SENECA FALLS - Sue Aery was relaxing on her dock, watching the boats go by on the Seneca-Cayuga Canal when she did a double-take. She's used to seeing an assortment cruise by during the summer, but this one was different - way different.

"I knew it was a gondola. You can't help but recognize one," she said. "But, on the canal? In the middle of New York? It was pretty strange. Then, I thought, what a great idea."

So did David Finster, an instructor at Auburn Correctional Facility, who decided his first stab at entrepreneurship would be operating upstate New York's only gondola business, "Gondola Renaissance." The only other place in New York to enjoy a gondola ride is New York City's Central Park.

The idea came to Finster last year after reading an article about a businessman who started giving gondola rides in Stillwater, Minn.

"I didn't know anything about gondolas but I figured if they could make it work in Minnesota, I could make it work here," said Finster, a Pennsylvania native of German descent who has never been to Italy, the iconic gondola capital of the world.

With the region's bucolic landscapes, famous vineyards, rich history and bounty of bed-and-breakfasts, Seneca Falls seemed the ideal location, Finster said.

"Early on, when I told people what I wanted to do, they just gave me this blank stare and said, 'You're going to do what?"' he said.

The gondola is probably the most photographed watercraft in the world and for millions of tourists is synonymous with Venice and a symbol for love and romance.

Gondolas have been used for nearly a millennium - the first appeared in 1094, according to historians. The graceful, curving boats were designed to ferry passengers and cargo through Venice's narrow, busy urban canals. Motorboats and ferries now do most of that work, leaving the gondolas for the tourists. Today, there are 400 to 500 gondolas operating on Venice's approximately 28 miles of canals.

Today's gondola is the result of centuries of evolution and adaptation.

Authentic Venetian gondolas are constructed by a dwindling number of master builders, who may spend up to 600 hours putting together a vessel by hand. A Venetian gondola is built with as many as eight different kinds of wood and composed of up to 280 individual pieces.

The nearly 14-foot long oar, for instance, is typically made of seasoned beech. The forcola - which looks like an arm folded at the elbow and sits on the starboard side to support the oar -is usually carved from a single piece of walnut (which has a smooth grain with no ridges to wear out the oar).

Since a royal decree in 1562, traditional Venetian gondolas have been painted black - an edict intended to defuse competition among nobility to outdo one another in ever more expensive and lavishly decorated gondolas.

Finster's traditional Venetian gondola is black inside and out, has two red seats and brass ornaments. It is 36 feet long, about 5 feet at its widest and weighs about 900 pounds.

Initially, Finster thought he would operate the gondola himself, but soon realized it was beyond his ability and skills.

Gondolas have a unique asymmetric construction. The flat-bottomed boats' left side is larger than its right, so it always navigates inclined to one side. A gondola glides through the water, not in a straight line, but at a 5 degree angle.

Designed to be propelled through the water by a single oarsman, rowing straight requires muscle and a knack with the oar, as Finster's gondolier, Mike Lawler, found out.

"The first time I tried it I kept going in circles," said Lawler, 25, an ex-Marine who works full-time as a local paramedic. Gondoliers stand on the narrow space at the bow to work the oar; there are at least eight positions on the forcola, each for a different maneuver.

Gondola Renaissance opened for business in early July, and will continue through September.

The gondola can carry up to five passengers and a 75- to 90-minute ride costs $85. Riders can bring their own beverages and pack a picnic if they want. The operators will provide ice, a bucket and glasses. There's also recorded Italian music to help set the mood.

There are about a dozen locations in the United States to ride in a gondola, including several that also include gourmet meals. If his business is successful, Finster envisions providing more amenities, maybe even a real singing gondolier. He's already planning to add another boat or two, including one with a felze - a wooden cabin that offers privacy to riders.

Aery followed up her curiosity and, along with her friend, Fiona Thelwell, took a ride.

"It was very calming and relaxing," said Thelwell. "There's a lot of wild shoreline. You pass a beautiful island. Lots of ducks. And you have to wave hi a lot because people along the banks stop and stare."