My best rowing memory of the last year (2020) was rowing journey of almost 100 km route on picturesque Baťa Canal (in Czech Baťův kanál or Průplav Otrokovice-Rohatec) and Morava river within two days.
Bata Canal is a navigable canal on the Morava river in the Czech Republic. The water canal was built during 1934-38 and today it serves mainly for recreational cruises. The immediate reason for the construction of Bata canal was the need to transfer lignite from mine in Ratíškovice to the Otrokovice power plant. Both were owned by Bata Shoes and the company was the main investor. The project was financed by Jan Antonin Baťa, one of most famous Czech entrepreneur who established global well known shoes brand Bata.
The artificial canal with unique technical infrastructure balances difference in water levels 18.6 m of Morava river, has in total 33 bridges spanned over the canal and 14 boat locks. It has been most popular tourist destination for sightseeing tours of the region nowadays.
The journey was organized exclusively in seven Liteboat rowing boats (namely LiteSPORT 1X, LiteSPORT 1X EVO and LiteRIVER L), followed by friends in rowing clubs along the route. Our stable and unique boats attracted visitors on cycle tracks neighboring the Bata Canal. Hopefully we will get an opportunity to repeat such an amazing experience in beautiful countryside with many historical villages and cities.
Pavel Malinsky is the Liteboat dealer in Czech Republic, based in Prague. You can visit his website here : veslice.cz
