A flotilla of boats is expected to sail in to watch the fireworks

Harbour masters have set a 15 knot (24km/h) speed limit during and immediately after Friday's spectacle.

Kieron French was jailed for four months on Monday after he crashed while speeding home from last year's display.

French, 27, from Southampton, was carrying five passengers, who were seriously injured.

'Timely reminder'

He hit an unlit buoy while travelling at about 33 knots in a rigid inflatable boat, just north of the British Petroleum Jetty, outside the main channel on the east side of Southampton Water.

French was thrown from boat while five of the people on board were seriously injured.

Sentencing French at Southampton Crown Court, Judge Burford QC told him the incident was so serious a jail sentence was required.

Mark Rodaway, of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for the Solent area said: "This is a timely reminder that boats of any shape, size and speed attending the firework night should be extra vigilant when sailing in the dark even when in waters they consider familiar."

Thousands of spectators and a flotilla of boat crews are expected to watch the firework display.