hit he , ▁and ▁was ▁initially ▁intended ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁private ▁merchant ▁craft . ▁The ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁purchased ▁the ▁half - built ▁vessel ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁April ▁ 1 7 4 5 ▁and ▁h ired ▁Taylor ▁and ▁Rand all ▁to ▁complete ▁her ▁for ▁naval ▁service . ▁The ▁fee ▁for ▁the ▁vessel ▁and ▁her ▁completion ▁was ▁£ 2 , 3 8 7 , ▁or ▁the ▁equivalent ▁of ▁£ 3 6 1 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁terms . ▁ ▁Once ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁vessel ▁had ▁passed ▁into ▁Navy ▁hands , ▁Rand all ▁and ▁Taylor ▁were ▁directed ▁to ▁complete ▁her ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁an ▁experimental ▁design , ▁as ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ' s ▁first ▁three - m asted ▁ship ▁rig ged ▁s loop . ▁The ▁quarter deck ▁was ▁length ened ▁from ▁the ▁original ▁plans ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁incorpor ate ▁a ▁m iz zen ▁m ast , ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁that ▁the ▁additional ▁s ails ▁would ▁enh ance ▁speed ▁and ▁man eu ver ability ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁traditional ▁two - m asted ▁snow ▁rig ▁s loop . ▁This ▁proved ▁sufficiently ▁successful ▁that ▁from ▁ 1 7 5 6 ▁ship ▁rig ging ▁became ▁the ▁standard ▁for ▁all ▁subsequent ▁ 1 4 - gun ▁and ▁ 1 6 - gun ▁slo ops ▁in ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁hands . ▁ ▁As ▁built , ▁We az el ▁was ▁ ▁long ▁with ▁a ▁ ▁ke el , ▁a ▁beam ▁of ▁, ▁and ▁a ▁hold ▁depth ▁of ▁. ▁She ▁was ▁constructed ▁with ▁eigh teen ▁broad side