A host of powerboats struggling to keep up with three beautiful new generation yachts at yesterday?s Newport-Bermuda Race start was a sure sign that records will be shattered this year.

The much-hyped Demonstration Division set off from Narrangassett Bay at 2.40 p.m. local time yesterday, and immediately showed just why 53-hour mark set in 2002 is going to be destroyed come Sunday morning.

With the dense overnight fog burned off by early morning, the fleet of 157 boats set off in 10 to 12 knot winds yesterday, with the new-improved 86-ft setting the early pace by cutting through the water at up to 18 knots in the opening five miles of the 44th instalment of the 98-year-old ocean crossing.

A flotilla of powerboats all scrambled to get their photographers into position as the three vessels in the new class made the most of the rare spinnaker start.

Roy Disney?s assumed the early lead in the class, closely followed by Bermudian resident Hasso Plattner?s ., the broadest and slowest of the Maxz 86s, took up third spot as the Big Boats were already overtaking some of the smaller, earlier starters within two miles of a clean start.

Despite the overcast conditions, the sight of the fleet of sailors, ranging in age from 13 to 92, and boats from 37 to 94-ft, made for fascinating viewing for the armada of Press and spectators that assembled just off Newport to witness the start.

Just three boats from the 13 classes crossed the line too early and faced the rather embarrassing prospect of turning round and starting again while the odd near-collision caused by the number of vessels assembled around the start were the only problems as the fleet set off for their 635-mile voyage to Bermuda.

And the early signs of record-breaking were there with forecasts of 20-25 knot south westerly winds and a favourable meander at the start of the Gulf Stream expected to whisk the boats along their journey.

At the top end, this could mean the optimistic 36 to 40 hour crossing times for the Demonstration Division are a possibility while boats such as and in the IMS Racing Class could threaten the old mark set in 2002.

For some of the smaller vessels, however, the forecast may not be as positive with a high pressure area around Bermuda expected to slow them down when they eventually get close to their destination at the beginning of next week.

The three Bermudian boats competing this year looked to get off to clean starts in their respective divisions although former Royal Bermuda Yacht Club commodore Les Crane appeared to get cut off by a competitor in Class Seven almost immediately although clean passage was found before any damage to his early placing could be done. In the same class, , skippered by Rob Mulderig had no problems in the early running.

Governor Sir John Vereker was on board Colin Couper?s for his first offshore adventure as the Swan 46 set off at 1.20 p.m. local time in the third class to depart.

?Everything looked to go well and it was a clean start,? said race press officer Talbot Wilson once the brightly-coloured spinnakers were reduced to dots on the horizon.

?There was a ten to 12 knots east-north-east breeze meaning a spinnaker start, the first one I have seen in 14 years.

?According to the forecasts, things are looking good and we are definitely going to see a new benchmark set in the Demonstration Division.

?They are looking at a 48-hour crossing as a disappointment, so a new time will definitely be recorded.

?But with this forecast there is also a chance that one of the boats in Class Nine will break the record set by in 2002.?