One-hundred-fifty young Bermudians are gearing up for the experience of a lifetime at the Tall Ships 2000 boat safety races.

Prospective sailors yesterday queued at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute to register for a place in the sailing spectacular, which is expected to arrive on the Island in early June.

Caroline Wills, Event Co-ordinator for Tall Ships 2000 told The Royal Gazette : "You are going to see 80 to 100 tall ships here with about 3,000 to 4,000 trainees, including the 150 Bermudian trainees we have gotten so far.

"And we still have more to come'', she added. "We thought that we might get 100 kids but to have 150 applying is exciting. It is a cross-section of the community; that's exactly what we wanted to do. Girls, boys, black, white, whatever they happen to be, they are all here.

"For the trainees, there are no requirements. They don't require sailing experience at all (and) if they don't have financial resources to do this, we will help them out.

Tall Ships training programme draws strong response "We have a budget of about $2 million, a large portion of that money will go toward paying for the trainees. We are offering a seminar on safety at sea which we are doing here today. We will also meet the parents so we can answer any questions.

The race officially starts in April in Europe. The first leg simultaneously starts in Southampton, England, and Genoa, Italy, and sails to Cadiz, Spain.

On May 7, the ships leave Cadiz and race across the Atlantic to Bermuda and are expected to finish here before the end of May or early June, sailing into St. George's and Hamilton.

The ships leave Bermuda on June 12. After that said Ms Wills, some will race and others will visit various ports along the North American east coast ending up in Boston on July 11 and staging for the race to Halifax, Nova Scotia. From Halifax, they will sail back to Amsterdam.

Brian Billings, Chairman of Tall Ships 2000 said: "It is a tremendous undertaking when the ships arrive depending on the size and speed and of course the breezes on the ocean.

"On June 8, all the tall ships come into Hamilton Harbour. If you can imagine Harbour Nights from June 8 to June 12. Take Harbour Nights and expand that by a hundred-, a thousand-fold.'' Tall Ships 2000 is being organised by the International Sail Training Association in conjunction with the American Sail Training Association, said Ms Wills.

It is for the purpose of sail training, which means that every tall ship that enters the race must have fifty percent of the crew between the ages of 15 and 25 as trainees.

"I just thought it would be a good experience to travel to different places,'' said fourteen-year-old Tayra Woolridge. "I would like to learn how to sail and maybe to speak a different language.'' Kim Foley, 17, said: "I've been sailing at White's Island since I was nine.

My step-father and father sailed the Kitty Hawk in the races on the Queen's Birthday. I've always been interested in sailing, however I stopped when I was fifteen because I went away for the summer.

This summer, I plan to sail. I just want to meet new people where I can improve my communication skills, participate in groups and improve my sailing skills.'' Twenty-year-old Sarah Winstanley and eighteen-year-old Amy Winstanley said: "We've sailed before at the Dinghy Club. We heard about this and we thought it would be good.

"We hope to get a chance to sail on a bigger ship, to sail in deeper waters.

We also want to have fun and meet new people.'' Alex Curtis, 16, said: "I've always liked sailing. My mom told me about it (the Tall Ships 2000) last year, so I came. I think it will be a great experience to remember. A chance of a lifetime.''