Seventeen Newport Bermuda Race Inspectors gathered at Brewer Pilots Point Marina in Westbrook, CT on Sunday, September 8 for the first inspector training seminar before the next Bermuda Race, which starts on June 20, 2014.

Led by Chief Inspector John Winder, the group reviewed the race’s equipment and safety regulations and conducted mock inspections of two boats that have competed in previous Bermuda races. Inspectors from as far away as Maryland and New Hampshire went through the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations and also the proposed U.S. Safety Equipment Regulations, which are being considered by U.S. Sailing as a simplified alternative to the longer and more comprehensive ISAF rules. For more information, see http://offshore.ussailing.org.

Said Chief Inspector Winder, “Like all sailors, the Bermuda Race Organizing Committee takes safety seriously. We require every entry to undergo inspection, no matter how many races she's sailed.  Because rules change and we're always learning new lessons, it's important that we be up to date. That's why the Newport Bermuda Race sponsors training seminars for our inspectors, all of whom donate their time for this good cause."

In the afternoon, the group spent time discussing common inspection questions aboard Brigand, a Nelson Marek 50 owned by Sean Saslo and Janet Riesman, and Carina, Rives Potts’ 48-foot McCurdy and Rhodes sloop.

For more about Newport Bermuda Race inspection, including a list of inspectors, see http://bermudarace.com/entry/inspection-requirements.