Can you rent your own boat in Venice?

This conjures up images of pedalos on the Grand Canal or, even better, DIY gondoliering.

The only option I know if is that you can rent cruisers (AmE: houseboats) for relatively large amounts of money, but I think you might be mainly confined to the lagoon. I suspect that there might be a problem finding moorings in Venice itself.

Thank you Padraig, I appreciate your response.

Aye Matey, there hast been a Fodorite who has braved the vast expanses of...'The Lagoon' and returned to tell the tale.

The boat was manned by a band of She-Devils known as 'Elvira and the Traveling Loons'.
Regards, Walter
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34646256

Oh, Paradise Lost, thanks for posting that link. I have searched for it many times and can never find it, no matter what key words I enter.

That tale is always worth another read.

Padraig is correct. You CAN rent houseboats south of Chioggia in Porto Levante or near Treviso on the Sile Rive, and get to the lagoon. Cheapest/smallest ones, and this is slightly dated information from back in 2001, will set you back roughly 1500 euros a week just for the rental. You won't be able go up the Grand Canal on your own because you won't be allowed to, and if you use someone else's <i>posto barca</i>, a few small complications may arise.

Patrick just remember sucking mud and that will bring it up everytime .
Regards, Walter

Actually I think since someone copied and pasted the original post, that search option will work to bring up that reposted version. Before that I was trying everything from &quot;sucking mud&quot; to &quot;ham tacos&quot; to &quot;Elvira and the Loons&quot; and could never find it when I wanted it. But notice if you enter &quot;sucking mud&quot; it brings up that repost, but not the original one -- not that it matters.