Roger Beach and co-helmsman Jeff Bennett are on the final leg of the 24th Marion Bermuda Race and are looking forward to sipping some Dark ‘n’ Stormys once they are back on land.

At last check, the duo were sixth in Class A and tenth in line honours and are 188 nautical miles from the finish line off St David’s Lighthouse, travelling at just over 3 knots after a busy night of searching for favourable breeze.

“It was a long night with four different headsail changes as conditions shifted,” Beach, the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club commodore, told The Royal Gazette.

“It never quite seemed to go our way, but that’s yacht racing and Jeff and I took it in good humour. We are searching for the breeze and looking forward to a Dark ‘n’ Stormy in the near future.”

The duo ticked another box in the 645-nautical mile race after crossing the unpredictable Gulf Stream, which significantly impacts weather patterns, particularly along the US East Coast and Europe.

“We made it through in fairly clear skies and calm seas; cracking night skies and blood red moon rises,” Beach said. “We are both enjoying the freedom of the open ocean and luxuries of freeze-dried food.”

The race debutants are Bermuda’s sole entry in the biennial event and are competing double-handed for the first time.

The double-handed division, allowing boats to race with just two crew members, is a new addition to the race and features a celestially navigated class and an electronically navigated class, in which Beach and Bennett are competing.

The duo, who have also participated in the Newport Bermuda Race together on Paul Hubbard’s Bermuda Oyster, are competing on the chartered Jeanneau Sunfast 3300, Avalon, which at 33ft is the smallest boat in the race.

Pike Severance’s 50ft yacht, Redwood, continues to set the pace in the battle for line and Class A honours.