Hunter-class sloop

Class overview
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Bonetta class
Succeeded by	Alderney class
Built	1755-1756
In commission	1756-1780
Completed	2
Lost	1
General characteristics (common design)
Type	Sloop-of-war
Tons burthen	223 62⁄94 bm
Length	88 ft 3 in (26.9 m) (gundeck); 73 ft 0 in (22.3 m) (keel);
Beam	24 ft 3 in (7.4 m)
Depth of hold	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Sail plan	Snow rig
Complement	100
Armament	10 × short 6-pounder guns;; also 12 x ½-pounder swivel guns;

The Hunter class was a class of two sloops of wooden construction built for the Royal Navy between 1755 and 1756. Both were built by contract with commercial builders to a common design prepared by Thomas Slade, the Surveyor of the Navy.

Both were ordered on 5 August 1755, and contracts with the builders were agreed on 8 August. They were two-masted (snow-rigged) vessels, although the Hunter was built with a 'pink' or very narrow stern (and a keel 3 feet longer than the original design), while her sister Viper had a traditional 'square' stern.

Hunter was captured by two American privateers off Boston on 23 November 1775, but was retaken by HMS Greyhound the following day.