While many exhibitors felt the numbers were lower than last year - according to NBS the figure is just 300 less - most said they had done good business.

Mike Enser, National Boat Shows' marketing manager, said there were a few reasons why the attendance was down on last year, citing the London Underground strike as one reason, Yamaha's dealer conference as another and the show's closeness to the Southampton Boat Show as a third.

BB staff also heard one theory that the weather was so good the chandlers were all in their shops taking £50 notes over the counter.

The show held the promise of being a good one from the start when Gill Jefferson, NBS director of sales, reported that NBS had increased the show floor area by 17%. Then they did it again.

"Due to further demand, we have now increased the area by a total of 25%, " she said, adding the show would have over 160 exhibitors from canoes to computer systems, rigging to RIBs and windsurfers to winches.

"Following hot on the heels of Southampton Boat Show, the Marine Trade Show has again proved to be a valuable business platform for the UK marine equipment industry, " commented Paul Streeter, NBS managing director.

"It's always a question of quality not quantity at the trade show and our two days trading proved to be very busy for us, " commented MarinePool's Chris Pearson.

Peter Edwards from ASAP supplies commented: "Business was brisk over the two days of this very well run show and as a result we will definitely be booking space for next year's show."

Bob Slee from Palm equipment said: "We where very impressed with the quality of visitors to our stand and also the notable presence of representatives from the canoe trade to the show. The show provided us with a significant number of business leads."

This year's show was different in that it had its own show opener for the first time in the shape of Debra Veal, the lady whose husband jumped ship and left her to row The Atlantic alone.

After she opened the show at 10.00 on the Wednesday, she came back in the evening to speak at the second new feature of the show, the Boating Business /BMF Annual Gala Dinner.

100 diners in the restaurant at Windsor enjoyed a very good meal, gasped in amazement at Debra Veal's exploits and then enjoyed Geoffrey C Warde MBE's after dinner speech.

The proprietors of Boating Business would like it to be known that - following Mr Warde 's speech - any outstanding writs should be delivered to National Boat Shows and not Boating Business.

It was an excellent evening.

And Portsmouth Poll enjoyed herself.

The show saw two Breakfast Briefings, one on exporting to the US market - see sidebar - the other on the move from Earls Court to ExCeL for the 2004 London Boat Show.

Over 50 people showed for the LIBS briefing but, to the dismay of the assembled hordes of BMF, NBS and ExCeL top brass waiting to answer a barrage of questions, there were but three and the crowd went away happy with what they had heard.

The show also played host to the BMF organised inward buyers mission - see sidebar.