A CELESTIAL OPPORTUNITY still exists for participants in the 1997 Marion-Bermuda Race. Although race sponsors have changed the rules to allow use of electronic position finders such as GPS, they are still offering a 3% “celestial bonus” for participants agreeing to confine their navigation routine to the sun, moon, planets, and stars for the bulk of the race.
The next race begins just outside the harbor of Marion, Mass., on Buzzard’s Bay, on Friday, June 20, 1997. The 20-year-old ORC Category 1 race will end at a designated finish line near St. David’s Head in Bermudan waters.
At press time it looks as though Ocean Navigator will be sponsoring a trophy for first boat to finish in this celestial class, although we are still working out details with the Marion-Bermuda Race Committee. The Marion race traditionally attracts some of the best sailing celestial navigators in the country. Hopefully with this new racing category it will continue to do so. The first Marion-Bermuda Race, organized by David Kingery of the Beverly Yacht Club, was held in 1977 with 104 starters crossing the line.
