aWhen the team's major backer is Britain's biggest privately owned computer networking integrator, it is inevitable that PR speak reduces boats to hardware and the crews to software. And when the Chernikeef British Team for the Admirals Cup unveiled their team and put their new 49-footer through its paces for the first time earlier this week on the Solent, there were clear indications that, for the first time in recent years, the nation's top sailors and the team management have set up a golden opportunity to land the prestigious trophy, the world championship of offshore racing, for the first time in a decade.

In contrast to the soap operas of personal agendas, last-minute hiring and firing of boats and crew that have afflicted challenges in recent years, this time they have three competitive boats on the water trialling and tuning two-and-a-half months before the first start gun. Moreover, in the mercenary open market which is top level international sailing, they currently have signed up most of the best young

and established British sailors in the country to sail in British colours.

They must maximise their time on the water between now and the first start gun to ensure the software and hardware integrate harmoniously to provide a smooth running machine capable of defeating some of the best sailors and boats in the world when the event takes place this July.

World No.2 match racer Chris Law, who will skipper the mid-sized boat, Arbitrator, said: ''At least this time we're already in the game. In the past we've always been playing catch-up. Now we've got the boats which I feel can be competitive. I am not saying we can go out and win, and there will be some very good opposition, but we have a good chance and there is a lot that can be achieved over the next few months.''

One key component is the building of the brand new Venture 99, the 49-footer which will fit into the IMS big-boat category. Crucially, it represents the latest thinking of Bruce Farr, who designed all the leading Whitbread Round the World Race boats, more recently the New York Yacht Club's Young America for the Americas Cup and the first Farr-designed IMS 50-footer to be launched in two years.

The hi-tech all carbon fibre boat went through its paces alongside Chernikeeff, an older Farr 50 which has been the team's training and selection boat for the past eight months, and met with the universal acclaim of her crew and co-owners and chartering owner.

On board this boat for the first

trials, I was struck by the confident mix of youth and experience of the Venture crew. The team aboard are already linked by many miles of competitive sailing. There is little doubt they will be one of Britain's more cohesive units.

The new boat will be steered by primary helm Neal McDonald, 33, who has a huge range of successes from International 14 World Champion in 1989, Seoul Olympics in 1988, to being acknowledged as the best helm aboard the Whitbread racer Silk Cut, with 1996 Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker, 29, as tactician, a role he performed on Britain's Mumm 36 in the last Admirals Cup when they were top boat in the class.

Securing his services is a coup since he has sailed with the Italians since 1997. Navigator will be Steve Hayles, 25, who sailed on Silk Cut alongside McDonald. Andy Hemmings, 34, has done two Admirals Cups and sailed on Bradamante with Walker. Another of Venture 99s crew is Simon Fry, 33, who last year teamed up with Walker to win the Melges 24 World Championships. Scot George Skoudas, who sailed at the last Olympics with Glyn Charles, who was lost on the ill-fated Sydney-Hobart race last year, is a key selection working the halyards at the mast.

Another key player secured ahead of possible international interest is 37-year-old Guy Barron, who is crew co-ordinator for the team, and who has competed in five consecutive Admirals Cups, including sailing for the Americans on the top boat in the 1995 event, No Problem.

Meanwhile, maverick Law will be out to prove he can carry off a central role as a team player from the early stages of the programme right through to the event itself.

Harold Cudmore, who chaired the initial steering group which masterminded the blueprint for this year's British campaign, confirmed there is no place for highly experienced Olympic bronze medallist Lawrie Smith in this British team.

''We had to say 'no'. Based on his recent performance he is not good enough,'' Cudmore confirmed. His Silk Cut campaign ultimately failed to deliver the desired result, and, more recently, he got back in a Soling to race at top level again and couldn't cut it with the best. ''We've gone for many of the best younger sailors in Britain, but they have some way to go. With no Americas Cup sailing, for example, we are now no longer up there with the very best, but we should be competitive.''

While initial trials for the new boat have confirmed that the boat sails close to the design predictions which should make it competitive, the irony of having a boat which is designed to a rule which favours Farr, like other top designers, actually reducing the stability of the boat in order to gain a more favourable handicap, was graphically illustrated when the older boat regularly showed bursts of better speed and stability than her new counterpart.

Respected rules and rating expert Hugh Welbourn, who watched both boats this week, suggested: ''It is

pretty daft, really. What any handicapping rules should be favouring are simple speed, safety, and stability. An owner spending this kind of money should be allowed to expect to have simply the fastest boat around.''