Sprightly had a length at the gundeck of 67 feet (20.4 m) and 52 feet 7 inches (16.0 m) at the keel. She had a beam of 22 feet 5 inches (6.8 m), a draught of about 10 feet 5 inches (3.2 m) and a depth of hold of 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m). The ship's tonnage was 140 tons burthen. The Nightingale class was armed with two 6-pounder cannon and four 6-pounder carronades. The ships had a crew of 34 officers and ratings.
Construction and career
Sprightly, the fourth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy, was ordered in 1817, laid down in October 1817 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, and launched on 3 June 1818. She was completed on 18 January 1820 at Plymouth Dockyard.