonies. Her wreck gave her name to Dotterel Reef and Dotterel Point, both located near the site of her sinking. Some of her gear and fittings were recovered from the wreck site, and the remains were burned to salvage her ironwork, which was then transported to Launceston by the cutter Speedwell, commanded by Captain James Corlette. The Dotterel, along with the Marquis of Lansdown—another Indian-built vessel—had obtained licenses from the British East India Company to trade in tea eastward of the Cape of Good Hope for two years, reflecting her involvement in the colonial trade network of the period. Her service history highlights the vessel's role in regional commerce and the hazards faced by early 19th-century shipping in the Indian Ocean and Australian waters.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.