DANYLO HAWALESHKA

The sales pitch goes something like this: it's a quiet summer morning, no hint of a breeze, and the lake is as flat as glass, ideal for water-skiing. But the two guys who said they would drive the boat and spot for you don't show, leaving you marooned on the dock. Enter the Solo Personal Ski Machine, a remote-controlled jet ski developed and launched last month by Solo Watersports Inc. of Bellevue, Wash. Built by Shuttle Craft Canada Inc. in Saskatoon and exported to the United States, the Solo is churning up a wake of protest over its safety among U.S. critics, and its use (though not its sale) is illegal in Canada. "Legislators," says Robin Sells, Watersports' vice-president of marketing, "have been trying to kibosh us."

Even so, he says, the $10,000 device is legal in 40 U.S. states, and is sold through U.S. dealers and the company's Web page (www.solowatersports.com). It is powered by a 70-horsepower engine, controlled by buttons on the tow handle that start and stop the motor, adjust speed and direction, and sound a horn. Letting go of the handle kills the engine, as does a wipeout. A red flag on the Solo automatically pops up to signal a downed skier.

The controversy centres on whether water-skiers can see far enough ahead to avoid swimmers, divers or partially submerged logs. According to Sells, Solo's design offers "great visibility." Still, the company is now testing a bow-mounted radar system that will, when it detects an obstacle, shut off the engine, and a remote retrieval system to allow a fallen skier to restart the craft. Both devices are due by September.

While buying a Solo and bringing it into Canada is legal, the Canada Shipping Act prohibits a person from being towed by a remote-controlled craft. Offenders face a $100 fine, says Canadian Coast Guard official Jean Pontbriand. He acknowledges that with tens of thousands of lakes in Canada, many isolated, it may be difficult to catch offenders. But Pontbriand has a warning: while police can't be everywhere, they will respond to complaints from angry neighbours.

COOL SITES

Play ball, ya bum!

With the baseball season in progress, fans may want to brush up on a few choice epithets at www.heckledepot.com. The site offers hundreds of insults -- "Flip over the plate and read the directions!" -- and also rates spectators. Montrealers rank last ("A bunch of no-shows. Probably because there is no hockey puck on the field"). The site offers team rosters and player salaries, too -- all the better to heckle with.