Félicité-class frigate

The Félicité class was a type of (12-pounder-armed) 32-gun frigate of the French Navy, designed by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait (as approved by Léon-Michel Guignace). This was the first class of 12-pounder armed frigate to be designed and built in France following the end of the War for American Independence.

• Félicité

Builder: Brest Dockyard

Laid down: 1 January 1785

Launched: 4 August 1785

Completed: 28 August 1785

Fate: captured by British Navy in the Caribbean on 18 June 1809, sold to Haiti and commissioned as the Améthyste, defected 1812 to Haitian rebels and renamed Heureuse Réunion, retaken by British frigate HMS Southampton on 3 February 1812, returned to Haiti, resuming name Améthyste sold 1818.

• Calypso

Builder: Brest Dockyard

Laid down: 4 July 1785

Launched: 2 December 1785

Completed: January 1786

Fate: defected to the Spanish at Trinidad in January 1793.

• Fidèle

Builder: Le Havre

Laid down: October 1788

Launched: 22 July 1789

Completed: September 1789

Fate: condemned October 1802 at Brest and hulked in May 1804, probably demolished 1813.

• Fortunée

Builder: Le Havre

Laid down: 5 December 1789

Launched: 28 September 1791

Completed: May 1792

Fate: burnt in February 1794 at Corsica to avoid capture.

Class overview
Name:	Félicité
Operators:	French Navy
Preceded by:	Vénus class
Succeeded by:	Sémillante class
Completed:	4
General characteristics
Class and type:	Félicité class frigate
Displacement:	700 tonnes
Length:	44.18 m (144.9 ft)
Beam:	11.26 m (36.9 ft)
Draught:	5.63 m (18.5 ft)
Propulsion:	Sail
Armament:	32 guns: 26 12-pounders 6 6-pounders
Armour:	Timber

References

• Winfield, Rif and Roberts, Stephen (2015), French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786-1861: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-204-2.