British sloop 'Fly' (1776)

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Le Prince des Asturies 1708-1711
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Fly	7653
Nominal Guns	14	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	1.8.1775	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.1776	BWAS-1714
Named	25.8.1775	BWAS-1714
Launched	14.9.1776	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	17.7.1776	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Swan Class (1766)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1778	BWAS-1714
Constructor	George WhiteBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1773-1779	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Foundered	1.1802	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck96' 7"Imperial Feet29.2904
Length of Keel78' 11 ½"Imperial Feet23.7871
Breadth26' 10"Imperial Feet7.9248
Depth in Hold12' 10"Imperial Feet3.6576
Draught Forward6' 9"Imperial Feet2.0574
Draught Aft10' 9"Imperial Feet3.2766
Burthen302 ³⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

14.9.1776Broadside Weight = 45 Imperial Pound ( 20.4078 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck14 British 6-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Forecastle4 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

1780Broadside Weight = 51 Imperial Pound ( 23.1288 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck16 British 6-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Forecastle4 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

1794Broadside Weight = 84 Imperial Pound ( 38.094 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck16 British 6-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 12-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 12-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
8.5.1766125Design Complement

13 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
17.7.1776 - 1.10.1779Commander ADM 6/21/200BWAS-17141.10.1779 - 15.8.1781Commander ADM 6/22/31BWAS-171415.1.1781 - 15.8.1781Commander ADM 6/22/369
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 23.11.1781ADM 6/2215.8.1781 - 16.3.1782Commander ADM 6/22/325ADM 6/2216.3.1782 - 12.5.1783Commander ADM 6/22/425ADM 6/221.12.1787Commander ADM 6/23/440ADM 6/2310.5.1790 - 3.12.1791Commander ADM 6/24/27BWAS-171425.10.1792 - 29.10.1793Commander ADM 6/24/179BWAS-171429.10.1793 - 6.1794Commander ADM 6/24/278BWAS-17149.6.1794 - 4.1797CommanderBWAS-17145.1797 - 8.11.1798CommanderBWAS-17148.11.1798 - 15.11.1800CommanderBWAS-171415.11.1800 - 1.1802Commander†BWAS-1714

3 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
22.3.1791 - 12.4.1791Lieutenant ADM 6/24/111ADM 6/2413.4.1791 - 1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/117ADM 6/2413.4.1791 - 1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/117ADM 6/24

Service History

DateEventSource
1.1776Began building at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
14.9.1776Began fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
14.9.1776Completed building at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £8694.8.4dBWAS-1714
19.10.1776Completed fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
4.12.1776Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
7.1778Began coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1778Completed coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £1998.11.0dBWAS-1714
1779In the North SeaBWAS-1714
25.9.1782Took the Cutter with his 2 prizes : a brig and a sloopBG
21.5.1783

Paid off

BWAS-1714
11.1788Began small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
2.1789Completed small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £3111.0.0dBWAS-1714
5.1789RecommissionedBWAS-1714
5.1790Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
6.1790Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £1589.0.0dBWAS-1714
20.6.1790Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
10.6.1791Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
3.12.1791

Paid off

BWAS-1714
10.1792RecommissionedBWAS-1714
10.1792Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
12.1792Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £2798.0.0dBWAS-1714
20.3.1794Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
22.8.1796Took the Lugger off PortlandBG
6.2.1799

Arrived at Plymouth with the prize Glaneur

TNC
14.2.1799

Sailed from Portsmouth on a cruise

TNC
31.3.1799

Sailed from Portsmouth

TNC
7.1800At HalifaxBWAS-1714
24.8.1800Took the Cutter in the Channel
1801Sailed with convoy to AfricaBWAS-1714
1.1802Lost with all hands off NewfoundlandBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

TNCVarious, Periodical

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Saturday 4th of June 2022 08:18

26 Aug 1801 a Court Martial was held on board the Gladiator, in Portsmouth harbour, on Mr. William Macleod, Purser of the Fly, sloop, for not supplying the said ship with necessary stores, drunkenness, and neglect of duty ; and being found guilty thereof, he was sentenced to be dismissed from HM service.

Posted by Patrick Reid on Monday 15th of February 2021 13:33

Great info.Does anyone have any ideaa whether Fly was oak or fir built?

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