NEWPORT, Rhode Island -- Bermuda's three challengers in the 38th biennial Newport to Bermuda Race were yesterday making last-minute preparations for the testing voyage that lies ahead.

After a week of pleasure cruising on board Escape , Eldon Trimingham was having his boat converted for the 635-mile race, which starts here tomorrow.

"We're rolling up the carpets and getting ready to race,'' said Trimingham, who is well aware of the demands the race will place on him and his crew, which now includes the commodore of the Cruising Club of America, Jack Merrill.

Merrill, an old friend of Trimingham's, recently added his name to Escape's crew list when the pair bumped into one another at the boatyard. "He asked if we had room for him to join us,'' said Trimingham. "He is a very experienced seaman and will be a welcome addition.'' Eldon Trimingham III, Charlie Kempe, Peter Chapman, Michael Oatley and Brian Hillier are Escape's other crew members.

The 65-foot MacGregor sloop is currently berthed at the Newport Harbour Marina, alongside Nicholas Dill's 48-foot Cheoy Lee ketch and Colin Couper's 38-foot Sabre sloop.

Dill, who will be competing alongside Trimingham in the Cruising Division, has his nephew Matthew among his crew, together with Tony Jones, Bill and Shevaun Adcock, John Gardner, Kevin Horsfield and American Jay Dwight.

He was busy yesterday organising minor repairs to his boat, which had developed some worrying last-minute problem.

"We have some problems with the log and wind indicators. And there are also a few engine problems,'' said Dill. "It's the usual stuff, but it's nothing we can't handle.'' Couper, Bermuda's sole representative in the Racing Division, has David Lewis, James Burnett-Herkes, Sr. and Jr., Stephen Kempe, Steve Sherwin and American Greg Shugart for company.

The trio of Bermuda boats will be among an expected 120-strong fleet setting off from Newport's Breton Reef Tower tomorrow.

First-to-finish honours look set to be contested by the four Maxis -- 1990 winner Boomerang , Congere , Donnybrook and Ole -- with the 10-year-old record held by Nirvana in danger if weather conditions are right for a fast crossing.

Nirvana completed the race to Bermuda in just under 621 hours in 1982, but the last four races have all taken well in excess of 80 hours before the first boat crossed the finish line at St. David's. Boomerang's winning time in 1990 was 87 hours and 20 minutes.

With tomorrow's race completing the five-race Onion Patch series, the 62-foot Frers sloop Merrythought looks set to capture the Henry B. DuPont Trophy for the top individual yacht.