WHILE the Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club's four-day Rendezvous extravaganza of sailing, sun, sundowners and socialising is plenty of fun, it also requires a boatload of work.

As vessels begin convening this week for the event, founder Ken Thackeray said the support from sponsors had been "quite significant”.

"It's a lot of fun, but there's a lot of work in it as well. And we mostly want to provide a great time for everyone as they come together,” he said.

Mr Thackeray said Charter Yachts Australia had donated a first prize bonanza for this year's main raffle, to be drawn on Saturday night. The first prize will be a $5000 Whitsunday holiday on a luxury catamaran, and there will be 30 other prizes given away.

General manager of major sponsor Abell Point Marina, Luke McCaul, said the Rendezvous was a great initiative that had grown from an initial idea to create a vast cruising network for people on the water.

"It's a virtual club and Rendezvous gives everyone a sense of belonging,” Mr McCaul said.

"It's grown from a handful of boats to more than 200 boats. The camaraderie of this network of people that congregates to celebrate and enjoy the idea of being on the water is unbelievable.”

Mr McCaul said adopting the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia as a benefactor was important for men, especially in a country of blokes who often took on board the national attitude of "she'll be right”.

Abell Point Marina supports the fleet with special deals, free parking for the group's courtesy cars, and donations for the auction.

"For us it's about making sure the awareness about prostate cancer grows, that more money is raised for prostate cancer research, and to encourage people to come and visit Abell Point Marina,” Mr McCaul said.

Oceanic Marine Risks - specialist marine insurance brokers - operations manager Lizzie Wickham said the company donated money to the event each year, and also organised boating insurance for the club, with the commissions going to fundraising for the prostate cancer cause.

"We're marine insurance brokers so we're heavily involved in the marine industry and we really love what Ken's created, which is a huge supportive community of boaters,” Ms Wickham said.

She said the network of "Shaggers” was an effective communication and support system.

"We help them a lot with their Blue Water Cruising insurance, which is for when they leave Australian waters,” she said.

Ms Wickham said many of the group's members were retired, and had bought boats for travelling.

She said members met up with each other across Europe and in Thailand among other destinations, and used radio contact to keep in touch, help each other out when in trouble, and share information.

"From a safety perspective, pretty much wherever they are, they can find someone to help them if they need.”

Ms Wickham said the network had been useful after Cyclone Debbie in March this year, when sailors were able to warn each other of danger spots or unsafe areas in the region.

Other sponsors for this year's Rendezvous include Llewellyn Motors, Quantum Sails, Montes Reef Resort, Cumberland Charter Yachts, The Boat Works, Hogs Breath Australia ,Yellow Cabs Redlands, Cruising Helmsman, Scarborough Marina, Boat Works Coomera, Boats Gold Coast, and Cape Gloucester Resort.