Minecraft wiki entry for Legacy_village_mechanics, associated text: A third technique is to transport villagers using a boat. As of PC version 1.9 mobs may enter boats, and players can enter the same boat and operate it while the mob sits in the back. This allows players to transport villagers over water, but also over land because as of 1.9.4 boats can be sailed on land (albeit very slowly). To move the boat upwards you have to create a bubble column.