History of the Lario

Marco Polo Boats' Lario is based on the design of the traditional fishing boat of Lake Como, Italy, commonly known as the Lucia. In fact this fishing boat dates from before 1800 when it had no special name other than "boat" or batel in the local dialect.

These boats are characterized by pointed bow and stern, a flat bottom, a total length of about 6 meters (19.7 feet), a beam of 2 meters (6.6 feet), deeply angled V-shaped sides, and high arches which support a canvas cover used for rain and sun protection. They have two sets of oars, and are rowed in the stand up position facing forward. Some boats have a simple rectangular sail that permits running only with the wind. The fishermen typically used nets, though some spearing from the bow and line trawling were also used. With the advent of outboard motors, an inside-the-boat motor well was adopted just forward of the pointed stern.

The design's inherent romantic appeal has been enhanced in modern times via several movies made based on Alessandro Manzoni's "I Promessi Sposi" (1827), or "The Betrothed" in English. The love story set in the vicinity of Lecco on Lake Como, the batel was prominently used, and the main female character was named Lucia. The batel became known as the Lucia.

The wooden boats have been typically made of mahogany. A few craftsman still make Lucias today at a cost of about $18,000 U.S., plus the annual cost of wood boat maintenance. Fiberglass versions are used for summer long rowing races along the shores of Lake Como. Many towns have a boat, and teams of rowers compete on summer weekends for bragging rights.

Marco Polo Boats presents its homage to the Lucia in a slightly smaller version made out of synthetic material in order to make it affordable and easy to maintain for everyone.