when the 42nd biennial Newport-Bermuda race starts tomorrow.

Among them will be seven Bermuda-based boats, bidding to get to the finishing line at St. David's Light as fast as the wind will carry them.

It had been thought that this year's race would attract the biggest fleet ever, but in the end it fell short of expectations, said George Bauer of the race committee.

"We have 176 boats, 14 more than in 1998, so we're quite pleased with that,'' said Bauer. "We had well over 200 requests for entry forms, but with one thing and another, some have dropped out.'' Five of the Bermuda boats will compete in the Cruiser-Racer division, giving them a shot at winning the esteemed Lighthouse Trophy.

The biggest of the Island yachts is Warren Brown's 61-foot sloop War Baby , while the division will also include Colin Couper's Babe , Les Crane's Monterey and Richard Spurling's Petites Cayes .

Fleet two shy of record From Page 23 Richard Schulman's New York-based Temptress , will carry three Bermudian crew members.

The trophy, which is modelled on St. David's lighthouse, was donated by the Island's Department of Tourism, having been crafted from silver and gold in England at a cost of around $9,000.

Paul Hubbard's Bermuda Oyster will sail in the non-spinnaker Cruising division, where his opposition will include Frederick Deichmann, who moved from Bermuda to the US less than two years ago, and his boat Dawn Treader .

And Stephen Sherwin will race his newly acquired Borderlaw in the Classic Yacht division.

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club commdore Somers Cooper, in Newport to help organise the race, said: "I think seven boats from Bermuda is a pretty good showing.

Usually we're in the four to six range, but this being the year 2000, it has brought a few more people out of the woodwork.'' Cooper said the Newport race had a very competitive edge. "We have a lot more of the real racers here than you see in the Marion race,'' said Cooper. "This is more of a grand prix race. People take it very seriously. The Lighthouse Trophy is one of the most coveted trophies in yachting.''