As we have for the last 15 years Yachting World was once again exhibiting at Boot Dusseldorf which opened on 17 January and closes next Sunday 25 January. As can only be expected numbers were down, as they have been for every other boat show in the last couple of months. In Boot’s case by the middle of the week the gate was 25% down and there were a lot of empty spaces where there were boats in 2008 but the organisers claim that the figures were just 6% down on last year.

But for the boat junkie this show remains the one you must visit both for the boats and the gear. Undoubtedly the biggest boat show in the world it might lack the glamour of some other shows but it makes up for that in sheer numbers of boats. In the two sailboat halls – packed door to door with cruising and racing boats – we found no fewer than 14 completely new boats and that compares with just four at London.

You can fly to Dusseldorf from London for around £150, the show at the Messe is just a 10 minute taxi ride away and there is plenty of reasonably-priced accommodation, not to mention the attraction of ‘pig and beer’ down town in the Alt Stadt. There’s still time to go this weekend.