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.

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.

Callista is a state-of-the art scientific research vessel on loan from the National Oceanography Centre. At almost 20mtres 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.

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.

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.

Exhibitor Evening Events
Last year saw the first Exhibitor Evening Event programme at the show. The events were devised by National Boat Shows (NBS) and its consultant for the events, Assorti Ltd, to give exhibitors and those working at the show the opportunity to wind down in an evening after a hard day's work at the show.

The events are also a great networking opportunity with other businesses in the marine industry and the opportunity to entertain/spend some social time with clients also exhibiting at the show. Some companies, says NBS, simply use the events programme for team entertainment; and why not?

For further details on each event please contact Andrea Williams at Assorti Ltd on 01753 840680/078555 25976 or email sbs@assorti.co.uk