Beacham and his daughter, Alison Merrick, took over the company in 1995.

"We found a business with potential, " he told the Herald Express , "but which needed a lot of hard work to turn it around."

Marinisation was phased out and the company secured its exclusive agreement with Daewoo. Said Beacham. "In the past eight years over 400 Daewoo - some as large as 1200hp - have passed through Watermota's hands."

The company's turnover has accelerated over the past year and rose from £1m to £1.5m and it now employs 14 people, all local to Newton Abott with the esxception of a new regional manager based in Scotland.

Beacham happily announced the sale of two of the new Doosan 5.785 litre, 180hp 4-cylinder diesels at the Southampton Boat show. "They've gone to a pleasure boat in Plymouth, " he told us.