The Newport Bermuda Race puts the skills of blue water sailors to the test navigating through a patch of the Atlantic Ocean known for challenging weather.

The racecourse stretching from Castle Hill, Newport to St David’s, Bermuda is 635 miles long and crosses the Gulf Stream.

The shape of the Gulf Stream and the position of related ocean currents can either stall or hasten a yacht’s progress.

A favourable current can carry a yacht miles ahead of its competition. But the warm, swift current of the Gulf Stream can also generate violent squalls and breaking seas.

Hosted by the Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the biennial race consists of five divisions: St David’s Lighthouse for amateur crews on dual purpose racer-cruiser yachts, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse for professional crews on modern competitive yachts, Double Handed — only two people on each yacht — Cruiser for amateur crews on yachts not designed for racing and Open for yachts of a size or design beyond normal range of the fleet.

The divisions are divided into classes so that yachts of similar size start together and compete for class honours.

Each division is scored using a handicap or rating system by which slower yachts are permitted more time than faster yachts to complete the race.

Following the finish each yacht’s elapsed time on the course is corrected based on the time allowance. The yachts with the superior corrected times win.

Additionally, crews can compete for special awards, including winning navigators, best finish for a yacht over 15 years old, top finishing family crews as well as several regional awards.

As of yesterday there were 164 yachts registered to compete, among them local entries Nasty Medicine, Crossfire and Spirit of Bermuda.