but forgive him if he seems a little more enthusiastic than usual this summer.

Smith, one of the Island's most accomplished sailors, kicked off the season with a very un-Smithlike finish, fifth place at the Sunfish Mid-Winter Championships in Tampa, Florida, on the weekend.

But in a year that includes the CAC Games -- and with the Pan Am Games coming up in 1999 -- it could be argued that Smith has bigger Sunfish to fry.

Sunfish happens to be Smith's boat of choice and for the first time, it will be included in both the CAC and Pan Am Games.

Smith already has a CAC bronze medal to his name but in three trips to the Pan Am Games, his best finish was sixth, both times competing in the Laser class.

At 39, and finally at the helm of a Sunfish, he figures he may not get a better opportunity to improve on both.

"If ever I've had a chance to medal in the Pan Ams, this is it,'' said Smith, who won the 1994 Sunfish Worlds and has been runner-up four times.

He sailed against -- and with -- several former world champions on the weekend but couldn't compensate for his lack of knowledge about the Gulf waters on Tampa Bay. Seven of the top ten finishers were from the area and several top skippers finished well back, including three-time world champion -- and Race Weekend fixture -- Danny Martinborough of the Bahamas.

Smith has been sailing Lasers the past three months in Hamilton Harbour but found the light winds of Tampa Bay frustrating in contrast to the blustery conditions of a Bermuda winter.

He had finishes of 20, 2, 1, 23, 65, 10 and 4 in the seven-race series, with the 65th-place effort directly attributable to the lack of wind, he said.

Tossing out one finish, Smith ended up with 30 points, well back of first-place Chip Clifton of Sarasota. Dave VanCleef was second.

Smith, VanCleef, PJ Patin and Scott Kyle teamed up before the regatta to win a team event over the two-time defending champions. The regatta began what figures to be a busy summer for Smith, culminating with the CAC Games in August.

He confirmed he will take part in Race Weekend, likely switching from Snipe to Laser, and has also signed on for another season of Bermuda Fitted Dinghy racing, in which he'll again skipper Elizabeth .

MALCOLM SMITH -- kicked off what he hopes will be a big year at a weekend regatta in Florida.