by PATRICK LEJTENYI

There are a few places around Montreal where the motivated kayaker can go (whitewater on the Rouge River, for instance, or on L'Achigan, both in the Laurentians) but, for squirt boaters, they aren't needed. A pond will do, or even a backyard pool. Anywhere where there's a bit of water to call your own, a squirt boater will find happiness.

Squirt boating goes beyond freestyle kayaking, and involves a lot of twisting, turning, verticals and what's called "the mystery move," or "downtime," whereby a squirt boater submerges himself underwater and shoots downstream, popping above water anywhere from 20 to 40 feet away. It's kayaking taken to another level.

The boat itself is customized around the owner's body, eliminating excess volume. Because of the boat's relatively light weight, this allows for a more technical approach, although it does take a fair amount of physical strength to execute a lot of the moves.

"Squirt boating tends to be male-dominated because a lot of power is required," says 23-year-old Brendan Mark, current world squirt champion and squirt instructor at Liquid Skills, an Ottawa River-based kayaking school. "It gives you a pretty good workout. Squirting is mostly about abs, balancing, upper body and obliques. You have to be strong because squirting is so responsive. You don't have that stabilizing effect you do in normal kayaking."

The beauty of squirt boating, Mark says, is its accessibility. It can be done just about anywhere, the only requirement being a certain water depth, because a lot of the fun takes place beneath the surface. It's also not super-expensive: a fiberglass-polyester-kevlar boat made in Canada (there's only one company in the country Mark knows of - Murky Water Paddling Supply - that makes them, and only two in the States) costs about $1,300. It can also be customized with graphics for that cool individual look. "You can be as creative as you want," he says. "And a glass boat lasts forever. You can always fix it up, and you don't need to upgrade it."

The accessories are pretty limited, he says. "It's not that dangerous a sport. All you need is a custom skirt [the liner that seals the rider into the boat], a paddle and a helmet. A lifejacket is definitely optional."

Squirt boating machismo? No, he says. "You can't do downtime with a lifejacket."

Mark says that because squirt boating is such a low-maintenance sport, it can be done almost anywhere in almost any weather. "It's how I stay in shape over the winter," he says. "You don't need any space. It's really cool because usually for kayaking you require specific times and spaces. Quebec is ideal for it because there are so many lakes. Basically, you just need something deep, so you don't have to worry about rocks."

For more information on squirt boating, or to take lessons, visit www.liquidskills.com. To view or order your personal squirt boat, visit www.murkywaterkayak.com