As one of the organisers of the event, Ben Sutcliffe explained: "For sometime now the majority of the Welsh marine industry has recognised the potential benefits and importance of having a boat show in Wales, and thanks to support from The Wireless Group, Margam Park, The Welsh Development Agency and The Welsh Tourist Board, this is now possible."

Sutcliffe said the show already has around 30 firm bookings, bringing about 50 craft to the event, even before it was formally launched.

Susanne Newbold, secretary of the SWMF, told Boating Business that the event would be the first of its kind in the last 8-10 years. "Yes, we all want a boat show, " she explained, "and the SWMF is very much behind it."

As Newbold also explained, the SWMF will itself have a stand at the show and she expects several larger companies to have stands of their own, with other, smaller, companies banding together to have joint stands.

Peter Dickie, chairman of BMF North Wales, said he and his colleagues had only recently been briefed about the event, and that although BMF North Wales did not yet have a formal position on it, in principle the association supports the concept of regional events.

Speaking at the end of February, BMF North Wales would, he said, be discussing the event formally in the next few weeks. "We would want to see it succeed, " Dickie told BB, his only slight reservation being that some companies based in North Wales could find it easier logistically to participate in the Southampton or even the London Boat Show.

Speaking at an event held to formally launch the South Wales Boat Show, Andrew Davies, Wales' minister for economic development and transport, said: "Sailing and boating has huge potential in Wales, and certainly in Swansea, where we have a large marina and another planned in SA1, making it not far off the largest in the UK."

Wales Tourist Board chairman Philip Evans said: "The show fits in with Wales' Catching the Wave strategy, which is about developing watersports, creating safe havens and encouraging more boats to our coasts."

The show, which will take place June 17 and 18, 2006, at Margam Park, will bring together all aspects of watersports, and as Sutcliffe explained, the venue should provide a sound platform, into which the event can comfortably grow.

Minutes away Margam Park is a few minutes away from Junction 38 of the M4 and between Cardiff and Swansea and is only 90 minutes away from Haverford west and Fishguard.

"To me a regional boat show encompassing all types of water based activities has been long overdue for the marine traders of Wales, " said Sutcliffe. "South Wales also prides itself on a large contingent of sailing schools and clubs ranging from dinghy to yacht racing.

"There has been an explosion of water-borne activities in South Wales since the Cardiff Bay redevelop-ment and the money being spent in Haverford West, Swansea and Milford Haven marinas, along with the new regeneration of Swansea Docks."

Sutcliffe has a long history of working in the leisure marine industry in the area and has been working on the idea of a Welsh boat show since 2001.

Several sponsors for the show have already been secured, including Swansea Sound, Sailing Today, Guinness, the Welsh Development Agency, Welsh Tourist Board and Wales Water Sports.

"We have tried to select a suitable date to maximise the best results for exhibitors as this will be the first year of what will become an annual event.

With Sailing Today offering concession tickets for entry and with realistic admission prices, we are expecting 15,000-20,000 visitors over the two days of the show, " Sutcliffe told BB.

As he also noted, he and his colleagues are trying to keep the cost of participating in the event minimal, to keep the event from becoming uneconomic for smaller firms, as has sometimes happened at regional events in the past.

E P Barrus has recently signed up to participate in the event, as have several other well known names from within and outside Wales. "If we can achieve our goal of 15,00020,000 visitors and 100 exhibitors in the first year, we will put South Wales firmly on the map as a serious venue for a show of this type, " Sutcliffe concluded.

Admission prices for the show start at £5 for adults, £2 for children and £12 for families.

More details of the South Wales Boat Show can be obtained at www. southwalesboatshow. co. uk or organisers Ben Sutcliffe (07796 457307) or Paul Morgan on (07900 381913).