MODEL and sportswoman Jodie Kidd cruised in to ExCeL in Custom House today to launch the International Boat Show.

Having flown in from Uruguay she told the Recorder: “It is my first time here and this is fantastic. I’m very excited to go round and look round all the boats.”

And one of the many hundreds of vessel she wanted to visit was the Princess, which at 32 metres long and 13 metres in height was the largest boat ever to be shown indoors at the exhibition.

The cost to buy - a cool �5.5million, but it does boast five bedrooms, two lounge areas and a hot tub, and is so large she only narrowly made it through the enormous South Hall doors at ExCeL.

Another star turn was X-Factor runner-up Rebecca Ferguson on the Sunseeker area.

After treating the first-day crowds to renditions of The Eurthymics’ Sweet Dreams and Adele’s Make You Feel My Love, she said: “I have to say the yachts are just stunning. I have never been to anything like this before. I hope one day I can afford one.”

Action on the water is the theme of this year’s show with the centrepiece a 70m by 25m Watersports Action Pool.

The show runs for 10 days. To find out more visit www.londonboatshow.com.

See Wednesday’s Newham Recorder for two page super show special feature.