An nteresting question and still open to debate.

I believe was a captured french frigate The Unite. One site inlooked at suggested "there us evidence to it being coppered but further research is still required"

Page 18 of the following document mentions adding copper sheets to the hull of the film version of the ship.

http://legacy.sname.org/...0_Reviving_Surprise.pdf

Coppering of all British ships kicked off with experiments in the 1750's but was implemented for all ships of this class in 1778 with the american war in full swing and a war declaration coming in from the french, the spanish and then dutch. Despite costs coppering allowed ships to spend longer at sea without having to undergo hull maintenance.

So as the british captured surprise from the french in 1796 i would think it very likely it was coppered.

I believe the kit is 1:48 scale so not sure if some of the following without a scale listed might be suitable

http://www.cornwallmodel...amp;ACTION=quick+search

Some people also use rolls of copper tape cut to size

Hope this may some way to helping.