The 38th Newport-Bermuda Race got off to a smooth start last Friday. But the voyage to Bermuda looked like being anything but smooth with thunderstorms, squalls and choppy seas predicted out in the Atlantic.

Conditions were deteriorating fast as the boats lined up for the start off Brenton Reef Tower.

High winds were buffeting the fleet and rough seas giving the crews a brief taste of what they would have to contend with over the next few days.

Eldon Trimingham, who led off Bermuda's trio of hopefuls, was relying heavily on navigator Charlie Kempe to see him safely and speedily back to Bermuda.

Trimingham's Escape was among the 12 boats in Cruising Division Class G that got the action underway. They were competing for the Argentine Trophy won in 1990 by Juan Corradi's Pirate .

Bermuda did well in this class in 1990 when local skipper Paul Hubbard finished second on corrected time on board Tonka .

Class G set off on the 635-mile voyage at 1 p.m. Bermuda time, followed at 15 minutes intervals by the remaining six classes.

Second to go was Cruising Division Class F in which Nicholas Dill's Dillightful was flying the flag for Bermuda.

He was competing with 14 other boats for the Samuel Pepys Trophy held by Frank V.Snyder's Chasseur .

The Racing Division Class E crown was also up for grabs with Lawrence S.

Huntington's Denali another of this year's absentees.

Denali was the overall race winner on corrected time in 1990 when she was awarded the coveted St. David's Lighthouse Trophy.

Colin Couper's Vivace , the last of the Bermuda boats and the only one entered in the Racing Division, was one of the 20 contenders for the Class E Alfred F.Loomie Memorial Trophy. The 38-foot sloop was tucked in towards the rear of the fleet as the smallest of the Racing Division classes left Newport.

There were no Bermuda boats to look out for in the four remaining classes, but there was no shortage of interest.

The start of Class D was an impressive sight, with 21 boats jockeying for position at the gun.

The Class D boat finishing with the best corrected time would win the Malabar Trophy captured in 1990 by William Apthorp's Leda .

Class C -- the biggest of the seven classes with 22 boats -- saw Eugene B.

Sydnor Jr.'s Etoile begin her quest to retain the Sir Thomas Lipton Memorial Trophy. She was the only 1990 class winner back to defend her title this year.

Class B saw history in the making with Nance Frank and her all-female crew setting off on board the 46-foot sloop Dancer . Never before had an all-female crew tackled the gruelling 635-mile race.

She and her 17 Class B rivals were competing for the Ray Graham Bigelow Memorial Trophy won in 1990 by Oliver D.Grin's Collaboration .

Class A, the last to leave Newport, set out one boat short. Donnybrook made it to the start line but suffered a cracked mast and was forced to sit and watch as the remaining nine Class A boats began the race. The Santa Cruz 70 had been among those expected to vie for honours.

THE START -- Newport's Brenton Reef Tower.