Wednesday, September 1, 2010

"Will He Make It?"

photo by Martina Zane
Martina snapped this shot on Saturday, August 21st, of a moto-topo testing the limits of overhead clearance.

These big cargo boats are to Venice and her sister islands, what delivery trucks are to Manhattan. They bring in the goods - whatever they may be.
A closer examination of this photo shows that this boat has several different types of supplies on board - on their way to one or more destinations in the Veneto.

I asked Martina if the guy made it under the bridge and she wrote:
He did make it! he's great! We were on the vaporetto to go to burano. Less than half a mile on the left of the image there is the dock of burano. The bridge you see is the one connecting Burano to Mazzorbo.

Thanks Martina!

I wonder what happens when one of these guys doesn't make it.

2 comments:

Tamás said...

Since both the boat and the bridge are made of wood, the thicker log probably wins when colliding. If someone's flesh is caught in-between due to insufficient overhead clearance, that's a different problem...

Otherwise it is interesting to note the boat's rudder has a tiller rod, rather than a steering wheel.

One would think the greater speeds afforded by motor propulsion can put a lot of reactive force against the big rudder plate when turning, which justifies a steering wheel?

Maybe it's a special speed limit measure for the venetian lagoon to omit wheel stearing?

Bepi Venexiano said...

I have read from several local sources that some Venetians dislike the vessels, many of which have steel hulls. They are a source of moto ondoso and damage the fondamenta and buildings where they tie off and bump around in the waves. Some call for the return of rowed delivery to reduce damage and as a source of employment.