Newport-Bermuda Race have come to realise the value of marketing.

And with the start of the 41st biennial ocean classic a month away, it's already paid dividends.

A whopping 188 yachts are on the preliminary entry list, released yesterday by the Cruising Club of America. The regular deadline is today, but, at the discretion of the race committee, late entries may be accepted until June 1.

Even if a couple of dozen boats, as expected, drop out "potentially this is the biggest fleet since the 1970s and 80s and may even reach the record of 178,'' said race chairman Nick Schaus.

Race spokesman Talbot Wilson goes a step further: "We're looking at the biggest race ever,'' he said.

Royal Bermuda Yacht Club commodore Bruce Lines expects between 160 and 180 boats to leave Rhode Island on June 19 for the 650-mile voyage. Even conservatively, that's a ten percent increase over the 1996 race.

Why the increase? "The stock market's doing well. Wall Street is happy,'' Lines said, only half-joking.

But while a booming economy has resulted in plenty of new yachts and jovial skippers, a lot of it has to do with the race committee, who have introduced -- and continue to introduce -- several innovations.

Said Wilson: "We're competing with a lot of other pro regattas. We have to look more towards the future and try and become more professional.'' You can start with a more aggressive marketing campaign, with race notices this year being sent to virtually every IMS skipper around the world.

Then there's a new selling point, a revolutionary handicap system called Americap, which takes into consideration the race route, wind speed and direction to define a performance line for each yacht.

Cruisers and double-handed yachts will use it, making Newport-Bermuda the first race to employ the system, which provides a much simpler method of determining corrected times.

The race will also see a couple of new developments aimed at increasing its profile.

For the first time, all boats will be required to radio in their positions at 6.00 a.m. every day to Rainbow , a 117-foot motor vessel which will follow the fleet and act as a communications link.

Ostensibly for safety reasons, organisers say it will also provide the positions and race updates of competing yachts to the media, plus friends and family on shore.

While Rainbow is not a rescue ship, it could be invaluable in the event of vessel damage or in the event of injury or illness on board.

"This is the last real ocean race out there that didn't require ocean reports,'' said Wilson.

In addition, smaller, slower boats will start first -- the opposite of what took place two years ago. In 1996, the faster boats vanished over the horizon, leaving the others in their wake and making for much less exciting starts. Not to mention photo opportunities.

One popular innovation from 1996 will return: The Navigators Forum at the end of the race, in which skippers explain and compare strategies. Lines said this attracted a standing room only audience of about 150 two years ago and will benefit this time by the addition of overhead transparencies.

Lost among the modern navigational gear and competitive spirit of the skippers is something else, dear to the heart of the Bermuda Department of Tourism and Island merchants.

A 1994 study by the University of Rhode Island placed the value of the race at more than $4.5 million. And a survey after the 1996 race indicated the race resulted in 2,200 visitors to the Island with an average stay of five days at Island guest houses or hotels.

Lines said the RBYC already had berthing reservations for 77 boats, while the Dinghy Club has 48. "That's 125 boats and all we can hold in our marinas. If we get the number of final entries we expect, there will be a lot of boats anchored in the harbour.''