The people who inhabit the landlocked Prairies sure like their boats.
Visit any park that’s built around a lake and it will be hard to miss the sound of roaring motors.
The boats are everywhere, whether their operators and passengers are looking for the perfect fishing spot, giving skiers a lift or simply enjoying the unique sensation created by wind and water.
These boats are a far cry from what I remember as a kid in the 1960s and 1970s. According to a recent perusal of online “boats for sale” listings, today’s motorboats come with sound systems, ice boxes, driver seat heaters, backup cameras and something called “sport dash w/rotary joystick and wireless charging stations.”
Read Also
Late season rainfall creates concern about Prairie crop quality
Praying for rain is being replaced with the hope that rain can stop for harvest. Rainfall in July and early August has been much greater than normal.
However, none of the listings I looked at featured missile launchers, more’s the pity. Imagine the trouble you could get into with one of those bad boys strapped to the bow while cruising your nearest prairie lake.
To get your hands on one of those, however, you’re going to need a slight upgrade from motorboat to super yacht.
Russian oligarchs have been in the news lately as western countries furious about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine add them to their sanctions list.
Super yachts have also been in the news because seizing as many oligarch-owned assets as possible has been a favourite pastime of said western countries. And super yachts have been one of the favourite targets as the oligarchs frantically move their giant boats to friendlier ports.
Their very name gives one a pretty good idea of their size, but you have to dive into the details to get a true picture of what we’re talking about.
The grand prize of the oligarch-owned super yachts is one of two behemoths belonging to Roman Abramovich, the Russian gazillionaire who made his fortune in the 1990s by picking up a state-owned oil company for peanuts after the fall of the Soviet Union. You may have heard of him in his role as owner of a Premier League football club in England.
Called the Eclipse, it’s the second longest yacht in the world at 162.5 metres.
It has two helicopter pads, 24 guest cabins, two swimming pools, several hot tubs, a disco hall and a mini-submarine.
Oh yeah, and don’t forget the missile detection system and missile launchers.
Now, that’s a boat.
