Always thought you'd look good in a captain's hat? Give model boating a spin. Al Bickford, commodore of the Edina Model Yacht Club ( www.emyc.org ), suggests Hub Hobby (6410 Penn Av. S., Richfield, 612-866-9575) for veterans and novices; kits tend to run $45 and up. Or watch the club run boats at Centennial Lakes park in Edina every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evening. The annual Lighthouse Night will be held there on Aug. 9. With more than 100 members, the fleet should be impressive.
Loving the water means lending a hand to save it, too. The Friends of the Mississippi River clean and maintain the river's watershed area. Next on the agenda? The group will be tending the prairie in St. Paul's Crosby Park from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. While many of the volunteer opportunities may not be on the water itself, volunteers can take pride in knowing that they've helped keep the mighty river healthy. Register or check out upcoming events at www.fmr.org .
Floating along
Families with a sense of adventure have plenty of time to register for the Mississippi River Challenge , July 26-27. Participants can paddle 22 or 44 miles down the Mississippi to raise money for the Friends of the Mississippi River and enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery the area has to offer. Rentals are $30 per person for a canoe or kayak and $60 for a double kayak. To register, go to www. mississippiriverchallenge.org .
Pick up a parasol and your best gal (or guy) to beat the heat in an oh-so-classic way. Pedal boat and canoe rentals are available at plenty of places around the cities, including Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, Como Lake and Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington. Prices range from $12 to $16 per hour, and all rentals include life jackets. Just remember to reserve enough strength to paddle back to your starting point.
Try something different this summer: stand-up paddling , a growing water-sport imported from Hawaii. Paddlers perch themselves atop a surfboard and use a single paddle to move across the water's surface. This fresh activity hones your balance and tones your muscles, plus it gives the illusion that you're walking on water. Well, gliding at least. Rentals are available at Lake Calhoun through Wheel Fun Rentals for $15. You can also take lessons from LakeSUP, a Minnetonka-based retailer, on your private lakefront property for $60 per hour or $75 per hour with a friend.
Few things are more relaxing than tubing down the water on a lazy, hazy day, but be careful. While anyone can bob down Minnehaha Creek in a normal summer, Bob Nielson of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board said low water levels have made that impossible this summer. He guessed the creek would need another foot of rainfall before it's safe, so keep away for now. If you're willing to go a little farther afield, the Apple River in Somerset, Wis., is a popular launch point.
Jump in!