Larne had a length at the gundeck of 113feet and 93feet at the keel. She had a beam of 30feet, and a depth of hold of 8feet. The ship's tonnage was 462 tons burthen.[1] The Comet class was armed with a pair of 9-pounder cannon in the bow and sixteen 32-pounder carronades. The ships had a crew of 125 officers and ratings.[2]
Larne, the second ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy,[3] was ordered with the name of Orestes on 15 May 1821, renamed Lightning on 30 January 1822, laid down in July 1828 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, and launched on 2 June 1829.[2] She was completed on 16 September 1829 at Plymouth Dockyard and commissioned on 25 June 1829. The ship was again renamed as Larne on 12 September 1832.[1]