Rick's FB post today on his canoe trip outside Amsterdam reminded me of our recent trip to Italy. I don't think I have seen anything on the company "Row Venice" in Rick's guidebook or on this forum. I found them on the internet at rowvenice.org. We took a two hour evening tour rowing the canals of Venice in a traditional Voga, similar to a gondola. You are your own gondolier rowing under the Rialto bridge down the grand canal and a various smaller canals, an experience we will never forget. I highly recommend Row Venice for an experience far different than the traffic jam of Gondolas lined up to go under the Bridge of Sighs.
Sounds quite interesting. I'd want to stick to smaller canals, given the amount of traffic by vaporetto and other boats larger than you.
A Voga has an oar in front and back so you do have a guide with you, and our trip down the grand canal was after 9pm so traffic was not a problem.
We did this in June and it was great fun!!!