Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jun 19/98) - Stanley Carpenter lifts his protective face mask after cutting metal with a blow torch and he positions the newly-cut rod against the houseboat he stands beside.

"Nice day," Carpenter says while fluffy, cotton clouds waft by above.

For about 15 years, Carpenter has fixed rudders, bearings, broken ramps -- basically any metal work that gets damaged on boats.

For more than 10 years that has meant working on the Arctic Red River and Peel River ferries.

And he has taken experience gained from about 10 years at Bob's Welding to start his own company, Beaufort Welding, about a year and a half ago.

"We're still not in the phone book," he says of his company which gains customers through word of mouth.

"But this is the busy time of year -- spring and summer. In winter I work on Ski-doos but not as much."

Carpenter has lived in Inuvik, off and on, all his life. Though he was born in Sachs Harbour, he went to school in Inuvik's Stringer Hall.

Outside work, he likes hunting and trapping and there is nothing he likes more than going out boating, though he does not get out on the water much.

"I like travelling," he says.

Before embarking on what has turned out to be a career in welding, Carpenter worked in mines.

But as the Inuvik summer sun creates beautiful sunny days, Carpenter gets to be near the water while enjoying the outside.