Robert Cardwell, the Bermuda Power Boat Association commodore, believes that the shortened race schedule for the upcoming season will enable more teams to compete on a regular basis.

The BPBA have broken away from the norm and scheduled six race days for the upcoming season to run between May 13 and September 2.

Cardwell said the shortened season provides teams more time for repairs, which he feels will result in a spike in the number of participants on any given race day.

“We need to give our competitors more time between race meets so that they can fix and remedy various defects they suffer when racing,” Cardwell said. “With a smaller window of race days, we anticipate more of our members will attend to race on the set days, as preparation time between races has been increased.

“What we miss out on in having more race days will be made up on the set race days as there will be multiple heats of races for each class of boat.”

The popular Round the Island Race is scheduled to be held August 12, with August 19 and 26 set aside as spare days. Meanwhile, Cardwell said the association’s efforts to relaunch their junior programme are progressing well.

“We have identified a vendor for the mould of the class of boat that we want to launch the Junior Class with,” he said. “This mould is being ordered from Sweden and we hope that we will be in possession of the mould within the next six to eight weeks. We have identified a local builder who will construct our boats from the mould and hope to have five built.”

Cardwell hopes to secure sponsorship to cover each of the five boats that cost $7,000 to build, kit and motorise. He also hopes to have the boats ready by the latter part of the upcoming season, but if not said the junior programme could instead be launched next winter and “bleed right into the 2019 race schedule”.

Cardwell said the launch of junior programme also hinges on whether the association receives the Port Authority Board’s approval to amend the rules to allow youngsters between the ages of 11 and 15 to operate a boat powered by a 15 horsepower motor.

“We have an application in with the Port Authority Board seeking their authority to vary legislation that otherwise prescribes that only a person who has reached 16 years of age can operate an outboard motor bigger than a 6hp,” he said.

“The launch of the BPBA Junior Programme is somewhat hinged on whether or not we get the permission to allow juniors between the ages of 11 and 15 to operate our race boats that will be powered by 15hp motors.

“We recognise that it is important that we move to launch a junior programme to ensure the longevity of the BPBA and we have many members capable of providing sound mentoring and guidance to interested Juniors.

“We are competing with the other motor sports who have junior programmes but they are not restricted by legislation in providing vehicles with motors that will truly challenge skill and provide development opportunities.”

Cardwell said the association’s members are “really excited” about the relaunch of the junior programme.

“The feedback, not only from our membership but from those outside of our membership who have heard of what we are trying to do, have demonstrated some interest in the junior programme,” he added. “Everyone agrees that this is a much needed entity to add to the BPBA portfolio.”