Four intrepid adventurers who set sail across the Irish Sea in a modified Renault Laguna car arrived safely in Scotland last night.

Crowds cheered the men as they pulled into Portpatrick harbour almost seven hours after having set off from Donaghadee in Northern Ireland.

Inspired by BBC’s Top Gearprogramme, Peter Martin (38), from Bangor, Co Down, adapted the car - which he bought for £100 and named the Sir Tristram, after a naval landing ship - 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 40 kilometre 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 ashore. “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 would not describe themselves as experienced sailors, were slightly hampered by serious bouts of sea-sickness.

But despite persistent vomiting, waves up to four metres and having to constantly bail out water leaking through the accelerator and clutch, the men refused to abandon their craft.

“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.”

The crew are now back safely in Northern Ireland. The car was brought back on a Stena Line ferry.

Mr Martin intends to auction the Sir Tristramon eBay to raise money for the Help For Heroes charity, which raises money for wounded men and women from Britain's armed forces.

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, said he and friend Sam Allen sailed from Mull of Kintyre to Ballycastle, Co Antrim on August 3rd, 1968. That journey was in a German-manufactured Amphicar, which was specially designed for use on land and water.

PA