At last count, there were 59 boats entered in this year's biennial Transpacific Yacht Race that will have its first of four staggered starts in Los Angeles on July 1.

And I'm sure the owner of each boat has a story worth telling regarding their entry in this historic 2,225-mile race.

But I think I can safely say that the crew of a 35-foot sloop entered in the double-handed division, aptly named Two Guys on the Edge, has one of the most heart-warming stories.

Dan Doyle, a Honolulu businessman and past commodore of the Waikiki Yacht Club, is the owner of the boat. His lone crew member is Bruce Burgess, who also lives and works on O`ahu. Both men are very experienced in sailing the tradewinds to and in Hawai`i.

In fact, this will be the fourth Transpac start for Two Guys on the Edge. Doyle and another crewman, Patrick Rogers, began the race in 1997, but they had to drop out soon after the start because of a broken rudder.

Then, in 1999, Doyle entered the boat and subsequently found he couldn't break free from business obligations.Two Guys raced anyway -- and won its division -- but it did it without its owner.

So in 2001, Doyle returned to race Transpac swearing nothing would stop him from doing it this time.

And, perhaps for good luck, Doyle decided to add someone to his crew.

She was 12-year-old Natalie Frazier from Mililani -- a leukemia survivor -- who was listed as an honorary crew member with the hope that it would raise both awareness and funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

During the race, Two Guys kept Natalie "aboard" by checking in with her by satellite telephone. Not surprisingly, when the boat finished in first place in the double-handed division, Natalie became one of the most interviewed "crew members" on Transpac Row.

For this year's race, Doyle will again be attempting to raise awareness and donations for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with Natalie "aboard."

But she will be joined by another honorary crew member, world-class sailor and ESPNcommentator Gary Jobson.

As you may have heard, Jobson was diagnosed with lymphoma in April. And although he had had no prior personal or family connection to blood cancers, ironically, Jobson had been the chairman of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Volvo Leukemia Cup Regattas -- a series of 45 fund-raising yachting events -- since 1993.

"By sailing on Jobson's and Natalie's behalf, it is our hope to raise at least $10,000 between Bruce and I," Doyle said, "and then look to the other Transpac participants and the sailing community at large for additional donations."

Also, because there has never been an official Transpac trophy for the double-handed division, Doyle helped create the First-Corrected-Time Double-Handed Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Gary Jobson Perpetual trophy.

"We are inviting everyone to assist us by asking friends, family and co-workers to support Two Guys on the Edge in our effort to provide funding to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for its search for cures for blood-related cancers and for improving the quality of life of patients and their families."

You can send donations to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 680 Iwilei Rd., Suite 675, Honolulu, HI 96817, or call (808) 534-1222.