The many lives of Jester

Up for sale after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, she was quickly snapped up, emerging from behind the Iron Curtain with a new identity to begin her next life travelling the world as a private explorer vessel. She underwent a conversion to an expedition yacht and various refits under three different owners over the next 30 years.

In 2021 she was bought by her current owners to become a sister vessel to Infinite Jest, the 75-metre they had in build at Turquoise Yachts. They were creating a fleet of two large boats that would operate together, capable of travelling to remote and challenging destinations, and the first big trip would be a Christmas in Antarctica.

They chose Pendennis Shipyard for its excellent track record with large projects. When Jester arrived in Cornwall, anchoring in Falmouth Bay for pre-refit inspections and sea trials, it became apparent that the project was considerably larger than anticipated, in part due to the decision to give the vessel commercial status and complete the Lloyd’s Special Survey.

After consulting with design firm RWD and Pendennis, the owners evolved their plan for a modest refresh into a more comprehensive renovation.

The goalposts moved as work progressed. The owner says, “The scope changed significantly due to the age of the vessel; there were several discoveries that required addressing. Aside from time impact, this placed a great deal of pressure on our team and the shipyard.”

Operating with a core team of 15 and more than 150 tradespeople, Pendennis maintained upwards of 10,000 hours per week for extended periods to meet delivery deadlines. Toby Allies, Pendennis’s managing director, says, “Jester is one of the biggest projects in our history. We are really proud of what everyone achieved.”

Designers RWD were excited to tackle a challenging and unusual project with Pendennis, with whom they had worked many times over 30 years. The refit began in June 2021.

“It was a special project to be a part of,” says RWD’s senior designer Gemma Tuersley. “It was such an ambitious programme. On a normal custom-build project, you have a good idea of parameters and timing but with Jester, there were always new things to consider. It was like pulling a thread. In the end, she ended up being more of a rebuild than a refit.”

The owners’ vision for Jester was a relaxed, airy, barefoot beach club vibe. That is certainly noticeable in the guest areas, which are finished with limed oak and a neutral palette punctuated with splashes of colour.

One of the biggest challenges was working within the parameters of the existing commercial structure. Jester has low ceilings, and the floors curve for water run-off, so the designers had to find innovative solutions. For example, the air conditioning system had to be installed in the walls, rather than the ceilings.

“We didn't want a pure shadow vessel. We wanted something that had guest accommodation and looked like a yacht”

There were no substantial structural changes but RWD rethought and redistributed the interior spaces, redesigning the upper deck in particular. The existing captain’s cabin, for example, was changed into a bar area on that level, one of the owners’ favourite spaces.

“We love the games deck area aft of the bridge. Whether we use it to play basketball, for fitness classes or as an outdoor cinema, it’s such a versatile space and really gives so many options during trips,” they say. Pendennis installed a new Bolidt synthetic deck with teak effect in this area as part of the exterior outfitting.

One year into the project, Tamaillon was joined by his rotational partner, Captain Lee Douglas, and together with the officers they helped redesign the bridge. “We focused on functionality and reliability,” Tamaillon explains.

“With regard to the layout, we had the luxury of space. The bridge is a working zone but was also designed as an area where our guests can come and spend time. We built a large table and sofa which we use for our meetings, but it’s also used by our guests who come and discuss plans for the day or simply to enjoy the scenery as we pass through.”

Tamaillon underscores the crew’s significant involvement. “It was a unique opportunity for the crew, as operators, to be able to give input into the design of their spaces. Every crew [member] who was part of the refit had at least one of their ideas implemented. The outcome of this is a boat that works really well for our operation; everything has been thought through for efficiency and comfort.”

The vessel even has an “explorer room” close to the bridge for planning adventures, which doubles as an indoor dining area. There’s a world map covering one wall with magnetic glass, which opens to show a large television screen. And then, there’s the monkey island.

Not exactly common on a superyacht, a monkey island is a deck at the vessel’s highest point, above the bridge, where guests can enjoy the views while basking on custom sunpads around the funnel (which also provides extra storage).

Below deck, Jester still runs with her original 2,000-horsepower Deutz engine from 1972. Running a vessel with one engine comes with inherent challenges but measures are in place to manage risks.

“In addition to the preventative maintenance, we carry extensive spares. All engine-driven pumps have auxiliary stand-alone redundancy in case of failure. The engine can be run on different modes, allowing it to isolate one cylinder while continuing to run with the five others, for example. Also, Infinite Jest and Jester aim to cruise together, so that we can assist each other in case of any issues,” Tamaillon says.

Jester can hold nearly 300,000 litres of fuel, providing a range of around 15,000 nautical miles. Pendennis overhauled the engine and the three 300kW Cummins generators and installed a new exhaust system.

“We pretty much rebuilt the main engine in situ and replaced the steering power pack and hydraulic bow thruster to enhance vessel performance,” project manager James Hatcher says.

The yard’s in-house team installed new HVAC, black water and hot water systems and rewired the whole vessel, installing new switchboards, alarms, monitoring technology, audiovisual/IT equipment and bridge Navionics. Multiple safety features were added or upgraded to meet new class requirements.

“The original bulkhead penetrations were either non-compliant or not in place and the Ultra Fog system was extensively overhauled and enhanced. New alarms and monitoring and control systems were installed alongside a new fire detection system,” Hatcher says. This included new bridge navigational watch alarms, man overboard functions and thermal and night vision cameras.

On the exterior, Pendennis’s team replaced more than 130 tonnes of steel to tackle corrosion, installed a new stern tube – housing the bearings, seal boxes and propeller shaft – and converted one ballast tank into a garbage locker and the other into a HVAC technical zone aft.

The vessel was fully refaired and repainted. The team also installed a new SOLAS crane aft, a full dive room and a hydraulically operated cargo hatch for the toys and tenders, all while reusing and repurposing materials wherever possible.

“It was a unique opportunity for the crew, as operators, to be able to give input into the design of their spaces ”

“We salvaged and repurposed original teak deck from the bridge deck. And we selected pipe materials that can be re-used. At the end of the day we were giving new life to an existing commercial vessel to cruise the oceans for another 50-plus years,” Hatcher says.

In addition to the extensive refit, Jester’s owners wanted to equip her with toys and amenities appropriate for the trip.

The vessel currently carries six tenders, including three expedition Zodiac Milpros and a 10-metre Scorpion, two jet skis, 16 bikes, foils, ski touring equipment, SUPs, kayaks for both temperate and polar waters, a variety of towables, indoor and outdoor gym set-ups, an outdoor cinema and, as mentioned, the upper deck is also a games court. The scuba dive room includes a hyperbaric chamber, with many crew trained in this speciality.

Jester left Falmouth in May 2023, after 23 months in the yard, to join the mothership for a Med cruise, and then headed to Pendennis’s yard in Vilanova, Spain, for final arrangements before the Christmas trip to Antarctica (which won the Voyager’s award at BOAT International’s 2024 World Superyacht Awards). Preparations for that trip started two years in advance, Tamaillon says, to get the vessel in compliance with the Polar Code.

Plotting the itinerary for a trip like this was no cakewalk. Starting with the owner’s timeline and with EYOS’s input, the team worked in as much as possible. They began their adventure at King George Island followed by a stop at Tower Island on the Antarctic Peninsula. They got through the Graham Passage, stopped for a ski tour at Eckener Point, scuba-dived in Hidden Bay, and pushed through ice in the Lemaire Channel.

Next stops were Damoy Point on Port Lockroy for more skiing, then the Neumayer Channel to Cuverville Island and its large colony of gentoo penguins. They ended the journey with visits to Enterprise Island to see the Governoren wreck and to Spert Island’s dark cliffs before returning to King George.

They were fortunate with the weather, although they had to keep a keen eye on conditions. “You have to continuously watch for snow squalls, icebergs and wildlife,” Douglas explains. “There are a lot of katabatic wind effects to be aware of with each location too.” Tamaillon adds, “We monitored the ice forecast using satellite imagery. There were daily discussions between the captains, ice pilots and expedition leaders on both vessels, and we combined our experience to make our decisions.”

“Jester has low ceilings and the floors curve for water run-off, so the designers had to find innovative solutions ”

No pressure then? Of course, there’s also the matter of navigating through ice. Tamaillon actually enjoyed it. “It’s great fun. It requires constant vigilance and quick decisions from the officer on watch,” he says. In addition to two captains and an extra watch officer, they had experienced ice pilot George Hendry on board.

“Jester was a bit of a challenge given she is a single-propped vessel and close quarter situations were frequent. We were often either drifting in the ice or moving through it to a certain degree,” says Douglas, who praised Hendry for his vigilance. “He was cemented in the bridge unless eating or sleeping!”

A major challenge in the region is the lack of reliable charts. “We used soundings provided by previous vessels, so we always erred on the side of caution to ensure we remained in safe waters at all times,” Tamaillon says.

“There is something incredibly rewarding about taking part in the rebuild of such a capable explorer yacht”

Crew are an essential part of the Infinite Fleet programme experience. On this trip, Tamaillon says, “Everyone was able to take part in at least one excursion based on their preferences and skills. A highlight for me was to be able to go ski touring with the owners at Damoy Point. I grew up in the French Alps but this beats everything! Antarctica is the most beautiful and incredible place. It took a while to digest the sights and experiences that we had there. These are memories that will stay with us forever.”

Both captains reflected positively on the trip. “We always had a fantastic, collaborative atmosphere on board. This is very much a participative programme, and we rely on crew taking on additional responsibilities to provide the most wonderful service and experiences to our guests,” Tamaillon says.

“There is something incredibly rewarding in taking part in the rebuild of such a capable, go-anywhere explorer yacht, to the specifications that we think work well as operators, and then completing over 30,000 nautical miles in the first year of operation through some of the most spectacular places on earth.”

One thing is clear, the Infinite Fleet’s adventures will continue. When asked which is next: the Baltic, West Coast US, Canada, Alaska, the North West Passage or the Arctic, the owner replies, “All of the above!” Deservedly, Infinite Jest and Jester won the Voyager’s Award at the World Superyacht Awards in 2024 and at this rate, maybe they’ll be winning it again in 2025. What else would you expect from a performer?

First published in the November 2024 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.