BOATMAKERS from Kidderminster are having a whale of a time after unveiling plans for an £830,000 flagship at the 50th London International Boat Show.

Staff at Sealine International, on Whitehouse Road, began creating the prestigious T60 Motor Yacht about a year ago and were encouraged by the response so far to artists' sketches of the model, which has been designed and manufactured solely in Kidderminster.

Speaking from the 10-day exhibition, which runs until Sunday, Sealine chairman Gerard Wainwright told the Shuttle/Times & News: "The response to the preview has been extremely positive - it's a unique new motor yacht."

He explained: "We only produce ships that are different from other models around the world and that is why we're successful.

"We export more than 60 per cent of what we produce and our products go to more than 30 different countries around the world - and all these models are made by our staff at our 14-acre site in Kidderminster."

He said the T60 would be sea tested in March and officially launched at the end of June and interest in the gallery of artists' impressions at the show was high.

He added: "The London boatshow was always held at Earls Court but this year we've moved to a brand new exhibition centre in London's Docklands and people are flocking in.

"It's certainly the best attended show in London so far - and we're hopeful that 200,000 people will come to the event in total.

"We've got 15 boats on the stand and have an enormous presence here."

Sealine spokeswoman Susan Hardwick said the new boat was also set to create more skilled jobs in Kidderminster.

"The company are always looking to expand and will be taking on new people with the new model," she said.

"There will jobs for cabinet makers and joiners; we can't give a figure as yet but are looking for additional staff."