The committee is planning to link up with small boat festivals in Norway and France next year as part of a new drive to launch the event onto an international stage.

But, mindful that the intimate nature of the local attraction is the key to its success, they are determined to "control the beast" and not let it change out of all recognition.

Portsoy Scottish Traditional Boat Festival chairman Roger Goodyear said the committee recognised there was a danger the plan could impact on the atmosphere.

"We have to be very, very careful with it," he said. "Certainly, there is going to be a danger that it becomes too big, but we are determined not to change the nature of the beast, and to control it.

"We want to keep the unique atmosphere and the character that we have now, but we also want to give the festival more of an international feel."

The committee is on the crest of a wave following the final publication of a study into the economic benefits of the event, which this year spanned over four days.

It has emerged that visitors surveyed indicated a high level of satisfaction, with over 90% saying they rated the atmosphere and the friendliness of the town very highly.

That is something which Portsoy can be extremely proud of, said Mr Goodyear, who is in no doubt that visitors keep returning because of the warmth of the welcome.

He added: "We do call it the family festival: there's lots to do, it's very friendly and it's relaxed.

"It is critically important that people continue to come back, and they will come back if they like what they see.

"What the report also told us is that there is no point in having the same things all the time. We have to ring the changes every year, but must be careful that we do not throw the baby out with the bath water.

"There has to be significant changes so that it is refreshed, and that is why we are looking to link up with two other small boat festivals – one in Norway and the other in France. Our aspiration is to get the Portsoy Scottish Traditional Boat Festival into the international calendar."

The festival in Douarnenez, Brittany, is the second biggest in the world and is staged every other year. The event at Skudeneshavn attracts around 600 boats.

One of the central themes of the link will focus on young people, with the potential for groups of youngsters from all three countries taking part in an exchange programme.

The international involvement could also attract a huge amount of European funding, but the tight timescale means it is likely to be the 2011 event before an application will be made for those funds.

Mr Goodyear said it was a testament to the community spirit of Portsoy that it was able to pull off such an incredible event entirely through the work of volunteers, and for their work to be so appreciated by visitors.

"The people of Portsoy really should be proud – it's an extraordinary achievement for visitors to rate the friendliness so highly," he said.

"The festival has a positive economic impact on the area, but it's very difficult for the festival itself to make money. It costs over £100,000 to put on, and recouping that is a challenge.

"The festival did fantastically well this year over four brilliant days, but previous to that we had two bad weather years. If we had another seriously bad weather year, it would have been the end of the festival because of a serious deficit situation.

"The finances are a constant battle, but it is a battle that we believe is worth doing."

l.carter@banffshire-journal.co.uk

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