From Venice, we boarded a pre-arranged taxi van to deliver us to the village of Precenicco to get set up with the Le Boat Magnifique 7. Precenicco is a Le Boat base and the starting point for our canal cruising adventure. After provisioning the galley with foodstuffs and supplies from a nearby grocery (a quick stop by the taxi van), we arrived at the base and received our canal maps and boat operation instructions from Le Boat office staff. Our 44-foot Le Boat Magnifique 7 boat had a 40-horsepower engine with a top speed of about 5 miles an hour; yes, one could run or even walk as fast as the boat could move.

Cruising the Canals in Italy Aboard the Le Boat Magnifique 7

Departing around 4:30 p.m., we motored south down the Fiume (River) Stella, stopping at a restaurant moorage facility consisting of poles along the river bank.

The bow line and stern line are wrapped around the poles and brought back to cleats on the boat; a typical procedure used along the rivers and canals. To go ashore, a plank is placed perpendicular to the shore, extending from the boat to land – sometimes grass, and sometimes a wooden walkway or cement bulkhead. A good sense of balance is a plus when “walking the plank” ashore. Seeing that the boat was securely tied-off to the poles, we stepped ashore to enjoy a nice dinner at this beautiful location.

No extra fee for moorage is charged at dining customer locations, so it’s a nice option while touring the canals.

Click to read the article on llcruise2018.blogspot.com.