Spence Bay (Sep 11/06) - A widow is smiling and a man who loved the water has a boat named for him.

Taloyoak residents gathered on Aug. 29 to remember Pat Lyall, and to rename a tugboat in his honour.

Most of Lyall's family made the trip to Taloyoak for the ceremony.

The MV Kitikmeot - a Northern Transport Company Limited (NTCL) ship - was rechristened the Pat Lyall MV.

Leah Lyall - Pat's widow - was the one to break the champagne bottle over the bow of the boat. It broke on the first try.

"It worked out very well. The bottle had an etching in it," said Lyall. "He would have been very proud, big chested."

Pat Lyall died from a heart attack last year, and his widow thinks a boat named for him is a fitting tribute.

"He loved boating. Now he will be sailing every year," she said.

"We all know Pat Lyall loved boating it was very pleasing to see," said Taloyoak Mayor Jimmy Oleekatalik. He was on hand for the launch and for the feast that followed.

"The feast turned out very good. I'm happy to say I cooked," said Oleekatalik.

The mayor has fond memories of Lyall, and sees him as leaving big shoes to fill.

"I was recreation co-ordinator when he was working here. To me, as mayor, he left a big task for me to fill," said Oleekatalik. One of the many roles Lyall played was as a member of the board of directors for NTCL.

Leah Lyall listened to the speeches and learned some new things about her late husband.

"He helped to build NTCL, and he did a lot of things. I didn't know how much he did for business. For us, it was a private home life," she said.

She walked through the boat, and admired a portrait that was commissioned by NTCL.

"It's nice. His name is all over it, and they have his picture there. The painting is at the school right now, and then it will be at home," said Lyall.

Mayor Oleekatalik sees the launch as an important day in the history of his hamlet.

"It was a great historic day for Taloyoak. We knew it was an event, but we didn't expect such a great crowd," said Oleekatalik.