"The Internet proportion of the business has increased exponentially over the past few years, " Lewin told BB.

"That means you are meeting more people via the Internet than you could ever meet at the boat show."

At the best of times, he added, if you have 150,000/ 170,000 people at a boat show, the best you're going to get face to face is 300? 400? Maybe 500?

If you sign up to ybw. com you get 10,000 or more clicks a year.

"The only way you can sell on the Internet is by price, " Lewin insisted. "So if the show costs you, say, £20,000 and you want to be 5% cheaper to be competitive, that £20,000 equates to £400,000's worth of business you can make 5% cheaper."

If 10,000 people are going to come to you by ybw. com clicks and you do something with Google and something else as well, is that not a better use of your money, he asked?

According to Lewin, there's been a seismic change in the retail market this year.

"Whether everybody understands it or not, there's been a repositioning, " he said.

"And the moment there's a repositioning, there's an opportunity. You have to look for that opportunity."

On the sale of his holding in Compass, Lewin said simply:

"We came to a mutual agreement that I would not longer run the fulfilment side of the business, but I would continue to consult on marketing and buying."

According to Lewin, Compass has sourced some 300 to 400% more stock from the UK since he's been involved with the company.

The Devizes office will close and the five staff will be made redundant as Compass moves its fulfilment operation to Clientbase, a company based in Modbury, just outside Plymouth.

"Clientbase runs seven or eight catalogues, two of which are German, " said Lewin, "and they employ 120 people. They will handle all the Compass fulfilment."

In addition to his role as Compass Watersports marketing consultant, Lewin will also be concentrating on developing his own Flag Paints company.