in an effort to enhance the event and open it up to a wider spectrum of the yachting community.

Jack Braitmayer, race chairman, recently announced the alterations, which include: all limitations on sail cloth being dropped; Global Position Satellite (GPS) being allowed for the entire race; and the maximum length for eligible yachts being increased from 60 to 62 feet LOA.

Yesterday, Richard Faries, commodore of local host club, Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, welcomed the innovations, saying that they would certainly help the event.

"Originally the only cloth allowed was Dacron, so that put all the sailors that were using the newer fibres such as Kevlar or Spectra -- those two in particular -- out of this race,'' said Faries.

"A lot of the newer model yachts that have been coming onto the market over the last four or five years are being launched with Kevlar and Spectra, so they felt a bit hard done by because they weren't allowed to participate in this race.

"This is a family cruising race and they were being restricted by the fact that they would have to go and buy a whole set of Dacron sails and we're talking about a lot of money there.'' Thus, with the family in mind, the committee decided to allow the high modulus fibres to be permitted.

The allowance of the higher performance material would also be expected to do just that -- increase performance. However, spinnakers remain on the `banned' list, maintaining the race's cruising nature.

Faries said that those at the RHADC were excited by the relaxation of the rule, while hopeful of increased interest being generated along with a corresponding rise in the number of competitors.

"I also think we're going to get a newer group of people coming to Bermuda, because now it's going to be attractive to a lot more yachts.'' While there was not much opposition to the motion to adjust rules for sail cloth, plenty of debate followed the move to have racers use GPS.

Firm in one corner stood the hard core traditionalists, adamant that no high tech, scientific instruments be allowed, as has been the case during the previous 10 events.

Opposite were those seeking to modernise, arguing that the use of GPS would aid in the safety of crews and allow in those not so adept at traditional celestial navigation methods.

In the end a compromise was reached, with GPS indeed being allowed, but a clause included that awards a three percent time bonus to those using celestial navigation alone.

"The founding members of the race wanted this to be a family race using celestial navigation only and during the committee meeting that they talked about introducing GPS it was not without a tremendous amount of discussion that GPS was finally allowed,'' said Faries.

"So what we've done is allowed the people who would use celestial a three percent time bonus, so there's a little carrot put out there for people to continue to use celestial.'' As for the increase in maximum length allowed, Faries pointed to the fact that many of the yachts being built these days slightly exceeded the 60 foot limit originally imposed, thus the move to extend the `boundary', and again allow the opportunity for more to take part.

The Marion race is scheduled to take place in June of next year.