With names like Terrapin Flyer and Roaring Snail, the average citizen could be forgiven for not taking seriously the racing boats which sport them, but then the Seagullians are no ordinary sailors. Contrary to convention, their passion is based neither on speed nor cut-throat competition, but a dinky little engine that, with the right shaped hull, propels them forward at an average speed of seven (approx. six miles per hour). These are the men and women who place camaraderie above cups, simplicity above spars and spinnakers, and meditation above making waves.

Meditation? During a race? That may be unheard of among the big boys and their technotubs, but for the Seagull set it is an inescapable part of the seagoing adventure. After all, when your forward speed is exceeded by even the humblest fish, and the coastline passes by in slow motion, how better to pass the time than by meditating?

"You can leave all your worries on land when you're out there, and observe what is happening on the Island from the waterside. It is a real eye-opener going around and seeing the changes from year to year," says long-time devotee Tim Ward. "I am also an artist, and I just love the colours when you are travelling along."

On the 42-mile long Round the Island course, some also troll for fish!

So just what is it about the Seagull engine that inspires such worldwide devotion? Simply put: it is a classic.

In a world where technology has stripped away the charm of uncomplicated designs which work well, it stands out as a little marvel, and therein lies the fascination. To understand how something so gizmo-free, so lacking in rakish styling and raw power "hooks" its admirers goes back to its heroic history.

During the Second World War manufacturer British Seagull was asked to produce a rough, tough version of their most famous model, the 102. Specifications called for instant starting and easy handling _ then, as now, recognised as "typical" Seagull features _ and it had to be able to run for 24 hours with complete reliability. Longevity was not a requirement, for the engines were to be used for one-off Allied landings on enemy coastlines, and approximately 10,000 were needed in short order.

In fact, "the little engine that could" proved so handy and dependable that it was also put into service wherever it was deemed useful. After the war, people dug up the Seagulls from the sands of the landing beaches, muddy river beds and elsewhere, and rebuilt and reused them. Many of those original engines are still in use today.

In Bermuda, as elsewhere, the Seagull proved extremely popular as a useful little workhorse which was not only reliable and inexpensive but also durable. It was also good at withstanding the ravages of salt water.

As so often happens, however, technology, power, and sleek styling eventually overook the humble British engine, forcing its manufacturer out of business. The Seagull was gone, but certainly not forgotten. Around the world they have become collector's items that steadily increase in value.

In Bermuda, aficionados and owners have formed an organisation whose members are known as Seagullians. They have a proper constitution, a special handshake, a growing collection of engines and a fleet of boats, their very own annual Round the Island Seagull Race, and more.

Details of the first race are sketchy, but it is believed to have been born in Devonshire Bay in 1969 when two local men, known only as "Ghost" and "Skeets," got into a heated argument, fuelled by drink, over who owned the most powerful engine: a 25 hp outboard or the British Seagull. A bystander suggested that, in the interests of fairness, both men should compete with Seagulls, and the deed was done. Unfortunately, history does not record who won, but the concept of racing in small boats fitted with Seagulls appealed to many and, principally due to Mr. Ronnie Lines and the late Mr. Donald Lines, the first formal race from Devonshire Bay took place. The duo secured sponsorship from then-local agents Holmes, Williams & Purvey, and eventually attracted upwards of 50 boats.

Initially, the race was open to Devonshire Bay boats only, but such was its appeal that "outsiders" would drop new moorings there in order to become eligible to compete. Soon the Bay became so crowded that race organisers were compelled to open it up to all comers.

In 1987 the late Mr. Peter Moran attempted to hold a race from the St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club, but only four boats showed up, so it was cancelled. However, the aspiring crews (among them current race organisers Richard Amos, Brian Anfossi and Bruce Lorhan) organised their own race that day, and resolved to meet again at "Clifton Vale," the then-St. George's home of Dr. Peter Outerbridge to do a full race a few weeks later. After that, the race was moved to a new base at 'Paradise Cottage,' Long Island. The starting point was the Eye of the Needle (a little island).

Today's start is in St. George's, and the route still includes Eye of the Needle, around Commissioner's Point, down the South and back up the North shores. The Long Island Seagull Race, as it became known, steadily increased in popularity, and today around 50 compete for a host of prizes in classes for stock engines, unlimited (souped up) engines, boat type, and more. Rules are constantly fine-tuned, but in the interests of safety no craft under ten feet can compete because of the dangers rough seas can present to small craft.

The Iron Man (and iron maidens) is a winter race for experienced die-hards, and other races include the Shack and Back for the "Roots" DeMoura cup, and the Sandys Seagull Race.

Presently, there are four Seagull clubs: Cynergy Racing (for souped up engine owners), West End Seagull Association, Area 51 Racing, and Flash Point Racing. Now defunct is the St. David's Ladies Seagull Club and Friends race which, in the 1970s, went from the east end to Somerset, followed by a big party and prizegiving.

The ex-officio "Mill Creek Yacht Club" is a loosely knit gathering of Seagullians who, on any given Friday evening, can be found fine-tuning or repairing their growing collection of engines, talking shop, dispensing advice, and toasting what some jest is the marine equivalent of the Velo Solex auxiliary cycle. Among them are Richard Amos, James (Charlie Brown) Tatem, Tim Ward and Andrew Petty, all of whom have been around boats most of their lives, and are racing veterans.

Mr. Tatem was given his first engine by his father Herbert, and now owns nine. He is always on the look-out for more, no matter what their condition, because with no more spare parts in the world, cannibalisation is the name of the repair game for all enthusiasts.

Growing up on Harrington Sound, Mr. Tatem always had a boat right from childhood. Many years later, working at Mills Creek Marine, he became friendly with Seagull racers Brian Lightbourn, Richard Amos, Brian Anfossi and Bruce Lorhan.

"When I saw the camaraderie I wanted to be part of it," he says. So when, in 1989 Charles Crisson invited him to take part in his first race, he accepted and came second in the dinghy class. Thereafter he was hooked. The following year Mr. Tatem rescued an abandoned boat and repaired it in time for the Round the Island race. Unfortunately, the engine was bad and he failed to finish _ though not for lack of trying.

"I refused 27 offers of a tow because I wanted to finish so badly, but in the end I had no choice," he recalls. "After that I built a traditional dinghy and I've just kept going since then with different engines, and new or fixed up boats. I also started collecting engines and sold them all except one. Then I saw the error of my ways and I've been collecting them ever since."

Asked what makes Seagulls so special to him, Mr. Tatem replies: "I like their simplicity. It's a very Zen thing to work on your Seagull, and it can be a community thing as well because your mates come 'round and give you a hand. Sometimes I'm down here (at his engine loft) until 3 a.m. working on my engine. It's very satisfying to be able to fix something yourself and use it. Plus, we are keeping up a tradition."

Richard Amos bought his first engine with money earned on a childhood paper route but didn't become involved in racing until 1987 when he was among the four crews who turned out for the would-be race at the St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club.

Over the years he has built several boats with but one thought in mind: to break Brian Lightbourn's 2-hour, 29-minute record, thus far without success. In terms of both hulls and Seagulls, Mr. Amos is a self-confessed purist who owns two stock engines, and does not believe in souping them up.

"Leave them alone," he says. "Slow and steady wins the race."

Like other Seagullians, the Customs officer is also taken with the engine's simplicity and absence of gears. Married with two children, he sees his hobby as "an outlet".

"The mutual building of the boats and the fixing of the engines is fun,'' he says. "There is also a social element in that everybody has a few pops and talks about the engines."

In addition, Mr. Amos puts his artistic talents to use designing the seagull racer's newsletter, Propspring Press, and special T-shirts.

Tim Ward is particularly interested in hull design and builds his own boats. He too is a purist where the engine is concerned and uses only stock motors. His first boat was a traditional Bermuda dinghy with fibreglassed hull and leaded keel, in which he teamed up with John Outerbridge, who had the engine, for his very first race out of Devonshire Bay. Thereafter the sport became his passion.

In fact, Mr. Ward is leading the Seagull team, which includes Andrew and Mandy Petty and Lisa Haynes, at the 'Bermuda at the Smithsonian' exhibition this month. There they will not only build a new plywood hull to one of Tim Ward's designs, but also will race it against a repaired "Screaming Flea" designed boat on the nearby Potomac. It should prove a fascinating spectacle for the style- and speed-oriented Americans.

The "Screaming Flea" design, incidentally, was invented by Somerset resident Dr. Raymond Nash. Its narrow design is reminiscent of Polynesian long boats, and its lightness and hull shape make the Seagull more efficient in propelling it through the water.

Holding between one half and one gallon of fuel, the Seagull needs frequent refills during races, but that is a small detail to devotees, who are more fascinated by its performance and sound.

"Oh yes, the sound is hypnotic, you go into a trance," Mr. Ward says. "The engine is almost like a mantra in the background.''

But life is not all about engines and racing. Seagullians also have fishing tournaments and memorable post-race parties and prizegivings. New members are always welcome, and the next Around the Island Seagull Race is scheduled for June 23, with a rain date of June 30. The starting point is the St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club. Anyone wishing to join the race should sign up at the Robin Hood pub on June 20 between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.