Government is to issue guidelines to clear up the confusion among visiting yachtsmen over how long they can stay on the Island.

It follows yesterday's revelation in The Royal Gazette that yachtsmen were now being told they could stay for 21 days -- rather than the automatic six months they previously enjoyed -- with the right to apply for three-month extensions.

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox stepped in yesterday to approve a six-month stay for three yachts which threatened to leave the Island because of the new guidelines.

A statement from her department said no new Immigration policies had been brought in for yachtsmen, but Government was now treating them the same as other visitors, who are given an initial 21-day permit.

Yachtsman Bob Nunney of Toronto, Canada, who yesterday said he was leaving because of the changes, claimed three months still put Bermuda out of line with the rest of the world, where six-month stays for sailors were the norm.

The Ministry statement said there was "no desire to chase away yacht owners who have cause to be here'', but it was not customary to tell visitors who had been given an extension to three months if they would get a further renewal.

Mr. Nunney, a retired human resources consultant moored at St. George's, said it was not good enough for yachtsmen to only get three months during hurricane season.

If Immigration turned them down for a further extension, they would be forced to sail out in treacherous waters or fly home and abandon their boats on the Island.

Mr. Nunney said his dealings with Immigration had convinced him their attitude was that yachtsmen were a nuisance.

He said: "When I spoke to Immigration on Monday and said I would be forced to leave in the middle of hurricane season in late August if I did not get an extension, they said `that's your problem'.

"And when I said they were chasing away long-term visitors, they said `we can get alternative sources of tourism'. The impression was that they didn't care and we were a pain.

"From the point of view of yachties, a three-month maybe for an extension isn't good enough because you could end up having to leave in the middle of the hurricane season.'' Mr. Nunney will meet St. George's North MP Delaey Robinson, who intervened on their behalf, before deciding whether to stay on the Island or go to the East Coast of the United States.

Mr. Robinson said Ms Cox has shown good sense in granting the yachts six months because they had come to the Island to moor during hurricane season.

The MP, who has sailed extensively around the world, said in his experience, three months stays for yachtsmen, who then had to apply for renewals, was normal.

Harbour Radio was this week under the impression that yachtsmen were still allowed a six-month stay and the Ministry of Tourism's most recent publication stated yachts could stay for six months without paying duty.

The Ministry statement said: "Given that there is still a clear misunderstanding amongst yachtsmen as to what the policies are, the Department of Immigration accepts responsibility for rectifying the matter and will distribute a set of guidelines to the Department of Tourism, the Yacht Reporting Centre and other interested parties.

"Any yachtsman who wishes to stay longer than 21 days can apply for a permit at Immigration. It is unlikely that permission would be denied without good reason.

"Recently the department realised that while (21 days) was the rule for most visitors, yachtsmen were being dealt with differently.

"There was no particular reason why that should be the case. Most yachtsmen, like most visitors, leave after stays of well under 21 days.

"It is always good policy to have the same rule apply to everyone, so we have taken steps to ensure that yachtsmen are treated like everyone else.

"Accordingly, the Immigration Department applies the same policies in place at the Yacht Reporting Centre as govern visitors arriving at the Airport.'' Suzanne Hollis, of Ocean Sails in St. George's, said there was an "astonishing'' lack of communication between Immigration and Tourism.

She said: "If a policy like that is to be changed, it should be discussed with local businesses who will be affected because yachtsmen spend so much money.

"We should be promoting Bermuda as a yachting destination because they spend so much money, not treating them like they are a nuisance.'' The Royal Gazette reported yesterday that Ms Cox did not return telephone calls. The newspaper accepts that messages left for the Minister were not passed on to her.