Shamrock-class schooner

The Shamrock class was a Royal Navy class of six 8 or 10-gun schooners built under contract in Bermuda during the Napoleonic War. The class was an attempt by the Admiralty to harness the expertise of Bermudian shipbuilders who were renowned for their fast-sailing craft. The Admiralty ordered all six vessels in February 1808.

Class overview
Name	Adonis class
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Cheerful class
Succeeded by	Pygmy class
Planned	6
Completed	6
Active	1808—1816
Lost	4
General characteristics
Tons burthen	15032⁄94 (bm)
Length	78 ft 8 in (24.0 m) 60 ft 8+1⁄8 in (18.494 m)
Beam	21 ft 7 in (6.58 m)
Draught	7 ft 10 in (2.39 m)
Complement	50
Armament	2 × 6-pounder guns + 8 × 12-pounder carronades (last four had six carronades)
Notes	All measurements are per design, not "as built"

The vessels were all constructed of Bermuda cedar. This durable, native wood, abundant in Bermuda, was strong and light, and did not need seasoning. Shipbuilders used it for framing as well as planking, which reduced vessel weight. It was also highly resistant to rot and marine borers, giving Bermudian vessels a potential lifespan of twenty years and more, even in the worm-infested waters of the Chesapeake and the Caribbean.

Of the six vessels in the class, four were lost to the perils of the sea; two survived to be sold in 1814 and 1815.

Ships

Name	Launched	Fate
Shamrock	15 September 1808	Wrecked 23 February 1811
Thistle	27 September 1808	Wrecked 6 March 1811
Bramble	1809	Sold 14 December 1815
Holly	1809	Wrecked 29 January 1814
Juniper	1809	Sold 3 November 1814
Mistletoe	1809	Foundered 14 December 1816

References

• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-246-7.