Quest (ship)

	Quest
History
Name	Foca I (1917–21); Quest RYS (1921–23); Quest (1923–40); HMS Quest (1940–46); Quest (1946–62);
Owner	A Ingebrigtsen (1917–21); E Shackleton (1921–23); W G Oliffe (1923–24); Schjelderups Sælfangstrederi AS (1924–39); Skips-AS Quest (1939–62);
Operator	A Ingebrigtsen (1917–21); E Shackleton (1921–23); W G Oliffe (1923–24); T Schjelderup (1924–39); I Austad (1939–40); Nortraship (1940); Royal Navy (1940–46); Nortraship (1946);
Port of registry	Høvik (1917–21); Cowes (1921–23); Cowes (1923–24); Bodø (1924–39); Tromsø (1939–40); Royal Navy (1940–46); Tromsø (1946–62);
Builder	Erik Lindstøls Båtbyggeri, Risør
Launched	1917
Identification	Fishery registration K-13-K (1917–21); Fishery registration N-94-BN (1924–39); Fishery registration T-24-T (1939–40); British Official number 135395 (1921–23); Code Letters KJHV (1921–23); ; Code Letters LJBT (1924–34); ; Code Letters LCVR (1934–62); ;
Fate	Foundered 5 May 1962 in the Labrador Sea
General characteristics
Type	Sealer (1917–21); Research Vessel (1921–24); Sealer (1924–40); Minesweeper (1940–46); Sealer (1946–62);
Tonnage	209 GRT; 94 NRT;
Length	110 ft 7 in (33.71 m)
Beam	24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)
Depth of hold	11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Propulsion	Sails, aided by compound steam engine (1917–39); Diesel engine (1939–62);
Sail plan	Schooner

Quest was a low-powered, schooner-rigged steamship that sailed from 1917 until sinking in 1962, best known as the polar exploration vessel of the Shackleton–Rowett Expedition of 1921–1922. It was aboard this vessel that Sir Ernest Shackleton died on 5 January 1922 while in harbour in South Georgia.^[2] Prior to and after the Shackleton–Rowett Expedition, Quest operated in commercial service as a seal-hunting vessel or "sealer". Quest was also the primary expedition vessel of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition to the east coast of the island of Greenland in 1930–1931.

Quest was 111 feet (34 m) in length, had a beam of 24 feet (7.3 m), and 12 feet (3.7 m) depth of hold.^[3] The vessel has been variously rated at 209 and 214 gross register tons,^[1] possibly due to the 1924 refit described below.

^ ^a ^b ^c "M/S Quest". warsailors.com. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ Cite error: The named reference RCGS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Antarctic Ships". antarctic-circle.org. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2010.

[WarSailors-1] "M/S Quest". warsailors.com. Retrieved 1 October 2010.

[RCGS-2] Cite error: The named reference RCGS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Ships-3] "Antarctic Ships". antarctic-circle.org. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2010.

[1]

[2]

[3]

History
Quest
Name	Foca I (1917–21) Quest RYS (1921–23) Quest (1923–40) HMS Quest (1940–46) Quest (1946–62)
Owner	A Ingebrigtsen (1917–21) E Shackleton (1921–23) W G Oliffe (1923–24) Schjelderups Sælfangstrederi AS (1924–39) Skips-AS Quest (1939–62)
Operator	A Ingebrigtsen (1917–21) E Shackleton (1921–23) W G Oliffe (1923–24) T Schjelderup (1924–39) I Austad (1939–40) Nortraship (1940) Royal Navy (1940–46) Nortraship (1946)
Port of registry	Høvik (1917–21) Cowes (1921–23) Cowes (1923–24) Bodø (1924–39) Tromsø (1939–40) Royal Navy (1940–46) Tromsø (1946–62)
Builder	Erik Lindstøls Båtbyggeri, Risør
Launched	1917
Identification	Fishery registration K-13-K (1917–21) Fishery registration N-94-BN (1924–39)^[1] Fishery registration T-24-T (1939–40) British Official number 135395 (1921–23) Code Letters KJHV (1921–23) Code Letters LJBT (1924–34) Code Letters LCVR (1934–62)
Fate	Foundered 5 May 1962 in the Labrador Sea
General characteristics
Type	Sealer (1917–21) Research Vessel (1921–24) Sealer (1924–40) Minesweeper (1940–46) Sealer (1946–62)
Tonnage	209 GRT 94 NRT
Length	110 ft 7 in (33.71 m)
Beam	24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)
Depth of hold	11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Propulsion	Sails, aided by compound steam engine (1917–39) Diesel engine (1939–62)
Sail plan	Schooner^[1]