HMS Greyhound was a small, 16-gun frigate built at Portsmouth Dockyard and launched in July 1672, following her order in December 1671. Designed as a trade protection vessel, her name reflected her fine lines and role in safeguarding maritime commerce. She was likely a precursor to the standard 20-gun Sixth Rates that became common in the 1690s. The vessel’s dimensions included a gundeck length of 93 feet, a keel length of 75 feet for tonnage calculations, a breadth of 21 feet 6 inches, and a depth of hold of 9 feet. Her draught was relatively shallow at 8 feet 6 inches, facilitating operations in shallower waters. Her initial armament consisted of fourteen to sixteen 6-pounder muzzle-loading smoothbore guns mounted on trucks, later upgraded around 1685 to sixteen sakers and two 3-pounder guns. The saker was a muzzle-loading smoothbore cannon weighing approximately 1,400 pounds with a 3.5-inch bore, firing 5.5-inch shot and a similar weight in powder. Commissioned on 17 July 1672 under Captain John Clements, HMS Greyhound primarily served in Home Waters, engaging in trade protection and fisheries patrols. Her early service included transporting troops to Tangiers in 1680 and participating in operations around Londonderry during her career. She operated mainly in the Irish Sea, North Sea, and the English Channel, with notable involvement in a boat action at Mamora in June 1685. Her commanding officers changed several times, with Captains Randall Macdonell, John Gillam, Charles Staggins, John Fletcher, William Kiggins, and James Atkins all taking command over her 26-year service life. HMS Greyhound’s service concluded with her sale in May 1698, marking the end of her notable career as a versatile and relatively advanced small frigate of her time. Her design and operational history reflect her importance in maritime trade protection and military operations during the late 17th century.

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