Mistress , returning to the race for the first time since 1954, was pegged to finish on Sunday, close to last among the 161 boats who started last Friday.

With its wooden hull and distinctive bow, the 60-year-old sloop easily stood out from the other carbon-fibre, state-of-the art vessels.

Mistress was once one of the stars of the Newport-Bermuda Race, racing each year from 1930 through 1954, with the exception of 1952. Her best time from Newport was 89 hours, 47 minutes and 18 seconds in 1950.

In 1954, she was fourth (on corrected time) in Class B, six hours ahead of Baccarat , which was owned by George Coumantaros, present owner of Boomerang and this year in his 23rd race.

Mistress was designed by C. Sherman Hoyt and built in 1930 by Eastern Shipbuilding of Shelburne, Nova Scotia.

As of 1958, Mistress never even had an engine. She is 60 feet in length, with a 15-foot beam.

The original owner and skipper was George E. Roosevelt, a CCA member from Oyster Bay. His son, Julian, raced four times aboard her to Bermuda.

The present owners are Glen and Chris McCormick of Key West, Florida. Crewing aboard Mistress are: Scott Hinckley, Dan McCormick (navigator), Robert Hanna, Nancy del Aguila, Ted Lands, Michael Miller, Richard Murray and Jimmy Wray.