The crew of the open top catamaran Wildcat spoke of their relief last night after arriving in Bermuda following a stormy 55 hour ocean crossing from New York.

Owners of the Wildcat had hoped to make the high speed trip in 20 to 30 hours, but had to be refuelled at sea by a passing cruise liner after one of the vessel's two engines broke down.

The seven-man crew had to sleep on deck while the boat was lashed with heavy rain and battered by waves of up to 20 feet.

But last night they were met by ecstatic family members and friends when the boat moored in St. George's in torrential rain at 7.50 p.m.

William Lawrence, who co-owns the boat with his brother Edward, said: "It was eventful. We went the first 330 miles motoring along at 35 knots which took us nine hours, then we got into some heavy weather.

"We thought we had a weather window but we were in head seas, it was raining or windy and rough the whole way down.

"It was OK, we slowed down to 20 knots and went through comfortably in ten to 15 foot waves. "We were comfortable doing about ten to 15 knots when the heavy stuff came in and we re-loaded with our own fuel. We had enough fuel to do the trip if we did not have the heavy weather and drop the engine.'' Mr. Lawrence said at about 4.30 a.m. on Monday, the first engine went down.

"We slowed down and there was big seas at that point about 20 feet. We motored slowly.'' He said the engine that was working burned up more fuel than was expected because it was going at full throttle but the boat was not going very fast.

Crew survive high-seas ordeal Auckland Star , which contacted the cruise liner Nordic Empress . The liner met up with the Wildcat about 100 miles northwest of the Island at 5.30 a.m.

yesterday and gave her fuel. Mr. Lawrence said "We had enough to keep going but probably not enough to get us all the way in but we had enough to keep going and wait for tow.'' He said the crew, his brother Edward, fellow Bermudians Clive Hook, Anthony Mello and Sean Pitcher, and Island residents Dave Block and Steve Frischmann, had all worked hard together to make the trip a success. The Lawrence brothers will hire out the yellow catamaran for high speed trips around the Island later this month after minor damages suffered during the refuelling are repaired. Mr. Lawrence said: "It's very nice to be back. That boat is awesome. Its my first time across the ocean and I'm glad I was in her. It handles the ocean so well, it just didn't have the power because the engine was down.'' PHOTO So good to be back home again: An exhausted crew member receives a warm welcome after arriving back on dry land in St. George's last night.