The Dublin-based tall ship Jeanie Johnston will be moored alongside in Solent Park for the majority of the show. The construction of the new Jeanie Johnston is one of the most impressive projects in Irish maritime history, says NBS.

The boat is a copy of the 19th century original, which was one of the last in operation before the arrival of steam vessels.

Visitors can explore above and below decks, learning more about the voyages the original Jeanie Johnston would have taken between Ireland and the US. In all, the original Jeanie Johnston carried over 2,500 people on 16 voyages to North America, and never lost a single soul.

Pete Goss’ latest project Spirit of Mystery – a 37ft replica - will be at the show on Friday 12 September. The original boat is most famous for taking seven Cornishmen on a journey to Australia 154 years ago in pursuit of their dream to strike it lucky in the Australian gold rush.

Mr Goss intends to recreate that original trip and sail his boat to Australia in October this year. We are not told if he will be panning for gold on arrival…

Callista is a state-of-the art scientific research vessel on loan from the National Oceanography Centre. At almost 20m long, the twin-hulled Callista features the latest scientific equipment in wet and dry laboratories and has been specifically designed to give researchers the best possible platform to carry out marine research projects.

Visitors can take a closer look at the animal and plant life in our coastal waters, find out about the ecology of the seabed and the effects of global warming, as well as the impact of humans on the oceans.

The Raymarine Lively Lady project is fresh back from a two year round-the-world trip that has covered over 28,000 nautical miles and has helped young adults turn their lives around in the process.

For its latest circumnavigation, Lively Lady made 27 stops around the world, and with each stop her crew changed as two more young adults who, for whatever reason, hadn't had the best start in life, took the brave step towards positive change by climbing aboard for a life enhancing experience.

New this year will be a show stage in the heart of the show for the 40th anniversary celebrations, bringing to life four generations of innovation, fashion, music, events and personalities.

One of the highlights will be a ‘Retro Style’ fashion show that will compare fashions from each decade with the current collections from the top marine design houses.