She was armed with eighteen 8-pounder guns and had a crew of 130–164 men, under the command of Captain Cousin.

[a] Late in March 1797, Vice-Admiral Lord Kingsmill received intelligence that a French cruiser had been seen off the Skellocks on the coast of Ireland.

After a chase of seven hours, Hazard caught her quarry, but only because the privateer had lost both topmasts.

Hardi had left Brest on 17 March and during her cruise had escaped two British frigates that had chased her.

The Navy acquired Hardi, and classified her as a sloop of 18 guns.