Cancer is a cruel disease but for the crew of Onerahi's Daniel Mann and his R 'n' B crewmen it was a motivating factor in their division three line honours and handicap win in the PIC Insurance Brokers Coastal Classic late last month.
Mann and his crew dedicated their surprisewin, after three attempts, to sponsor and friend Ray Roberts who is fighting cancer.
Mann said their win in last weekend's race from Auckland to the Bay of Islands should not have happened as they were a small boat compared with their competitors.
"It was just really good to beat those bigger boats," Mann said.
"It wasn't our conditions to beat them so we shouldn't have.
"We definitely entered to win but started out in not our conditions so we kind of wrote the race off, but we fought pretty hard and hung in there.
"There were quite trying conditions, then off Whangarei the wind changed to be southwest and got some good speeds."
Mann, who has owned the 8.7m R 'n' B for three years, said the win was made even sweeter due to being the smallest boat out of almost 30 in the division.
He said that their win would not have been possible if it was not for the help given to him by the Riverside Marina and Onerahi Yacht Club as well as Karl, Ray, Paella and Phil from Doyles Camping and Outdoor in Whangarei.
Mann challenged more Northlanders to get behind the Coastal Classic, saying it was a great event and the more boats involved the better.
Also competing in this year's event was Cotton Blossom II of the Kerikeri Cruising Club, owned by Doug France, winning the Russell Trophy for being the first Bay of Islands monohull in on handicap, Olympic silver medallist Blair Tuke crewing on V5, a TP52 owned by David Nathan, and veteran Kerikeri sailor Ray Haslar on Te Kaha.
Another notable entry from Northland was Kafoozalum from Whangarei, skippered by 16-year-old Shaun Armstrong from Whangarei Boys' High School.
