Boatyard crew got busy getting couple back to the sea

AN Austrian couple’s navigation around Ireland was disrupted last September when the mast on their yacht broke and punched a hole in their bathroom.

The resilient couple, Ingo and Marlette Lampert, took the difficult situation they found themselves in, 25 miles south of Baltimore, in their stride and found their own way into Horseshoe Bay.

Another yacht owner gave them the number of Oldcourt Boats, and the couple were only too happy to entrust their yacht, the Antares, into the capable hands of Don and his legendary crew of boat builders.

Ingo Lampert, James Collins, Brian Collins, John Leonard, Greg Hegarty and Don O' Donovan celebrated after repairs were completed of the yacht at Donovan's boatyard Oldcourt in Skibbereen. (Photo: Carlos Benlayo)

Don explained that he and his team were tasked with fitting a new aluminium mast that had to be imported from France. They also had to repair the side of the boat where the fallen mast had punched a massive hole.

Don said they have been working on the boat over the winter months and were delighted on Tuesday July 2nd to witness, with the couple, the new sails being fitted.

The couple, who holidayed three times in West Cork during the refit, went for a test sail last week. They said they had no definite date for departure but would choose a time and a destination when the weather settles.