Investment boosts capacity at West Cork boatyard

A boatyard with deep roots in maritime heritage recently announced a major investment which will enhance safety and its capacity.

Oldcourt Boats Ltd, a second-generation West Cork boatyard, has purchased a modern, heavy duty lifting machine with a remote-operated basket that will transform how essential repair and maintenance work is carried out on vessels of all types. It will allow the company to service more local, national, and international marine users.

The company received a €67,000 grant through the Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) South West Scheme, part of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), which supports the Irish seafood sector. The scheme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union and administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).

The decision to invest follows extensive consultation with customers, many of whom highlighted that working at height can be slow and cumbersome when scaffolding is required. The new telehandler will eliminate much of this need, speeding up small repairs, rigging checks, and mast work, while also improving safety for staff, contractors, and visiting specialists.

The new equipment will also ensure electricians, riggers, and marine engineers have a reliable, modern, and secure platform to do their work, increasing the yard’s ability to attract and host specialist contractors all year-round.

Founded in the 1970s by skilled shipbuilder Donal O’Donovan, the business began by building fishing vessels up to 40 feet. As the market changed, the family adapted, shifting their focus in the late 1980s to servicing the local fishing fleet and eventually constructing their own boatyard on the Ilen River, complete with slipways, piers, and later, a state-of-the-art travel lift.

In the 1990s, the yard expanded again to serve the growing pleasure craft sector, restoring classic yachts and providing storage, haul-outs, and emergency support to local ferry operators and lifeboat services along the south coast.

Today, under the leadership of Donal’s son, Don, and supported by a team of highly experienced shipbuilders and a long-serving foreman, the business continues to evolve and boasts customers from the United States, South Africa, France, England, Austria, and across Ireland. It is a trusted destination for high-quality marine repairs, maintenance, and winter storage.

Don O’Donovan said the company is taking an important step forward with the investment in the lifting equipment, a Magni TH5.5.19P telehandler - complete with a man basket – which will allow for safer and more efficient working at height.

He said: “The machine will be used for mast work, vessel repairs, inspections, and maintenance of the yard’s existing 90 ton boat lift. Crucially, the remote-control basket operation will allow for more precise and secure handling when carrying out delicate tasks on tall or awkwardly positioned structures.”

Donal said: “As marine tourism and yacht cruising continue to grow in Ireland, the ability to service vessels safely and efficiently is becoming a competitive requirement. This investment replaces slower, less flexible methods of doing repairs at height. It also allows for efficient, faster and safer mast work, meaning a quicker turnaround for visiting vessels.”

He said two new full-time equivalent jobs will be created as a result of the investment, and five existing roles will be secured.