forecasters'' and "a life saver''.

That was the opinion of local yachtsmen who yesterday learned that weather wizard Mr. Herb Hilgenberg, who has provided a free personal weather service for thousands of vessels over the past seven years, may have to leave.

Mr. Hilgenberg's work permit extension as operations manager at Island Glass expires on March 1.

And The Royal Gazette understands that it is almost certain it will not be renewed.

While neither Mr. Hilgenberg nor the yachtsmen interviewed wanted to comment on the work permit situation, the sailors stressed the importance of having the "goodwill ambassador's'' unique service.

The service, which has been the subject of countless articles in such prestigious magazines as Yachting World, Ocean Navigator, and Cruising World, and has been a Godsend to participants in the Marion to Bermuda and Newport to Bermuda yacht races began as a personal favour for friends about to depart on an ocean voyage.

Mr. Hilgenberg, in an earlier interview, said his friends were anxious to receive accurate, up-to-date weather reports.

The service has grown into a life-line for yachtsmen plying the vast areas of the Atlantic, Caribbean, or even the Pacific oceans.

It has also become what some may see as a punishing schedule for Mr.

Hilgenberg who spends six to eight hours every night monitoring images from a satellite -- received through specially-designed equipment rigged up in his garden -- and broadcasting them on singleside band six-alfa.

Noting that there are no other weather services available offshore on the singleside band, veteran yachtsman Mr. Warren Brown Jr. said Mr. Hilgenberg was capable of filling the weather service void that could be left with the closure of the US Base.

"He's worked with air-sea rescues and is very well respected,'' Mr. Brown said. "With the amount of knowledge he's got, he provides a service second to none.

"To so many seafaring individuals who travel by Bermuda he is the voice of safety.'' Having taken advantage of Mr. Hilgenberg's service several times, Mr. Brown said: "He provides almost like a tailor-made service to many yachtsmen who without him would be lost.'' Veteran transatlantic sailor Mr. Paul Hubbard echoed similar sentiments.

"He has been invaluable in services provided to yachtsmen,'' he said. "When we go out to Marion we rely on him for accurate weather forecasts. He also gets messages to our wives. He has undoubtedly saved lives.'' All this is done free of charge, Mr. Hubbard noted.

"It's a service that if he did not provide, Government would probably not have the money to provide.'' "He's invaluable,'' he stressed. "It would be a pity if this man left.'' A Harbour Radio spokesman also admitted that Mr. Hilgenberg's service was invaluable.

"He's certainly helped ourselves and yachts coming to Bermuda,'' the spokesman said.

Noting that private ship-routing agencies in North America and Europe provide similar services to shipping companies and Harbour Radio also provides such services for free, the spokesman said: "The difference with Herb is that he interacts with the actual boats on the ocean.

"And he can amend his forecasts in real time. He can give a better idea of how fast a weather system is moving.

"There are government agencies like the National Weather Service but they have limited real time in terms of a man being their on location.

"Certainly satellites will give you such information, but there's nothing like having a person there who can develop a more accurate picture of what's happening.'' Mr. Hilgenberg's services were most recently required when a trio of sailors encountered three days of stormy conditions on the 41-foot ketch Malachite .

The crew were rescued by a US Coast Guard helicopter team shortly before the boat sank.

Another American sailor has also praised Mr. Hilgenberg's efforts.

Dr. David B. Pomfret, in a letter dated December 13 to the Immigration Minister, wrote: "It would behove government officials to evaluate the thousands of dollars in tourism, yacht repair, provisioning and fuel spent by these vessels in your country.

"During two races thousands of guests fly down and spend race week with their sailing families and racers.

"Herb Hilgenberg is in no small way instrumental to our safety and provides a service unique to Bermuda.'' Chief Immigration Officer Mr. Neville Smith could not be reached for comment yesterday.

SIGNING OFF? -- Mr. Herb Hilgenberg.