Tourists may sail in Venice Lagoon on their own boats if complying with official navigation regulations. In particular, all motor craft with motor engines over 10 HP (7,36 KW) travelling in he Venice Lagon must be provided with an identification number issued by the Tourist Information Office of Venice. The identification number (for which there is a charge payable) lasts a maximum 30 days, at the end of which it expires and is annulled and must be retured to the same Informaion Office from which it was issued.
Speed limits: the general speed limit is applicable to all boats in the lagoon and is a maximum 20 km/h. In some lagoon canals or creeks the limit is 11 km/h: the canal that coasts all around Venice north of the mouth of the Cannaregio Canal and right up as far as the end of the Arsenale, the canal that coasts the whole of the Island of Sant'Erasmo from the Torre Massimiliana to the Capannone up to the Punta a Nord (North Point). In most of the lagoon canals or creeks that pass through the sand banks or in the sections that coasts the smaller islands the limit is 8 km/h.
There arepenalties for breaking the speed limits. Tourists are not permitted to sail or even simply to moor in the internal canals of the historic city centre of Venice.
