Newport To Bermuda Race

World-renowned sailing races draw scores of contestants who try to beat the clock as they pit their skills against the elements

Text and photos by Charles Anderson

Some folks just can't wait to get to Bermuda. Mariners from around the world, in fact, race to reach these sunny isles in competitions that test their courage and skills.

It all began in 1906, when three yachtsmen set out to determine who among them was the greatest sailor. Racing to Bermuda, they decided, was the best test of their ability. The three captains asked Thomas Fleming Day, editor of Rudder magazine to organise a race from Gravesend Bay, Massachusetts. It took the winning captain, Frank Maier, just a little more than five days to bring the Tamerlane to Bermuda.

The race caught the attention of other sailing enthusiasts. In 1907, 12 boats took to the seas. Eventually, interest in the event waned. By 1910 only two boats signed up to race, so officials cancelled the competition. But come 1923 the challenge was on again.

Herbert Stone, editor of Yachting magazine, organised a sailing race with the newly formed Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. Twenty-two contestants set sail from New London, Connecticut. The winner was John G. Alden and the Malabar IV. The race drew more participants the next year and, except during World War II, has continued in June of even-numbered years.

Now, however, it's known as the Newport to Bermuda Race. The Rhode Island port became the starting point in 1938. Since 1958, no fewer than 100 yachts have taken part in the competition. On June 16, 2006, a record setting fleet of 264 boats raced. The fastest time ever recorded in the race was in 2002 by Roy Disney and his maxi-yacht, Pyewacket which completed the 635-mile course in just over 53 hours and 39 minutes (at an average speed of 11.8). His record still stands and shattered the previous record set by four-time winner Boomerang, by 3 hours and 52 minutes.

Strategy and tactics play a big part in winning a race to Bermuda. One of the biggest challenges is maneuvering through the Gulf Stream, a meandering "river" of warm water between 50 and 100 miles wide that flows up from the Gulf of Mexico. Currents in the Gulf Stream sometimes may run to 6 knots and rough water can make or break a sailor's chances of winning a race.

The Newport to Bermuda Race is one of the most prestigious sailing competitions in the world. Not a race for the timid or inexperienced sailor, it is a real test of seamanship, stamina and seaworthiness. But you don't have to be a top-notch seaman to race to Bermuda. The Marion to Bermuda Race lets less-experienced sailors join in the fun.

Nick Nicholson, Practical Sailor Editor-at-Large, member of the Volvo Ocean Race Rule Management Group, and international racing navigator, has been selected to chair the next (46th) Bermuda Race, starting from Newport Rhode Island on June 20, 2008. Mr. Nicholson hopes to develop the Cruiser Division, which grew from 27 boats in 2004 to 58 boats in 2006. For more information about the 2008 Newport Bermuda Race, visit www.bermudarace.com.

Anybody's Game

In 1975, W. David Kingery of the Beverly Yacht Club came up with the idea of organising a Bermuda race for amateurs. He took the concept to the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, the Blue Water Sailing Club and the Beverly Yacht Club. By 1977 the race was on, with 104 yachts at the starting line in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. The winner: Herb D. Marcus aboard the yacht Silkie. Marcus and Silkie went on to win three more times.

The race drew a record 163 entries in 1989 and challenges grew. In the 1991 race, the 117-strong fleet braved near-hurricane conditions, including 30-ft. seas. New challenges were to come. In 1999 the Marion-Bermuda race gave the green light to electronic navigation. Before that, the race permitted sailors to navigate only with a sextant, mathematical equations and traditional charts. Also that year, for the first time, two yachts with all-female crews entered the race.

But these are not the only races to Bermuda. The Bermuda 1-2 was inaugurated in 1977 and has taken place every other year since. Its course is between Newport and Bermuda. Participating yachts must sail single-handed on their return journey to Rhode Island. Such a race can be gruelling, but this one attracts an average of 30 entries.

The Bermuda Ocean Race from Annapolis began in 1979. It was set up between the Eastport Yacht Club and the St. Georges Dinghy Club to provide yachtsmen from the Chesapeake Bay area with a challenging ocean race. The biennial 756-mile competition, held in May, typically draws 35 yachts.

Sailors are also signing up for the Daytona to Bermuda Race and the Charleston to Bermuda Race. Mariners expect these newer races to gain in popularity, as others have before them.

Why do so many sailors race to this small cluster of islands in the Atlantic Ocean? They're drawn by the challenge of pitting their wits and skills against elements that may be daunting. Plus, there's no finer place on earth to end up than in Bermuda!

Make your Bermuda trip even more memorable with dolphins! Dolphin Quest offers fun, interactive dolphin encounter programs for all. Book your adventure today!

Have a fun-filled vacation with a cycle from Oleander. If you can ride a bicycle, you can easily ride an Oleander scooter. See all of Bermuda...reserve one today!

Bermuda Travel Bermuda is our specialty ~ Excellence is our promise. Individuals, Honeymoons, Family Trips, Weddings, or Groups -- let Bermuda Travel, the best Bermuda Specialist, plan your trip today!