Venice

[ianfjg]

Anybody any information on using small boats on the Venice lagoon and Adriatic Coast: are the Venitian[?] canals navigable in privately owned boats. We will be running Zodiac Futuras [50hp Yamaha] and a variety of Avons on 20hp plus. Any information gratefully received. Caravanning on the Lido for three weeks in July/August. Last 18yrs [holidays] caravanned and boated on the Costa Brava around Estartit. Can strongly recommend the area

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[tcm]

I beleive that you can use venice, but wash/speed is limited.

I recomend you send a private message (PM) to a poster on these forums (usualy scuttlebutt i think) called "metabarca" i think he looks in at least 2 or 3 times week, excellent chap, lives near to venice, perhaps Trieste I think. he will almost definitely know the low-down, rules etc.

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[Metabarca]

Well, I'm chuffed, tcm! I must say, though, that I look in much more than 2 or 3 times a week, Of course, I can switch off whenever I want to, but I choose not to...
Anyway,
here are some rules about navigating in Venice:
- Venice itself: the main one is that as a non-resident you can only go up and down the Grand Canal and Canale di Giudecca, not the small, internal ones. But assuming you risk it, here are the rules.
- there are roadsigns you must respect (no entry, one way, etc.) and speed limits expressed in kph NOT knots. The Grand Canal, for instance, is 7 kph.
- out on the lagoon, keep to the canals marked by the wooden stakes (red and green lights as at sea). Tides are something to keep an eye on, as well as currents. Tides are delayed with respect to the sea, as the water has to get out through narrow channels.
- in the main Venetian canals (Grand and di Cannareggio), motor boats keep to the centre but move starboard to meet oncoming vessels. Oars keep to starboard edges. On all other urban canals, keep left (I think something to do with gondola blades being to starboard).
- give way to all commercial traffic; if crossing canal, give way to traffic moving along it. On the Grand Canal, the gondolas effecting a ferry service (there are 3 or 4) have right of way over everything.
- don't create a wash ,don't make unnecessary noise.
- you cannot moor on the main canals, and only where no keep out sign put up ('Divieto d'ormeggio' means 'nope!).

Since you have a boat, explore the lagoon; Torcello is a must, and there are a number of other quiet islands worth a visit to get a feel of the 'real' Venice (and I don't mean Murano!). You could even follow a canal as far as Grado (might take you two days, though), which is also well worth a visit. Aquileia (also on canal) inland of Grado was the biz when Venice was just a fishing village. On show is a wonderful basilica and a Roman port. It will be worth buying a chart (or is it a map?!) of the area. There's a convenient foldaway one for only a few bob that has all you need. Could even buy it and send it to you if you like: my local shop has them. Let me know and I'll find out how much.
ciao for now

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[Guest]

Non sta me dir che ghe xe anca Venessiani nel PBO Readers Forum! Metabarca come and find me! Anyway I've been boating in Venice for many years on hols and endorse what Metabarca says. Here's another couple of tips:

Channels in the lagoon (not the city centre) ar marked by rows of piles, set up in threes, called bricole. They bear a white patch on the side where the deep water lies. Piles at the entrance to channels have the usual 3 but with another sticking up higher in the middle.

Do keep your speed down in the open lagoon, even though you'll see lots of locals speeding. There are lots of police about with radar traps for the unwary. If you take your boats down the Grand Canal do go dead slow, and make sure everyone on board is wearing T-shirts - swimming cossies and bare chests are not allowed in the city centre.

It's a truly magical place to be on a boat!

Have fun

Giorgio

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[Observer]

Hi Lucian

My SWMBO and I had a weekend in Venice (first time visitors) last weekend (sans kids!!). A beautiful city.

I was wondering how the local regulations worked. Seemed a huge amount of traffic plying the canals with plenty potential for collisions (especially with the vaporetta).

We missed out on Torcello but did Burano and Murano. Stunning artistry and craftsmanship (lace and glass) but the prices (of the glass) are unbelievable.

Three days not long enough to do the place justice. Definitely on our list of places to re-visit.

All the best.

Tim.


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[colvic]

Must be 20 years since we were there and the set of glasses we bought then are still to costly to use...but beautiful. No doubt will end up on Flog It when we've gone.

Phil

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[Metabarca]

maché venessian: mi son triestin de adozion! Cossa vado a far a Venessia che no gavè vento?!

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[ianfjg]

Many thanks metabarca. Information really helpfull. If not inconvenient would like to take up your offer of getting a price on the map/chart. We will be caravanning at CaSavio on the Lido di Jesolo and running boats off the beach. Cleared this with the site so no problems [famous last words] I think. Anything we need to look out for transitting the Adriatic to the lagoon. My Futura copes pretty well with most sea states but the Avons can struggle a bit if it is really lumpy. We will also be looking to run down the coast. Any thoughts on this. Rate of open sea progress in the Futura is only restricted by the abillity to absorb pain. but I suppose I could always slow down

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[Metabarca]

Well, in the summer you're unlikely to have any waves above 4 inches around there, frankly! But to get to Venice, wouldn't you do better to launch on the other side directly into the Lagoon? Or perhaps drive to the end of the isthmus nearest Venice and launch there? You'd be closer to Torcello, too. It has to be said that the coastline is dead dull there (sorry, Giorgio, ma xe vero!). Interesting cruises include up the River Brenta (Venetian villas) and the River Sila (nature reserve). I'll pop into my chart shop on Tuesday (not open tomorrow) and let you know the cost. Postage to UK I presume.

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[ianfjg]

Many thanks for the trip to the chart shop. As you say postage to the uk. Re place of embarkation. Boats travel broken down in the back of cars. Putting my Futura together [floor/seats/steering consol/motor] is normally the best part of a day-sometimes it even works 1st time. As no trailer, launching is normally somewhere close to where its put together. Site is "on" the Adriatic side of the Lido so I guess we are likely to be starting from there. One day when I am feeling strong I will work out gross train weight. Caravan/car/boat/motor/awnings/wifes nickers - most likely well over Mr Fords maximum. Used to have a Toyota Landcruiser which always threatened to boil going over the Pyrenees. Never did but with the air con off and the heater on to take some heat out of the engine sauna like was an apt description.

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[Metabarca]

I've pm'ed you re the charts (you may not have noticed the wee flag in the blue bar above). They're just euro 7 each. Let me know.

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