: Oh, lordy, that gave me quite a laugh. WOW!!

According to his brochure the trolling motor was added to his parents' double kayak as added security and help in fighting wind and current. I'm sure purists will scoff, but I think it's a great addition to a stable kayak or canoe for an elderly person, or for the fisherman or birdwatcher that wants to troll and have his hands free.

After touring Venice I decided to add a Venetian gondola to my list of boats that I want to build. I would change it, however, to have a straight keel (gondolas have a keel that curves to one side to offset the one-sided leverage of the oarsman). I think a small trolling motor mounted below the waterline and out of sight would be a good addition to a replica gondola for someone to use as a flatwater picnic boat.