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Newport Bermuda Race Overview
Getting Started
This overview will help prospective race entrants to review and engage in the process of preparing to sail in the next “Thrash to the Onion Patch.”
This article provides an overview of the steps to take to enter and compete in the Newport Bermuda Race and provides links to detailed articles on each step. You will likely work on some areas at the same time, such as crew selection and boat preparation, but if you’re not sure where to start, take them in order here, and take advantage of the assistance available as questions arise.
Boats and Divisions
Many sailors already have the right boat for the Newport Bermuda Race. Many monohulls qualify if they are at least 33 feet, have a reasonable stability screening measurement, self-draining cockpits and are not equipped with foils that lift the boat clear of the water. Most races have seven or eight divisions of boats, which actually represent several races within the race. Choosing your division will connect with a series of related decisions such as sailor classification, boat type, and sails needed.
Most boats race in one of the four divisions below, but there are also divisions for multihulls, superyachts, open class, and spirit of tradition boats.
St. David’s Lighthouse Division
This division has conventional, multi-purpose cruiser-racer monohulls sailed by amateur or mostly amateur crews. It is the largest division, close to 100 boats and has limits on number of professional sailors aboard. Only amateurs are allowed to steer.
Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division
This division is for all-out racing, typically lightweight and high-performance boats often sailed by professional crews, who may steer.
Finisterre
Cruiser
Division
This division is for boats that normally cruise and are sailed by mostly amateur crews, with only amateur helmsmen.
Double-
Handed
Division
If you want to race with a total crew of two, this is your division. One crew may be a professional and steer.
Crew selection; Bermuda and back
Choosing your crew is critical to your success and safety and enjoyment of the Newport Bermuda Race. To qualify for the race, your crew must include enough experienced sailors. The race’s rules also limit the participation of professionals in the St. David’s Lighthouse, Finisterre and Double-Handed divisions, which clearly links your choices of division to the makeup of your crew.
Don’t forget that the Newport Bermuda Race involves a “round trip” and that the delivery segment of the race must be planned carefully as well. For an excellent introduction to an experienced skipper’s thinking on this process, read Round-Trip Preparation, Bermuda and Back, by Sheila McCurdy.
Crew safety training
At a minimum, according to the rules for the 2022 race, 30 percent of crewmembers including the skipper of “person in charge,” must have completed an “International Offshore Safety at Sea with Hands-on Training course.” Seminars to obtain certification are held roughly every quarter by the Cruising Club of America, as well as by other race organizations, and certificates are valid for the next three Newport Bermuda Races before needing renewal. This video with Mark Lenci, safety leader in charge of coordinating the CCA seminars for the race, shows scenes from recent seminars and explains theory and practice of safety training.
Prepped to sail offshore
When you enter your boat in the Newport Bermuda Race, you must pass a safety inspection to demonstrate that you have fulfilled the requirements of the Newport Bermuda Race Safety Regulations (NBRSRs). There are separate regulations for monohulls and multihulls, available in the "Safety Inspections" section of the Official Noticeboard.
The inspection process is a valuable learning exercise for first-timers and an excellent preparation milestone for all entered in the race.
Trusted advisors
The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee has set up an Ambassador program staffed by race volunteers who have long experience preparing boats to compete. Read more about it on the Ambassador program page, and request that an ambassador local to you be assigned to assist you by contacting [email protected].
Boat measurement and handicapping
Every boat in the Newport Bermuda Race must have an Offshore Racing Rule certificate, which allows its performance to be handicapped relative to other boats of different speed potential. If you don’t already have a certificate, your boat will need to be professionally measured to complete your ORR application. Read more about the ORR and why it has been used for many years in the race.
Special Awards
There are Five “Special Entry” competitions for boats racing to Bermuda in 2018. These require completion of a separate Special Entry form in addition to general Race entry. An indication of intention on Race Entry is not sufficient. To qualify a Special Entry form must be completed.
Offshore Email Address Submission
While the race is underway, the race committee will release announcements and rhumbline forecast from Commanders Weather twice a day (usually around 0800 and 1800).
Messages are released by three formats:
- low-bandwidth web page: www.bermudaraceadmin.com/notices.txt (note the ‘admin’ in url)
- By voicemail by dialing (+1) 401- 849- 3129.
- By email to addresses entered in the SailGate system and any submitted using the form below.
Remember to add the email addresses [email protected] and [email protected] to your safe senders list, especially if you use Gmail which may filter the race committee’s emails as promotional. To unsubscribe, follow the instructions at the bottom of the email you receive.
Get Social: Become an onboard reporter
As the start nears, all yachts are invited to designate an on-board media contact so our team can share your race-prep stories, blog posts and social media content with the race’s global audience.
Please send us your media contact information, blogs, and social media handles by emailing [email protected] or by submitting to our media form.
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