Not that he’s bitter or anything, but when Wayne Gillikin committed to sailing the Marion-Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race he thought his friends would be on his crew.

“People from my yacht club were pestering me to do the race,” said Gillikin, a resident of Wayne, New Jersey.

But when push came to shove, he said, “Somebody had to do their hair. Someone else had to rearrange their sock drawer.”

Gillikin, on the other hand, decided to stay in the race, undertaking almost two years of preparation to get his boats and paperwork in order.

“It’s a bucket list thing. I just wanted to do a race to Bermuda,” he said.

Joining a long list of sailors in the race’s 36-year history, Gilikin’s boat, Ellusive, and 36 others set sail from Marion on Friday afternoon for a 645-mile trip to Bermuda.

Founded by David Kingery, a member of Marion’s Beverly Yacht Club with Dickie Bird, of the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club in Bermuda, and Leo Fallon, of the New England-based Blue Water Sailing Club, the race had 104 boats in its inaugural year.

“There’s a large population of people out there that own cruising boats as opposed to racing boats, but who nonetheless still race,” said Allan McLean, executive director of the race. “They clearly tapped into a demand that was out there.”

Since 1977, the event has taken place on alternating years.

Although it is an amateur race, the preparations are anything but. Skippers have to get their boats in almost perfect condition for the journey and must qualify with the stringent rules of the Offshore Racing Association.

“This involves an awful lot of time, an awful lot of money, and resources. It’s a major undertaking for somebody to decide to do it,” said McLean.

In his sixth race this year, Bob Anderson has come in first in his class, last, and everywhere in between. He said the effort is well worthwhile.

“The concept of dong an ocean race is the ultimate,” said Anderson.

The excitement of the trip, he said, is that “a bunch of amateur guys from a local yacht club can get in a boat that is capable of crossing the ocean.”

Crews of two to 11 compete in boats that range from 32 feet to the 112-foot Spirit of Bermuda, an honorary entry.

Although his friends backed out, Gillikin was able to assemble a motley crew composed of a specialist in infectious diseases, a retired paramedic, and an adventurer who once sailed to the Caribbean with no previous experience.

“We don’t know each other, but we’re going to do ok,” said Gillikin.

His priorities? “Number one: to finish. Number two: to keep everyone healthy. Number three: to get the boat there in one piece.”

At the bottom of the list is winning a trophy.

“I want to sail a good race. How we do, we do,” he said.

Depending on the weather and current, boats can take between three days and a week to arrive in Bermuda, where a number of social festivities are planned with family and friends waiting.

“It’s built around camaraderie and being able to get some open ocean experience,” said Allan Minard, who has helped organize the race since 2003.

Proceeds from the race will go to youth sailing programs in New England and Bermuda. Every boat is equipped with a GPS. Track their progress here.