The Sydney International Boat Show is seldom, if ever, short of headline acts, but organiser the Boating Industry Association of NSW (BIA) has outdone itself this year confirming that Jessica Watson, ‘the darling of the high seas', will light up Darling Harbour.

Sponsored by NSW Maritime and scheduled for five action-packed days, 29 July - 2 August, space bookings are going ‘gangbusters' with the association forced to open Hall 6 following a complete sell out of floor space in the primary (and cavernous!) Halls 1 through 5.

Jessica Watson, who in less than eight months has circumnavigated the world, will appear in the Better Boating Lounge at the show and will share her story with the visiting public.

I would suggest it will be standing room only anywhere near the Better Boating Lounge whenever Jessica stakes the stage.

Domenic Genua, Marketing and Event Manager for the BIA, said it was ‘truly exciting' to be able to confirm Jessica Watson as the show's special guest.

"The Better Boating Lounge will also feature Don McIntyre, a major supporter of Jessica Watson's solo voyage and currently involved with the Bounty Boat Expedition,” Genua added.

Details will also be announced shortly of yet another appearance in the Better Boating Lounge, that of the Norris family, from Sydney's northern beaches.

The family (dad, mum and two kids aged 7 and 5) has just spent 1825 days (and that's five years!) on water sailing around the world.

Of course, there are people with little or no interest in sailboats and the Sydney International Boat Show caters in full for them.

Every style and every form of recreational powerboat will be on display, from tiny tinnies to globe-circling mega yachts.

Although the Darling Harbour extravaganza will indeed be a boat show, largest in the Southern Hemisphere, in fact, it will also be a fount of education and entertainment for all ages.

Popular attractions, some new, some old favourites, can be relied upon to create interest, among them the Nautilus Marine Insurance Fishing Clinic (usually playing to standing room-only audiences), the Walk of Fame and The Marine Precinct Education Centre.

Throw in Historic Boat Displays, the Musto Fashion Parades, the Photography Competition which proved such a hit last year, as did the Discover Boating Tours of Sydney Harbour and it's easy to see why the show regularly attracts attendances in the 90,000-plus region.

Of course, no need to take everything too seriously - especially not the Boat Building Competition, which has scores of show visitors in, tears - tears of laughter, that is, as competitive apprentices from local boat builders try to build a boat.

Materials and tools are kept to a minimum and when built the teams have to race their vessel around Cockle Bay!

At least one, often more, of those vessels end up on the seabed, much to the amusement of the cold-hearted spectators.

As always, a show highlight will be the spectacular marina on Cockle Bay, largest marina specifically erected for a boat show anywhere in Australia.

The BIA was delighted to report that reservations for marina space were double the tally at the same time last year.

Education and entertainment may attract the crowd, but for the genuine boating enthusiasts the Sydney International Boat Show is the place to check out the latest models and the latest equipment, from boats to trailers, engines to electronics, scuba gear to fishing tackle.

The industry's ‘heavyweights' Maritimo, Riviera, Sunseeker, Grand Banks, Princess, to name but a few will be there in full force, together with the engine world's leaders from Mercury Marine to Caterpillar, Volvo Penta to Evinrude. Cummins to Suzuki, MAN to Honda, Yamaha to Yanmar.

One new product sure to garner some interest will be the launch of Greenline Boats.

They employ a hybrid (diesel-electric) and solar-powered drive system and must be worth checking out.

There's no fuel cheaper than muscle, either, and the show will feature the man they call ‘The Fat Paddler', Sean Smith, who has a strong following among canoeists and kayakers.

Sean will be another keynote speaker at the Better Boating Lounge and you can read about his exploits, ‘A Big Man's Kayak Adventure' at http://fatpaddler.com/

Darling Harbour, the Sydney International Boat Show, simply rates as one of those events in the ‘Harbour City' that no one should miss.

The 2010 Sydney International Boat Show opens the doors at 10am on Thursday, 29 July.

Both the halls and the Cockle Bay Marina will open at 10am on each of the five days, but closing times vary; the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre's halls close at 8pm, but activities cease on the marina at 6pm.

Discounted tickets can be purchased online at the show website www.sydneyboatshow.com.au

Admission prices are:

Adult: $19.50 or $16.50 online

Family ticket: $45.00 or $38.00 online (Two adults and up to three children)

Children: $11.50 or $9.50 online (Aged 6-17 years, 5 and under free)

Three-day VIP guest pass, $42.00 (online and at show)

Special prices have also been set for Pensioners ($14.00), Seniors ($17.50) and a $5 ticket for entry after 5pm. These tickets available only at the show.

www.sydneyboatshow.com.au

1300 7 BOATS (26287)

(02) 9438 2077 during office hours