to Bermuda Race.

Paul Hubbard and Brian Hall confirmed they have each purchased three-year-old Oyster cruisers to take part in the biennial Atlantic crossing.

And Hall's new Forever Young is currently getting a taste of competition as the first Bermudian boat to tackle the 12th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) regatta, the largest trans-ocean sailing event in the world.

Skippered by Mark Soares and with an almost entirely Bermudian crew, Forever Young is one of more than 150 yachts in the 2,700-nautical mile voyage from Grand Canary Island to St. Lucia. As of yesterday, ten boats had arrived in the port of Rodney Bay, with Dolphin , a 60-foot Whitbread, taking line honours with a time of 14 days and 14 hours.

Light winds have greeted the rest fleet, with Forever Young expected to arrive early today.

Hall, the semi-retired former CEO of Johnson and Higgins insurance brokers, said Soares, a former St. George's charter captain, would be bringing the 481 -foot cutter to Bermuda from the British Virgin Islands in the spring. "The plan is to keep it in the Carribean and we will bring it up from time to time,'' said Hall.

With Soares aboard Forever Young are Chloe McKey, Jonathan Saul, Elyann Triggs, Mark Whayman and Wim van der Lugt.

Hubbard is hoping to have his Bermuda Oyster , a 431 -footer, delivered from the BVI early in the new year, but first must discard his current boat, Tonka .

Tonka , which Hubbard bought new 14 years ago, has 12 ocean races under her belt and is a fixture on the local racing scene. The 36-foot Sigma sloop is a five-time winner of the Corporation of Hamilton Trophy as the fastest Island boat -- on corrected time -- in the Marion to Bermuda race, and was fourth overall this year. Tonka has also twice taken part in the Newport to Bermuda race.

"In a way I don't want to sell her,'' Hubbard said.

"I am very attached (to her) but economics says I just can't afford to have two boats in one place.'' Tonka can be had for $75,000 or nearest offer.

Hubbard said Tonka is simply too small for ocean races. His new boat is "a helluva lot more comfortable going across the pond, especially when the weather gets rough,'' he said, adding Bermuda Oyster recently handled 55 mph winds in the Bay of Biscayne with ease.

Neither he nor Hall would say how much they paid for their new boats, which they bought almost simultaneously in the BVI.

Hall, who currently owns the 35-foot cruiser Thetis , said he had been looking extensively for an ocean-going cruiser and narrowed his search down to an Oyster, "the Rolls Royce'' of yachts, he said. When he settled on one in the BVI, Hubbard went with him. The pair took Forever Young on a sea trial and "Paul liked it so much he ended up getting one for himself,'' Hall laughed.

Says Hubbard, "Brian fell in love and I did too.'' Hall said is hoping to do more racing now that he has the new boat, hence its name.