Damp, cool and decidedly dull.

That might have been the weather.

But the start to this year's 43rd edition of the Newport to Bermuda ocean race was anything but as the largest fleet ever assembled for this biennial classic - 185 boats in total - powered out of Narragansett Bay early yesterday afternoon on what promises to be the fastest crossing in history.

Last night observers in Newport were predicting that the giant maxis could be across the St. David's finish line as early as mid-day tomorrow with as many as half a dozen of them smashing the current record of 57 hours, 31 minutes and 30 seconds set by Boomerang six years ago . . . and smashing it by perhaps as much as ten hours!

Divided into 12 classes, the boats - ranging from 35-footers to those in excess of 75 feet - made the most of a 15 knot easterly wind as they sliced through choppy seas under an overcast sky out into the Atlantic.

But it was the rush of 11 maxis, headed by Los Angeles-based Roy Disney's Pyewacket, that provided the most spectacular sight, an armada of spectator and press boats struggling to keep pace as the yachts stormed towards the front of the fleet.

Competing in this race for the first time, the 75ft Pyewacket held an early edge but close behind were the likes of Morning Glory, Bright Star, Blue Yankee and Boomerang, all expected to contend for line honours.

Bermuda's five entries, each competing in different classes, also appeared to enjoy an encouraging send-off on what was generally an incident-free start, just two of the 185 boats crossing the line early, thereby forced to turn back and start again.

Stephen Sherwin's BorderLaw, competing in class one of the IMS cruiser/racing division was the first of the Island boats to leave as the 12 classes were sent off at ten minute intervals.

Colin Couper's Babe was next in IMS C/R class four followed by Rick Spurling's Hinano (IMS C/R class seven), Robert Mulderig's Starr Trail (IMS C/R class eight) and finally Paul Hubbard's Bermuda Oyster (Americap, class 11).

Inbetween veteran Bermuda sailor Kirk Cooper, co-skipper with American owner Richard Shulman on Temptress, enjoyed one of the most impressive starts, leading out a group of 17 entries in the IMS C/R class six.

After watching the maxis in class nine thunder out into the open ocean, Talbot Wilson, event press officer, maintained his earlier prediction that Boomerang's record would fall.

"There's a chance if these conditions hold up that all the maxis and maybe even the mini-maxis could break the existing record," said Wilson, who along with several other race officials will fly into Bermuda today in order to be on hand to greet the first finisher.

"The record means a lot to these big boats. There are three or four in this race who are in a real battle for elapsed time and line honours. It could be very close, and it certainly looks like it's going to be very fast."

Explaining the start, Wilson said: "The boats started on a 60 degree reach and the breeze was 12 to 15 knots with a three knot current running.

"There wasn't a lot of messing around with boats getting in each other's way. The smaller boats were trying to stay away from the wind shadow of the larger boats.

"They tried to get to the east side of the starting line just to protect themselves.

"The weather was overcast and chilly and I'm sure they're all looking forward to getting to Bermuda quickly, if only because it's a lot warmer there than it is here! Forecasters tell us that the wind ought to be fresh all the way.

"There's a cold front kind of right across the north wall of the Gulf Stream and they'll hit that some time tonight or tomorrow.

"And there's a big loop current that goes almost right along the rhumb line, so they'll catch a downstream current which will give them a boost of about three knots.

"The maxis will be doing about 20 knots going through the Gulf Stream with this kind of breeze. And then down at the bottom part of the course they're predicting the wind's going to shift to the southwest.

"If that all holds true, the first boat could be in Bermuda by mid-day Sunday."