9. They’re Pretty High Maintenance
The gondola hull must be treated with a new coat of varnish every 40 days to protect it against a lagoon pest that eats into wood. With proper maintenance, a good gondola can last 15 to 20 years, after which it can be refinished once to keep going for as much as another decade.
10. They Meet a Unique Standardized Design
The modern banana-boat gondola we see today is the design of 19th century master craftsman Domenico Tamontin, whose descendants still run a Venetian boatyard today. A city ordinance prohibits any modifications to this design and they are all hand-constructed using age-old traditional techniques. There are some customizations according to the height, weight and punting style of the gondolier, but for the most part based on the uniform design. Measurements are not taken in meters or feet but in “venetian feet”, a special unit used since the 1400s.
