Pool haul.

• Position: What's New? - Pool toys - Brief Article - Evaluation

* With the summer heat beating down, the logical move is to fill the pool with people and let everyone cool off. For added leisure and just plain fun, there are a number of items that can be thrown in as well, providing there's sufficient room, to delight kids, teens, and adults alike.

Those who have vacationed at oceanside or lakefront resorts have fond memories of the big-wheeled paddle boats that allow you to navigate the waters by pedaling leisurely. A junior-sized version comes from Farley Technologies, Montreal, Que., Canada, specially designed for use in a lake (under adult supervision) or good-sized pool. Just under four feet long and 42" wide, this rugged high-density polyethylene craft has 16"-diameter wheels with hand cranks to propel it along. With a 120-pound capacity, it can accommodate a captain and passenger/crewmember, and its hollow molded hull is unsinkable, even when filled to the top rail with water. (For safety's sake, the detachable windshield can be used as a flotation device, and, most important, kids should be outfitted in a lifejacket as well.) Swimmers should beware, as the paddle wheels are designed to provide optimal speed with minimal effort and the boat can turn 360[degrees] on its own axis, making for easy maneuverability. Fortunately for those seeking assurance that they won't be run down by daredevil captains, the wheels generate an audible paddling sound, serving fair warning that it's full speed ahead! The Power Paddler goes for a suggested retail price of $199. For the nearest outlet that carries it, go online at www.farleytechnologies.com.

Less aggressive, but still fun-filled, is the Race Car Boat ($9.99) from Bestway-USA, Johnston, R.I. This inflatable, bright-yellow, auto-shaped pool float has a one-passenger capacity, measures 46" x 26", boasts a steering wheel that turns and a horn that beeps, and comes with leg holes at the bottom for Fred Flintstone-like propulsion. Adults, meanwhile, can...