A gondola building yard in Venice is known as a "squero".Each one is a separate entity - they are often associated with the families who run them.
Every boat built in Venice represents the craftsmen who built her and each gondola carries on the legacy of the squero she was built in. Family names like Tramontin, Bonaldo, Crea, and dei Rossi are known throughout Venice. Gondoliers can be heard arguing over which is best. They talk about durability, design, finish, and how a boat handles. Each builder does their best to excell in these and other categories. Traditional gondola builders recognize the importance of having the right materials to build from.
Some might say that the most experienced builder, with the best design, and the highest standards...would still put forth an inferior boat with the wrong wood.
Just like their tools, squero owners take their wood seriously, they are particular about things, and will store it on their property to "season" before using it. I'm sure they have interesting opinions about how long the wood should weather, or "rest" before being incorporated into a project.
In the above photo we see a nice large stack of wood resting at Squero San Trovaso. Only the builders know where each piece will eventually end up.
For more information and musings on the subject, see my post from March 1st entitled "Squero San Trovaso - Wood to Weather"
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