She was built at Blaydes Yard in Hull to a design by Sir Thomas Slade at a cost of £10,000.

On 31 August 1779 Boreas, still under Captain Thompson, captured the French corvette Compas, of eighteen 6-pounder guns, which was carrying a cargo of sugar.

[3][Note 1] Compas, which was armed en flute, put up resistance for about 20 minutes, with the result that she suffered nine men killed and wounded before she struck.

[5] Boreas was part of a squadron under the command of Rear Admiral of the Red Hyde Parker on the Jamaica station.

Horatio Nelson was Senior Naval Officer of the Leeward Islands from 1784 to 1787 in Boreas.