Owner left with sinking feeling after yacht washed on to rocks

The skipper of a yacht bought recently for a him as a present by his daughter could only watch in disbelief as the vessel was dragged off rocks where it had washed up overnight.

The 29ft sailing yacht had been moored offshore at the White Strand near Miltown Malbay in Co Clare when it crashed on to the rocks, damaging it beyond repair.

In the early hours of yesterday morning, after a night of high winds, the vessel broke free of its moorings and was washed well up on to the rocks. The yacht had been holed several times and left lying on its side.

Owner and skipper Alex Bikkes sailed from Galway on Sunday and stopped off at White Strand to spend a few days at home in Miltown Malbay before setting off towards Cork.

“I am in bits. I can’t believe this has happened to me . . . My daughter bought it for me as a present.”

It had been hoped that it could be refloated with the high tide last night but the damage was too extensive.

Locals to the rescue
Workers from L&M Keating Construction used an excavator, one of only two of its kind in the country, to secure the yacht and haul it up the rocks to a nearby green area.

The excavator, by using its 60ft-arm, pulled the vessel on to the grass near the car park.

Mr Bikkes expressed his gratitude to those who came to his assistance. “I’ll have to take down the mast and all the rigging and try and get it home. Then I’ll see what I can salvage. I will remove the fittings and electrics and might buy a new hull, I don’t know yet. I’m still in bits after what has happened,” said the distraught Mr Bikkes.