HMY Fubbs was a notable Royal Yacht of the Royal Navy of Great Britain, constructed in 1682 at Greenwich and designed by Phineas Pett for King Charles II. She was rigged as a ketch, a type of sailing vessel characterized by two masts with a main mast and a mizzen mast positioned aft. The vessel’s name, Fubbs, derived from the king’s pet nickname for Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, meaning plump or chubby, reflecting the fashionable female ideal of the time. Throughout her nearly a century of service, Fubbs underwent several significant rebuilds, beginning with her first in 1701 at Woolwich Dockyard under Master Shipwright William Lee. After relaunch, she served as a personal yacht for King James II and later was used in various capacities, including as a bomb ketch in Sir George Rooke’s Mediterranean fleet in 1703 and with George Byng’s squadron in 1706–1707. Her service record includes multiple commanders, such as Commander Richard Byron, who led her during her Mediterranean deployment, and Captain William Collier, who commanded her from 1716 until 1734. Fubbs was rebuilt again in 1724 at Deptford Dockyard, overseen by Master Shipwright Richard Stacey, with relaunch occurring on 22 October 1724. She continued to serve in various roles, including transporting notable figures such as Princess Royal and William IV, Prince of Orange, after their marriage. A more extensive repair was completed in 1737, and she was under the command of Captain Francis Dansays until 1745. During her service, she was involved in significant events, including transporting Princess Louise to her marriage in 1743 and participating in a royal flotilla in 1761, led by Admiral Lord Anson, to convey Duchess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz to marry King George III. Her final years saw her recommissioned in 1763 under Captain Richard Spry, with her last captain, A. T. Percival, serving from 1766 until her decommissioning. Fubbs was ultimately broken up in July 1781, ending her distinguished 99-year service as a royal vessel of maritime significance.

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