HMS Spey was a 10-gun built for the Royal Navy during the 1820s. She was wrecked in 1840.
Description The Cherokee-class brig-sloops were designed by Henry Peake, they were nicknamed 'coffin brigs' for the large number that either wrecked or foundered in service, but modern analysis has not revealed any obvious design faults. They were probably sailed beyond their capabilities by inexperienced captains tasked to perform arduous and risky duties.Gardiner, p. 66 Whatever their faults, they were nimble; quick to change tack and, with a smaller crew, more economical to run.Knight, pp. 60, 170 Spey displaced and measured long at the gundeck. She had a beam of , a depth of hold of , a deep draught of and a tonnage of 235 tons burthen. The ships had a complement of 52 men when fully manned, but only 33 as a packet ship. The armament of the Cherokee class consisted of ten muzzle-loading, smoothbore guns: eight carronades and two guns positioned in the bow for use as chase guns.Winfield, pp. 239, 246
Construction and career Spey was ordered on 25 March 1823 and laid down on 6 October 1827 at Pembroke Dockyard. The ship was launched on 10 June 1827 and was converted into a packet ship with four guns from 15 October 1827 to 17 November 1828. She was commissioned in October 1828 and was assigned to the Falmouth packet service once she was completed.Winfield, p. 246
Spey was wrecked on a reef in the Bahama Channel on 24 November 1840. All passengers and crew were rescued.
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