will once again feature less than 100 yachts on the starting line on June 20.

Organisers, however, are keeping a brave face despite dwindling numbers for two consecutive races.

It was because of lower fleet numbers -- down to a modest 75 last year compared to a record high of about 150 a few years ago -- that a move was made to open up the event by relaxing long-standing restrictions, such as allowing global position satellite (GPS), having the limitation of sail cloth dropped and increasing the maximum length for participating yachts from 60 to 62 feet.

But with just 85 boats officially entered this year the move has brought modest dividends.

John Carey, a liaison between host Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club and Blue Water Sailing Club and Beverly Yacht Club of the United States assured that the entry list is not discouraging.

"We made the changes and it may take another year or so for people to come and get involved,'' he said. "I think there are a couple of aspects you can look at. People tend to plan their races ahead of time, you have to line up a crew and things like that and you just may not get the initial response.'' "It's far too soon to tell what the long term effect of the changes will have but certainly we are encouraged by an increase this year and we would love to see more yachts come here for the benefit of everybody.'' Among the fleet this year, as was the case in 1995, is a small contingent of local skippers -- Paul Hubbard in Tonka , Buddy Rego in Tsunami , Colin Couper in Vivace and Derek Ratteray in Alida .

The race will see the yachts leave Buzzard's Bay for the 645-mile trek to Bermuda.

"We certainly have a larger fleet than last year and we are very encouraged by that. We have had more interest in the race, it showed recently at the Indianapolis Boat Show, when there was a lot of interest as a result of the changes that have been put in the race.

"They obviously may not interpret into results this year, but perhaps the race following two years from here we will see an increase in entries.'' According to Carey, all but one of the skippers have elected to go without the satellite navigation system, indicating that that the spirit of the race is for the cruising-type sailor.

One of the things organisers have always wished to encourage is the use of the celestial navigation because it is regarded as being an art they didn't want to see disappear.

"With all of these fancy navigational gadgets now that you can put on your boat people will tend to not want to use it, so if there is an incentive to use it in a race like this I think we are going in the right direction,'' explained Carey.

"People will learn to use it because after all you can have all of the of the fancy navigation systems and you may have a spare one hand held, but if the batteries pack up and if you have major problems you might still have to rely on good old celestial navigation to find Bermuda or wherever you intended to go.'' "It is after all a cruising race, not a hot-shot boat race.''