Malcolm Smith doesn't quite know what to expect when he begins his first season of Fitted Dinghy racing today.

"I'm just going to try and make the boat go and hopefully point it in the right direction,'' the veteran sailor says of his upcoming stint at the helm of Elizabeth .

He's being modest, of course -- Smith happens to be one of Bermuda's most accomplished and versatile sailors. Never mind that he's barely set foot in one of the six craft that make up the century-old Island tradition.

Sailed out of the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, Elizabeth 's racing committee were looking for a skipper after Willy White moved over to his family's boat, Port Royal this year.

They approached Smith, who says: "I wasn't doing much this summer so I thought I'd give it a shot.'' Now the man who has competed in 15 world championships and represented Bermuda in the Laser class at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, turns his attention to a small Bermudian boat featuring three masts, seven sails and five crew.

Smith was second in both the World Sunfish Championships in November and in the Snipes division during International Race Week last month. But in Fitted Dinghies, he's had just one spell as crew some seven years ago -- and just one practice (on Monday) aboard Elizabeth .

Whether or not this will prepare for him for the spectacle that will take place in St. George's Harbour, beginning at 11.00 a.m. today, remains to be seen.

Rules and tactics are different but, "When it comes down to it . .. sailing is sailing,'' he said.

"I'm just looking forward to having a good time, really, and maybe win a couple of races,'' added Smith, one of four new skippers taking part in the 11-race series this summer.

Not only is Smith new to Elizabeth , so are most of the crew. Glen Astwood, Stevie Dickinson, 14-year-old Peter Martin and alternates Steve Hanson and Martin Vezina are newcomers who will team up with the lone returning crew, Bill Pollit.

"Thank God I've got him back. He knows the boat from bow to stern,'' said Smith.

Smith figures Challenger and Contest -- sailed by the Lewin siblings -- are the boats to beat this year. Paula Lewin has taken over the former; Andreas remains with the latter. In addition to White's Port Royal , Somers Kempe has moved into Echo and Alan Powell is aboard Victory .

Bermuda's 470 team of Megan Spurling and Elizabeth Walker finished fourth overall in the Toronto Olympic Classes Icebreaker Regatta on Lake Ontario last weekend.

Due to lack of wind on the final day, only six of the nine races in the three-day series were completed.

Spurling and Walker were sixth in the competitive ten-boat fleet, which included 1992 Olympic silver medallist Paul Forrester of the US. One race was sailed on Sunday, in which the two Bermudians were first among the five women and third overall.

Walker/Spurling had a pair of fourth-place finishes on the final day. Canada's top men's 470 team, Piere-Olivier Roy and James Sauter won the regatta, edging the US. Lindsay Standforth and Ali Matthews, Canada's top women's team were third. In the women's fleet, Walker and Spurling claimed second place.

The 470 duo are training in Kingston, Ontario in preparation for the US circuit beginning next month.