For seven generations, the Lachance family of Montmagny has faced and conquered all the navigation challenges thrown at them by the St. Lawrence River. Wind, waves, strong currents, ice, frazil ice, and ice jams – they learned to master the river and have developed unique skills in boat design. Captain François Lachance, owner of Lachance Cruises, dreamed for years of a multipurpose craft that would perform in extreme cold and ice conditions as well as on clear, still waters. Such a boat would be ideal for rescue operations in almost all navigation conditions. Such a craft would be light, sturdy, buoyant, safe, and easily handled – nothing less! It was quite a challenge but navigation specialists like the Lachances were equal to the task. Based on their expertise with ice canoes – since 1955, three generations of Lachances have done extremely well in the traditional canoe race on ice at the annual Quebec Carnival – Captain Lachance and his son Jean-François worked on design which, after many trials and modifications, became the UMA17™. Several features of the UMA17™, like the shape of the hull and the use of composite material are truly innovative, even revolutionary!