Martin spent five years without a ship, but returned to service with an appointment to command the 24-gun on 9 July 1789. He was active off the coast of Ireland until paying her off on 21 August 1792. The outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars offered further opportunities for employment, and on 12 March 1793 he took command of the 32-gun HMS "Magicienne" and joined the squadron based at Jamaica. After his return to England Martin was transferred to take command of the 74-gun on 8 February 1795, after her previous captain, Richard Grindall, had been injured at the Battle of Groix. In November Martin was assigned to escort an expedition to the Leeward Islands under Vice-Admiral Sir John Laforey, with a military force commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby. The expedition was forced back to port by violent storms, while a second attempt under Rear-Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian in December suffered the same fate. The expedition sailed again in March the following year, and succeeded in reaching the West Indies in April, where "Irresistible" covered the landing of troops. Later that year "Irresistible" helped to chase the 36-gun French "Perçante" ashore off San Domingo.