British sloop 'Otter' (1767)

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Princess Mary (Unknown) 1796-1805
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1796)
Indian Chief (Unknown) 1800-1801
British Unknown Gun
Merchant Unknown
(1800)
London (90) 1766-1811
British 90 Gun
2nd Rate Ship of the Line
(1766)
Edward Jekyll CanesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1793
Sir Adam DrummondBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1795-9990
Thomas PresslandBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1779-1803
Richard CaleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1794
Nicholas DiddamsBritish
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Edward TippettBritish
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Service 1775-1793
Thomas PollardBritish
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Otter
Nominal Guns	14	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	18.1.1766	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	14.10.1766	BWAS-1714
Launched	26.10.1767	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	4.2.1768	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard - Deptford	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Adam HayesBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1748-1785	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Wrecked	25.8.1778	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck95' 0"Imperial Feet28.956
Length of Keel77' 9 ⅜"Imperial Feet23.4791
Breadth27' 2"Imperial Feet8.2369
Depth in Hold12' 6"Imperial Feet3.7338
Burthen395 ³²⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

26.10.1767Broadside Weight = 45 Imperial Pound ( 20.4078 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck14 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
2.1768125 BWAS-1714

4 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
4.2.1768 - 24.11.1769Commander ADM 6/20/194BWAS-171424.11.1769 - 10.1.1771Commander ADM 6/20/262BWAS-171410.1.1771 - 26.11.1773Commander ADM 6/20/334BWAS-171418.1.1775 - 25.8.1778Commander ADM 6/21/66BWAS-1714

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
28.1.1771 - 26.11.1773Lieutenant ADM 6/20/344ref:616

11 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
8.4.1773 - 26.11.1773SupernumeraryNAO1775 - 28.11.1775Acting Able Seaman Ran/Deserted ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764.ADM 3616.1.1776 - 16.3.1776Ordinary Seaman Discharged Dead ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764. ADM 3615.4.1776 - 22.6.1776Able Seaman Discharged ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764.ADM 365.7.1776 - Able Seaman ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764.ADM 365.7.1776 - Able Seaman ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764.ADM 365.7.1776 - 8.7.1776Able Seaman Ran/Deserted ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764.ADM 365.7.1776 - 31.1.1777Able Seaman Ran/Deserted ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764ADM 365.7.1776 - 28.2.1777Able Seaman† Discharged Dead ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764.ADM 3615.10.1776 - Captain's Servant ADM 36/7763; ADM 36/7764ADM 365.7.1777 - Able Seaman ADM 367763; ADM 36/7734. ADM 36

Service History

DateEventSource
14.10.1766Began building at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
26.10.1767Completed building at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £6573.19.4dBWAS-1714
26.10.1767Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
13.2.1768Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
30.4.1768Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
1.5.1770Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
11.1773Paid offBWAS-1714
1.1775RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1.1775Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
3.1775Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £637.9.3dBWAS-1714
14.3.1775Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
25.8.1778Wrecked near Cape Canaceral, FloridaBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 36 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NAOVarious, Web Site

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 21st of June 2026 18:18

The following men of war are lying at Spithead and Portsmouth, the Egmont, Terrible, Centaur, Lenox, Royal Oak, 0f 74 guns each, Prudent, and Worcester of 64, Panther 60, and the Otter sloop. In the harbour, the Barfleur of 90, and Asia 64. [Exeter Flying Post, 31 January 1772]

Posted by Joseph Fleming on Friday 15th of October 2021 20:07

HMS Otter was one of three tenders to Lord Dunmore's fleet. The ship was captured by the American 7th Virginia Regiment on July 10, 1776 during the battle of Gwynn's Island. I don't know if the ship stayed in American Hands until wrecked.

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:16	Jon Miller	British Merchant east indiaman 'Princess Mary' (1796) (Unknown) 1796-1805 British Unknown Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:15	Jon Miller	British Merchant 'Indian Chief' (1800) (Unknown) 1800-1801 British Unknown Gun Merchant Unknown
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:14	Jon Miller	British Second Rate ship of the line 'London' (1766) (90) 1766-1811 British 90 Gun 2nd Rate Ship of the Line
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:11	Jon Miller	Edward Jekyll CanesBritish Naval Sailor Service 1780-1793
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:10	Jon Miller	Sir Adam DrummondBritish Naval Sailor Service 1795-9990

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