HMS Viper (1831)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Viper.

History
United Kingdom
Name	Viper
Namesake	Viper
Ordered	11 September 1828
Builder	Pembroke Dockyard
Laid down	June 1830
Launched	12 May 1831
Completed	31 August 1831
Reclassified	As packet boat, 1831
Fate	Broken up, May 1851
General characteristics
Class and type	Cockatrice-class schooner
Tons burthen	18135/94 bm
Length	80 ft (24.4 m) (gundeck) 64 ft 6 in (19.7 m) (keel)
Beam	23 ft 3 in (7.1 m)
Draught	9 ft 5 in (2.9 m)
Depth	9 ft 11 in (3.0 m)
Sail plan	brigantine rig
Complement	33–42
Armament	2 × 6-pdr cannon; 4 × 12-pdr carronades

HMS Viper was a six-gun Cockatrice-class schooner built for the Royal Navy during the 1830s. She was sold for scrap in 1851.

Description

Viper had a length at the gundeck of 80 feet (24.4 m) and 64 feet 6 inches (19.7 m) at the keel. She had a beam of 23 feet 3 inches (7.1 m), a draught of about 9 feet 5 inches (2.9 m) and a depth of hold of 9 feet 11 inches (3.0 m). The ship's tonnage was 181 35/94 tons burthen. ^[1] The Cockatrice class was armed with two 6-pounder cannon and four 12-pounder carronades. The ships had a crew of 33–42 officers and ratings. ^[2]

Construction and career

Viper, the twelfth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy, ^[3] was ordered on 11 September 1828, laid down in June 1820 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, and launched on 12 May 1831. ^[2] She was completed on 31 August 1831 at Plymouth Dockyard. ^[1]

Notes

1. Winfield, pp. 1202–03
2. Winfield & Lyon, p. 138
3. Colledge, pp. 375–76

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-281-8.
• Phillips, Lawrie; Lieutenant Commander (2014). Pembroke Dockyard and the Old Navy: A Bicentennial History. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. ISBN   978-0-7509-5214-9.
• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1793-1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates (epub). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth. ISBN   978-1-84415-700-6.
• Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889 . London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-032-6.