WATERWISE LAUNCHES 2ND YEAR WITH PATHFINDER "CHILKOOT TRAIL" STYLE AND VERSATILITY

Boating experts from the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons and the Addiction Research Foundation carried out their second season of delivering water safety messages to Ontario boaters this past summer and fall.

The Labatt WaterWise Boat Pro Campaign, designed to educate boaters and save lives on Ontario waterways, was launched from Metro's Marine Dispatch Unit at Queen's Quay West in Toronto.

From then until the end of the boating season, two highly trained and experienced boat operators (Steve Galang and Jackie Keeling) will tour waterfront facilities throughout the province in a new Chilkoot Trail edition of the popular Nissan Pathfinder. They will be towing a unique trailer system with an 18-foot boat and two personal watercraft (PWC).

"Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death in Ontario," notes Max Wickens, Nissan Canada's manager of corporate and product communications. "Nissan Canada is committed to the WaterWise program because of our concern for the safety of all Canadians. With the huge increase in the number of personal water crafts on our waterways, there is now even more need for programs like this to address the safety issue."

In the first year of the program, Pathfinder proved its reliability and versatility to the team.

"It's the ideal vehicle for us," said WaterWise team member Steve Galang. "It can comfortably carry the team and all our luggage and equipment and still haul a trailer with our two PWCs and boat into even the most remote waterfront locations."

The uniquely Canadian Chilkoot Trail edition Pathfinder, which replaces last year's hot-selling Klondike special edition, is powered by a husky 3.3-litre V6 engine. It is so well equipped that the only option offered is an automatic transmission.

The special edition sport utility, priced at $32,998., features distinctive silver exterior trim and accents, including wheels, step-rail, bumpers, tape stripes and Chilkoot Trail logo.