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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

This craft sale rides a wave of enthusiasm

Mid-Canada Boat Show stirs visions of summer fun

By: Oliver Sachgau

Posted: 03/2/2013 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Photos by TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ABOVE: A couple browses the shiny new boats during the 2013 Mid-Canada Boat Show at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on Friday. ABOVE RIGHT: Noah Chartrand gets behind the wheel as he and his brother, Banx check out the 22-foot fish and ski pontoon boat their parents just bought.

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TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Even though there's still snow on the ground, a weekend at the lake was on most people's minds at the Mid-Canada Boat Show.

The Winnipeg Convention Centre was filled with pontoons, wakeboards and even kayaks for the four-day show, which gives landlubbers a chance to see the newest in marine machines, show manager Jim Flood said.

"It gives them a chance to show their products, but it also gives the customers the chance to shop and compare right at one place," he said.

The show is also one of the biggest opportunities for companies and dealers looking to sell, said Jeff Snowdon, sales manager at Rond's Marine.

"We do other shows, but as far as shows for the public, this is the biggest. We will do a good number of boats here, but there will be spinoff that will get people purchasing boats from us for the rest of the season," he said.

Sarah Stewart attended the show with her family and said they have been at the show many times before.

"We've been coming for years just to look around and dream about having a boat," she said.

She said they decided to buy a boat this year after lots of thinking and dreaming in previous years. The show allowed her to see the different boats first-hand. Though she originally wanted a ski-and-surf boat, they eventually settled on a pontoon that would allow her extended family to go with them.

"I've never been on a pontoon, and so for me I wasn't even considering it, and when we got here I got to see how it would work for our family," she said.

Boats were not the only craft on display. Barry Morwick was there to show off his ultralight airplanes, which are small planes that don't require pilots to have a full licence.

Morwick said the show is great for him to gain exposure about his business and hang-gliding in Manitoba.

"All year we hear people saying 'Oh, we saw you at the boat show,' " he said.

"A lot of people don't know there's hang-gliding and ultralight flying so close to Winnipeg and this gives them the opportunity to start dreaming about flying."

The show runs till Sunday, and if the visitors are any indication, should continue making a splash.

oliver.sachgau@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 2, 2013 B2

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