THE Gaelic broadcaster who had to abandon his attempt to row across the Atlantic from New York to Stornoway has raised more than the £8,000 required to pay the salvage company to release his boat.

Niall Iain Macdonald, 40, is now considering what to do next.

He said on his Facebook page: "I have been down at the boat assessing her condition and also figuring out what to do with her. I certainly can't organise any shipment home at the moment and I need to come to a decision about NY2SY (New York to Stornoway).

"Now is not the time for any grand statements of intent, either way. I need to speak to all my sponsors and also see how I feel about the future myself."

He had launched his online appeal for money on Tuesday saying he was embarrassed to ask but "I am personally skint after all that has happened".

Within a few hours he had raised more than had been required to hire the salvage company that retrieved his 24ft boat 120 miles out to sea.

He explained why he had to raise so much money.

"They charge $295 per hour and we were out there for 26 hours in total," he said.

"There are also fuel expenses, which were around $4,000 and other expenses for crew etc.

"It sounds a lot but salvage is a lucrative business and I was quoted similar figures by all the salvage companies I contacted but none were prepared to go out as far as the continental shelf."

He asked people not to contribute any more money and said. "I'll calculate what is left over and you can decide where you wish that money to go."

He had expected it to take at least three months to complete the 3,400-mile voyage which he was undertaking to raise money for the Scottish Association of Mental Health.

But he was forced to abandon the crossing on Friday, nine days out of New York, after suffering a damaged back and cut head.

The US Coastguard rescued him but had left his boat adrift.