HMS Steady was a Courser-class gun-brig of the British Royal Navy, launched on 24 April 1797 at Limehouse. Originally designated as gunboat No. 19, she was quickly reclassified as a gun-brig and given the name HMS Steady on 7 August 1797. The vessel was built to the design of Sir William Rule, the Surveyor of the Navy, and featured a Schank sliding keel, which allowed for better maneuverability. Constructed with a typical armament for her class, HMS Steady was armed with ten 18-pounder carronades and two long 24-pounders, making her a formidable small combat vessel of her time. She measured in accordance with her class specifications, designed primarily for coastal defense and convoy escort duties. Commissioned by Lieutenant Joseph Wood in May 1797 for service in the Downs, she was later commanded by Lieutenant Charles Clovell by 1799. The ship underwent coppering at Sheerness in October of that year, enhancing her durability and speed. In early 1800, HMS Steady sailed to the West Indies, reflecting her role in supporting British naval operations in the Caribbean. Her active service was interrupted in February 1803 when she was paid off during the Peace of Amiens. She was later recommissioned and renamed HMS Oroonoko on 7 February 1805, serving as a temporary prison ship at Trinidad. This role was part of her brief second career before the Navy sold her at Barbados in 1806. The vessel's service history highlights her versatility, transitioning from a combat vessel to a prison ship, and her presence in key maritime regions of the British Empire during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

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