Marion to Bermuda Race NOR now online

by Talbot Wilson on 19 Nov 2008 The provisional Notice of Race for the 2009 Marion to Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race is now on line at http://www.marionbermuda.com. The race starts from Marion Massachusetts with monohulls on June 19th and multi-hulls on 20th. Registration will begin in early December. To get all the up-to-date news, subscribe to the Marion to Bermuda e-newsletter on the web site.

Centered around the islands' 400th Anniversary celebrations, the Bermuda festivities planned for sailors, friends and families start with lighthouse tours and a St. David's Cultural Indian festival on June 20-21st and wrap up on June 27th with the prizegiving at Government House followed by a gala banquet at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club. The 400th Anniversary We are Sailing exhibit presented by the Masterworks Foundation will be a highlight of the week for visitors.

A new Marion to Bermuda blog site, Race Chat on the website menu bar, has been developed to answer questions for both experienced hands and first timers looking for help. Organizers will also be offering a new mentoring system. First timers will be linked with an experienced Marion to Bermuda skipper for one-on-one help and guidance throughout their entry process.

The race structure for 2009 will be very similar to the 2007 race. Boats will sail for a host of prizes under both ORR and IRC rating rule handicaps. Both multihulls and monohulls from 32 to 80 feet on deck are invited to enter. All entries must meet ISAF requirements for a Category 1 race as modified by the NoR and be accepted for invitation by the organizing authority.

Yachts choosing to sail with celestial navigation only will receive a favorable 2% rating credit to their corrected time. They will then compete alongside yachts using electronic navigation for overall prizes. The 2% rating credit reflects the statistical difference between celestial and electronic performance in the past three Marion to Bermuda Races.

Since its inception in 1977, the Marion – Bermuda Race has been a Corinthian event and yachts are accepted by invitation. The spirit of the race is that all yachts and crew are participating for the joy and pleasure of sailing, competition, and the camaraderie that accompanies such an offshore event.

The race provides an opportunity for cruising yachts and amateur crews to participate in an ocean race and a rendezvous in Bermuda. It encourages the development of blue water sailing skills on seaworthy yachts that can be handled safely offshore with limited crew. Yachts may not be entered with an intention of furthering a commercial or trade purpose for captain, crew or sponsor.

The Marion to Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race is organized by The Beverly Yacht Club, The Blue Water Sailing Club and The Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club for the Marion Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race Association.

http://www.marionbermuda.com