Venice is once again an attractive city in terms of quality of life, given the jump of 17 positions in the ranking of the sole 24 ore. The city is now in sixteenth place for the low number of cars per inhabitant and a large supply of public transport. It does not occupy the top ten together with Treviso and Verona for the expensive rent and, according to the sailors, there are also other critical issues. We talk about it with Daniela Costantini of the Venetian rowing in Mestre and spokesperson for the city rowing and President of the Venetian rowing Mestre.

We chose her because she is a woman. We have few women in our field that we dedicate to TV because it is almost always the men who are always at the center of the institutions. It seemed right to have her too, who is one of the 5 people who are the reference point of a movement that has moved in recent days and that has organized a protest on the Grand Canal, against the wave motion. You are part of this world of Mestre regattas lovers. He is very attached to water, even if he is not from Venice and he has things to say about how the world of boats should change radically in Venice.

Daniela Costantini, thank you for this link. Tell us why you have decided to move against the waves, at a time when the big ships are gone.

“It is certainly not a day that we ask for attention to this problem. The crisis certainly does not want to put the difficult situation created by the Covid-19 health emergency. Since we have been trying to pay attention to our problems for many years, we try to give continuity to our requests. We have tried, especially in the last 2 years, to move beyond the usual instances that appear through our first event is the Vogalonga, or through the other moments of natural nautical aggregation which are the regattas. This is why a few days ago, you saw us in the San Marco Basin, shouting our requests ”.

Of course, then with mascarete, gondolas, sandoli, caorlin and the whole world of sailing boats, boats to the third. all boats that go with natural muscle engine. Not unnecessarily propulsion engines, electric or with polluting fuels. Even if electric motors were to be used, the good way would be created the same. Is there the possibility of involving technicians, university students, to find and find a wave of wave motion in Venice?

“We certainly know that it cannot be undone, in fact it also develops naturally. It’s not always boats that create it. The needs are also taken into account, therefore traffic must be regulated. This is the main thing. There are studies, which are not even the most recent, which have already been done and have suggestions that should be implemented ”.

I still remember when the town was commissioned by the prefect Zappalorto and had tried. At that moment there was a lot of traffic on the Grand Canal, there was no Covid, there was the height of crowding in Venice and at certain times, on the Grand Canal, there was just no space. Between gondolas, motorboats for passengers, motorboats for freight transport, there is not an inch of free water on the Grand Canal. He had tried, but it’s not easy to put the interests of the categories together.

“Absolutely not because we live in a limited and confined space. It must be regulated and particular attention must be paid, a feasibility study. We have ideas of other areas of the world where this is done and can be implemented.

Have you already worked out any proposals, ideas?

“How was a charter of our requests disclosed; yes, we also have them with the press. We can already think of implementing what is the GPS control system for boats, yet to create a precise register of the number of boats that are present in the Venice lagoon. Things I haven’t been to yet ”.

Once the census is done, in some way regulate the traffic, perhaps by introducing a limited number.

“Absolutely, a limited number. However, as is done for the areas of the historic centers, make a limited traffic area. Already there in some way. But it is not implemented and there are not sufficient controls “.

You know that at the moment the motorboats are quite stationary, as well as the gondolas, because there is no tourism. Also in this moment you have protested that there is a wave. So your parameters are really far from those of those who work. Or am I wrong Daniela?

“Absolutely yes, they are far away. But the needs are completely different. We understand, we don’t want to go back to the 19th or mid-20th century. But, I repeat, we also exist and we are an expression not only of Venetian citizenship but also of the region because we have rowers from all the cities of the Veneto. We understand this but we must find space and in some way those who have the possibility to regulate must do so “.

She wanted this connection from San Giugliano because she also wanted to show us the hulls as they are. If he takes us to see them to explain what kind of problems rowing boats encounter compared to motor boats.

“I braved the poggia and the cold today to accompany you under our tents where we shelter and repair our fleet”.

They are really very light boats, right Daniela?

“Exactly. Now we have a Gondolino in front of us, which is a typical racing boat. You can see how slender it is. Compared to a Caorlina, which was a boat dedicated to transport. Today he uses it for sporting and recreational purposes. What are the differences and those characteristics that no longer allow us to face our water world. A boat like this, compared to a freight boat, is defeated and overwhelmed by the waves. This is what is called ‘flat bottom’. We have a drift therefore our stability in the water is very minimal “.

So at this point either all the boats have a flat bottom or you need to create alternative channels.

“No, we think that creating alternative channels is difficult because the wave motion spreads. Creating alternative channels becomes really difficult, I think it’s not feasible. Or at least not in all areas “.

So the question of the mobility of boats must be addressed. Come back to show yourself so we say goodbye. I also wanted to hear from a woman. Because it is thought that this sector is a male sector instead, in reality, it is a world that is conquering more and more women as well. It was fair to explain this. We will hear from each other again because the wave motion is a problem that has existed for decades but they evolve, it is in the making, situations are constantly changing. So it will be interesting to see how it ends.

Thanks Daniela Costantini.

“Thanks to you”.