Ferry brave car crosses the sea
Monday November 02 2009
Four intrepid adventurers who set sail across the Irish Sea in a modified Renault Laguna car arrived safely in Scotland on Saturday night.
Crowds cheered the men as they pulled into Portpatrick harbour almost seven hours after having set off from Donaghadee, Co Down.
Inspired by BBC's 'Top Gear' programme, Peter Martin (38) from Bangor, Co Down, adapted the car -- which he bought for £100 -- with foam, an outboard motor and a bilge-pump.
With friends Carl McConkey, Rick Miles and Mark Farrell, he took it on trial trips around the Copeland Islands, off Co Down, before the audacious 23-mile amphibious crossing.
Mr Martin, a lecturer in leadership and management at Belfast Metropolitan College, said they could not quite believe their feat when they landed.
"One of the lads kept saying everybody here has Scottish accents -- we've actually sailed to Scotland in a Renault Laguna," he said.
The efforts of the team, who are not experienced sailors, were slightly hampered by serious bouts of sea-sickness.
But despite persistent vomiting, waves up to 12ft and having to constantly bail out water leaking through the accelerator and clutch, the men refused to abandon their DIY "car-boat".
"We're all really tired, but obviously we're elated too," said Mr Martin, who is getting married in three months. This just proves what you can do when you put your mind to it."
While it is believed to be the first crossing between Ireland and Scotland in a home-adapted car, two men already lay claim to being the first to make an amphibious journey across the North Channel.
Ivan Tinman, former chief of Belfast's Downtown Radio, and friend Sam Allen sailed from the Mull of Kintyre to Ballycastle, Co Antrim, on August 3, 1968 in a German-made Amphicar -- specially designed for use on land and water.
Mr Martin intends to auction his unique Renault Laguna -- named 'Sir Tristram', after a naval landing ship -- on eBay to raise money for a British armed services charity Help for Heroes.
Peter Robinson, the captain of the original 'Sir Tristram' ship, which served in the Falklands, War in 1982, lives in Bangor and headed up a support team sailing alongside the vessel.
- Brian Hutton
Irish Independent
