Once the pride of the Bucintoro, with its sculls and skiffs celebrated in the rowing world since the first international victory in 1884, the rowing sector today is affected by the difficulty of finding calm water in Venice without motor boat wakes. Although the Bucintoro has a considerable number of boats – as many as 22 – many hulls are still of the wooden type and some of these are housed inside the Historical Museum.
Despite these difficulties, the Bucintoro has embarked on a path of revitalization of the rowing sector, obtaining prestigious results in the recent Italian National Masters championships. A new “wherry”, similar to a Whitehall, with special features and equipped with sliding seats, was launched two years ago. Called Intrepida, she was built along the lines of similar North European boats, and her design lets her overcome the swell caused by speeding boat traffic.
