British gunvessel 'Gunboat No. 28' (1797)

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1st Rate Ship of the Line
1812 Renamed "Princess Royal"
1812 Renamed "Saint George"
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Gunboat No. 28 ➡ 1797 Grappler
Nominal Guns	12	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	7.2.1797	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	2.1797	BWAS-1793
Launched	4.1797	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Northfleet Dockyard - Northfleet	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Courser Class (1797)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	William RuleBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1778-1813	BWAS-1793
Constructor	Thomas PitcherBritish Ship Builder Service 1801	BWAS-1793
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Gunvessel	BWAS-1793
Wrecked	31.12.1803	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck76' 2 ½"Imperial Feet23.1775
Length of Keel62' 3 ¾"Imperial Feet18.9167
Breadth22' 7 ¾"Imperial Feet6.7247
Depth in Hold8' 3"Imperial Feet2.5146
Draught Forward4' 0 ½"Imperial Feet1.2319
Draught Aft5' 6"Imperial Feet1.6764
Burthen169 ⁹¹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

4.1797Broadside Weight = 114 Imperial Pound ( 51.699 kg)B028
Gun Deck2 British 24-Pounder
Gun Deck10 British 18-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
179750Design Complement

5 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
5.1797 - 1.1798LieutenantBWAS-17931.1798 - 1800LieutenantBWAS-17931800 - 8.1800LieutenantBWAS-17938.1800 - 1803Lieutenant†BWAS-17937.1803 - 31.12.1803LieutenantBWAS-1793

Service History

DateEventSource
7.2.1797Renamed GrapplerBWAS-1793
15.4.1797Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1793
7.1797Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1793
7.8.1797Refitted as a 12 gun Unrated Gun-brig
7.1799coppering at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
1800At JerseyBWAS-1793
1803At JerseyBWAS-1793
31.12.1803At JerseyBritish Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 - 1817Grounded on I;es Chausey, Jersey and takenBWAS-1793
31.12.1803Taken by the French Iles Chausey

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

B028J. J. Colledge, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Monday 8th of June 2026 17:20	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Britannia' (1762) (100) 1762-1825 British 100 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line 1812 Renamed "Princess Royal" 1812 Renamed "Saint George" 1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
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