HMS Racehorse was an 18-gun, three-masted ship-rigged sloop of the Royal Navy, originally built as the French privateer Marquis de Vaudreuil. Acquired from the French in 1757 during the Seven Years' War, she was initially classified as a sloop despite her frigate-like appearance due to her three-masted rig. Her armament and role evolved over her service life; she was first commissioned in June 1757 under Commander Francis Burslem for home waters, then refitted as a fireship equipped with eight 6-pounder guns, and later as a bomb vessel armed with mortars—one 13-inch and one 10-inch—serving in North American waters under Commander Francis Richards. By 1760, she was re-armed as a frigate with 16 guns, serving under Commander James Harmood and later Commander John Macartney until she was paid off in 1763. Following a refit at Sheerness, she was recommissioned in 1771 under Commander St John Chinnery. Her notable participation in Arctic exploration came in 1773 when she was refitted for the Phipps expedition aiming for the North Pole. During this voyage, commanded by Commander Constantine John Phipps, she reached as far north as 80°50'N, near Svalbard, and contributed to geographic and scientific observations. Midshipman Horatio Nelson served aboard her during this expedition. After her Arctic service, she returned to Deptford in October 1773, was paid off, and then recommissioned in January 1775. She was refitted as a bomb vessel and renamed HMS Thunder in October 1775. Under her new name, she served in North America, with successive commanders including James Reid, Anthony Molloy, and James Gambier. Her service ended when she was captured by the French fleet under the Comte d'Estaing off Sandy Hook on 14 August 1778, by the French 74-gun ships Hector and Vaillant. HMS Racehorse’s varied career, from privateer origins to Arctic explorer and wartime vessel, underscores her versatility and the strategic importance of such ships in 18th-century naval operations.

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