Spirit of Bermuda’s maiden voyage in this year’s Newport Bermuda Race will be an exciting learning curve for those onboard.The 118 foot three-mast sloop will sail in the new ‘Spirit of Tradition’ Division which is an experiment with the reintroduction of traditional schooner rigged vessels to the classic 635-mile ocean race.On June 15, Spirit of Bermuda will set sail from Newport, Rhode Island for St David’s Head with a crew of 32, ranging in ages from 17 to 80, that will learn various aspects of sailing during the voyage.“We are positioning this as a learning expedition so it will be just like young students except they are going to be learning how to navigate the Newport Bermuda Race,” said Bermuda Sloop Foundation co- founder Malcolm Kirkland. “There will also be a safety-at-sea seminar in Newport on the Wednesday before we leave, so the whole thing is about learning and camaraderie.”During the voyage the crew aboard Spirit of Bermuda will get the opportunity to interact with local school teachers and students to enable them to enjoy the experience as well.“We are actually going to partner with a few of the students here and as we are coming back we are going to communicate with geography and social studies teachers and keep them up to date of where we are and what’s going on as a way to keep young people here engaged in the race,” said Bermuda Sloop Foundation executive director Denise Riviere, who will be among Spirit’s crew.“A lot of the students in high school have been on Spirit, so it will be exciting for them to experience it through us.“I think it’s an exciting collaboration between the Newport Bermuda Race organising committee and the Bermuda Sloop foundation because not only does it give more Bermudians an opportunity to participate in the race, but it also gives us an opportunity to continue our mission of giving young people the experience of sailing in a condition that they normally wouldn’t be in.“We are excited about the race, but even more excited about the fact we get to expose some young people to it. It still allows us to the do the character building aspect that we hold dear to our heart.”Kirkland believes Spirit of Bermuda’s involvement will enhance the Newport Bermuda Race’s profile.“I think it’s good for the Bermuda Race because it connects it to the Bermuda community,” he said. “This class, we hope, will be like the next 15 Bermuda Races and all we need is about seven or eight (sloops) to make it really interesting.”Riviera added: “As Bermuda’s only tall ship there’s a certain level of pride that if we continue this for the next 30 years people can say they did the Bermuda Race on Spirit of Bermuda, which is a little bit of extra bragging rights.”So far over 170 yachts have entered this year’s Newport Bermuda Race ahead of the April 15 registration deadline.Among this year’s entries is Rives Potts’ McCurdy & Rhodes 48, Carina, that won the coveted St David’s Lighthouse Division in the 2010 Newport Bermuda Race.