Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 05/04) - While the boating season in the NWT is relatively brief, there's no shortage of watercraft to choose from.

Whether you're looking for a small aluminum boat with an outboard motor to scoot along the shoreline, or massive 24-foot cabin cruiser with a 300 hp engine, the region's dealers can help you out.

"The cross section of boaters is very wide (in the NWT) so we carry lots of different models," said Doug Witty, owner and general manager of Force One in Yellowknife.

Even though the lakes are still frozen and the temperature still dips well below zero, Witty said people have already begun looking at boats.

Lots of people who pass through Witty's showroom are wowed by the luxurious 24-foot Bayliner 245, a behemoth of a motor boat with sleeping space for two, a kitchen and leather upholstery.

"Lots of people are interested, but not that many buy them," said Witty of the $40,000 boat.

But you don't have to spend a year's salary to get onto the water, said Witty.

"For about $1,500 you can have an inflatable boat and a outboard motor."

If you're looking for something in between the two extremes, welded or riveted aluminum boats are a good option, said Donna Lee Jungkind of Kingland Ford in Hay River.

From $15,000 to $24,000

Prices for those boats -- which are anywhere from 15 to 20 feet long -- range anywhere from $15,000 to $24,000, said Jungkind.

And for those who need a boat with a shallow draft (especially helpful in waterways like the Yellowknife River) Kingland offers the Outlaw Jet Boat.

Using a forced water pump instead of an outboard motor, the Outlaw only needs two inches of water and reaches a top speed of nearly 100 mph.

Personal watercraft (commonly known by the brand name Sea Doo) have also benefitted from technological advancements, said Adrien Saulis, general manager of Polar Tech in Yellowknife.

His company is offering the brand new Sea-Doo with a four-stroke engine that puts out 215 horsepower.

The new engine is much more fuel efficient than the old two-stroke version and releases fewer chemicals into the environment said Saulis.

"It's an awesome machine," said Saulis of the $14,000 Sea-Doo.

When it comes to choosing what boat is best for you, dealers say take into account your needs and level of experience.