SOME 26 marine leisure craft have booked berths for the first ever Gunwharf Quays Marina Boat Show in Portsmouth.

The event has attracted yachting companies from Portsmouth and Southampton and marinas along the south coast and is expected to attract visitors from all over the south of England and London.

Promoters County Exhibitions intend to make it an annual event, with dates for 2007 already marked in on the calendar, but say "it is not a substitute for, or take over from, the well established Southampton Boat Show".

Graham Kinnersley, managing director of County Exhibitions, said: "We believe that the ever rising costs for yacht builders and brokers attending national boat shows which are held over ten days or more are becoming prohibitive, and the day of the small two to three-day provincial boat show is the way forward.

"This fact is borne out by the superb support we have had for the new boat show at Portsmouth and the number of enquiries received already for next year, because, for a number of reasons companies cannot attend this year but are nevertheless anxious to exhibit at a boat show in Portsmouth."

For information visit www.portsmouthboatshow.co.uk or telephone 01493 600 192.