the imminent departure from the Island of amateur weather service operator Mr.

Herb Hilgenberg whose work permit was cancelled last year.

Mr. Hilgenberg is well-known throughout the yachting fraternity for the accuracy of his broadcasts which provide up-to-date information on weather conditions.

And the voluntary service, described by boating enthusiasts as "a fantastic boon for yachtsmen'', is used by hundreds, if not thousands, of small boats on the Atlantic circuit, an area stretching from the Mediterranean and Europe to the US east coast and the Caribbean.

"He will be sorely missed,'' local yachtsman Mr. Jordy Walker said. "The lack of a service has already been missed especially during the races. There have been hundreds of complaints at the Yacht Club from the international community.'' "People all over the Eastern seabord are talking about him leaving,'' Mr.

Buddy Rego said. "It was nice to have him locally in Bermuda and good for the reputation of the Island.'' And competitors in this year's Newport-Bermuda race expressed their regrets at the discontinuation of the service.

"He's done a wonderful job for us over the years,'' said race winner, Dr.

Kaighn Smith, owner and navigator of Gaylark .

"He's the most accurate of them all. If we can get a report from him over the radio, we trust it.'' "I feel quite strongly that because he's an amateur and a sailor he understands our problems much better than the big commercial weather stations.'' "They just don't understand what it's like to be in the Gulf Stream in a small boat. The commercial stations aren't geared to the little guy ... nobody else but him has the little boats at heart.'' "He has put Bermuda in the forefront of weather forecasting in a way. It makes Bermuda a central source for information in terms of Bermuda's image for small boats going to sea.'' And Newport-Bermuda race competitor, Mr. Ted Gaidelis from Padanaran, Mass.

said: "He will be a great loss to Bermuda. What he does is unique. I don't know of anyone else who provides this service.'' According to Mr. Hilgenberg, often 50 or 60 boats would check in with him each day before leaving on a trip. He would then provide information gathered from official reports and boats as far away as Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean to give them a precise idea of weather conditions to expect.

"My only regret is that my equipment is already boxed up so I couldn't give advice to Newport-Bermuda competitors who asked me what the weather would be like for their homeward trips. But I hope that they get back safely,'' he said.