Yellowknife (May 12/03) - As the ice on nearby lakes begins to melt, boat owners are itching to hit the water and enjoy their hobby despite a short summer season.

Boating is gaining in popularity in the area, what with so many lakes available. But up here, it isn't as easy as buying a boat and putting it in the water.

Doug Witty, owner of local boat and snowmobile retailer Force One and organizer of the annual boat show, explained what boaters should know before hitting the lakes -- and once they're out there.

News/North: What are the boating opportunities around? Doug Witty: There are many places to go boating here in the North. We have small lakes and larger ones like Great Slave Lake. I wouldn't recommend going out on Slave Lake to a beginner though.

N/N: Why not?

DW: You have to get used to boating. You should develop your skills on smaller lakes, get used to being on a boat and on water. Great Slave Lake has a lot of variables: cold water, wind, rocks. It's not an easy lake to navigate.

N/N: What should someone do before taking a boat out on a lake?

DW: You have to make sure you are prepared. Make sure you have your life preservers, enough fuel to last the whole trip and reserves in case you're confronted with unexpected situations. You should let someone know where you are going and when you will be back. You can leave that information with the RCMP too.

N/N: Making sure you let them know when you do come back, right?

DW: Right. We should also mention that it is illegal to consume alcohol on boats. It's basically the same rules as driving a car. The driver can't drink, nor can the passengers.

N/N: What about safety once you're out on the water? Do you need to take any courses?

DW: Not in the Northwest Territories. However, for anyone who buys a boat from us, we'll go down to the water with them and spend a couple of hours going through everything. The coast guard has a good reference guide that has important information. Reading the owner's manual is also a very good idea. The more you know about your boat and boating in general before hitting the water the more you'll enjoy yourself.

N/N: What about maintenance?

DW: It's best to start the season with a spring check-up, similar to a spring tune-up on your car, checking that everything is in working order. Up here, boaters should know a lot about maintenance. We don't have marinas at every turn so owners have to be much more self-reliant. It's a good idea to have auxiliary power, a second propeller and a good set of tools. There are a few more precautions to take here in order to have a more enjoyable trip.

N/N: What kind of precautions?

DW: You should check the weather before leaving, that's an important factor. Fuel is also very important. It's good to know your way around the lake you'll be on too. A marine environment is very different; you should take the time to learn about where you are going.

N/N: Anything else?

DW: It's a good idea to have survival gear. The water temperature isn't very warm even in the summer - about 12 C. The air temperature on the water isn't very warm either.

N/N: Now that we know how to boat, what kind of boats are we looking at?

DW: There are a variety of boats out there, from kayaks to 40-foot yachts. There are also different makes, different models and different building materials used. We have kevlar, aluminum, fibre glass. There are even some people who have homemade wooden boats. I've seen lobster boats up here even. There's a real hodgepodge of boats out there.

N/N: What are the more popular ones out there?

DW: I would say that up here, the most popular ones are the 14 to 20 footer powerboats.

N/N: So how do you choose?

DW: It depends on what you want to do. Boating is a very personal activity. There is no perfect boat for everyone. There are lots of factors that need to be addressed for you to decide what boat is right for you.

N/N: What kinds of activities are possible once you're out on the water?

DW: There is a little bit of everything. Some go out just to enjoy nature and being out on a boat. Others go fishing while others prefer water-skiing and other water sports. But with the cold water, it's a good idea to have a wetsuit for those, although I know some people who don't use them.

N/N: But with such a short summer, can you get that much boating in?

DW: Actually, because of the length of the days, you can get as much as in the south. And the fact that the lakes are at our doorstep helps. You can grab your boat once work is over and head out to a lake and stay out there almost until midnight.

N/N: So how long does the season stretch out?

DW: The season will start about June 1st and end around September 1st. If we're lucky, we can sometimes get out during the May long weekend. I'll even go out until Thanksgiving sometimes, but you sometimes have to break a bit of ice by then.

N/N: So you have to take advantage while you can.

DW: Exactly. If you let the nice weather pass you by and don't take advantage of every opportunity you get, then you may miss out.

N/N: We've basically talked about powerboats but can you also sail up here?

DW: Oh yeah. We have quite an active sailing club here actually.

N/N: So Yellowknife and the North is a pretty good place for boating then?

DW: We've got lots of lakes to choose from, beautiful areas to go to.

What we are missing though is a good boat launch off Great Slave Lake here in Yellowknife.

Other smaller communities on the lake have better facilities than we do.