Z3 to Germany

[Bakes5]

Ok...soooo, after changing their mind about 4 times, the Army is sending me to Stuttgart this summer. I kinda want to take the Z3. I think I could really dig boating in Europe on those sweet, but friggin cold lakes and rivers.

So, that said, has anyone shipped a boat? Even better, has anyone had the military ship a boat? I think I can get it counted against the weight of my household goods so just need to throw out 6000 of junk.

Anywho..thoughts? I will be in Stuttgart.

[NICKYPOO]

I’ve got buddy in Stuttgart.

Sounds ambitious. Would they send it over on a Globemaster?

[Bakes5]

For sure ambitious...but then again, when am I gonna be living in Germany again? And I really can't come to terms with not having a boat for 3-4 years.

[bsreid]

The cost to ship the boat is going to be outrageous, I’d keep your current boat at home in storage, not sure if they would cover the costs. Maybe see if you can flip something over in Europe, with boats in the 50k range it’s definitely doesn’t seem hard the way the market is going.

[boardman74]

I don't believe the military is going to move your boat to Germany. I spent 10.5 on Active duty and thats my experience and guess. I moved a boat one time on a DITY move for extra weight.

Thats just a guess based on the fact its a boat, not to mention its too wide to fit in a container.

Have you looked in to the regulations in Germany? Not a ton of boats there, but it is the origin of the cable (Ski Rixen). Are there even many places you could use it?

Lastly remember the military contracts the cheapest bid. Meaning the guy who moves your boat isn't going to give a crap about it. I've seen many nightmares on what happens to stuff on military moves-especially over seas and back.

Having PCS'd 4 times I can tell you I wouldn't even consider it!!!!

[chpthril]

Man, they dont even sell gasoline over there

[Bakes5]

Dang it...I was looking at outside dimensions of the shipping container. I don’t think 7’8” internal width is gonna cut it.

From what I’ve been reading, they will ship a boat as long as it fits in the container and you don’t max your weight. Although there might be other limits. Anyways, moot since it’s too wide for the container.

Yeah...I have 18 yrs in and lots of PCS moves so am well aware of the gorillas they use to move things. Still..a dinged up boat is better than no boat right?

BTW..looks like lots of cool places to boat there. The rivers, Lake Constance, etc. I’ve seen several foiling videos of Germans on rivers.

It’s going to be hard to be boatless.

[Bakes5]

Anybody looking to upgrade in Colorado let me know. I’ll give you a great deal on a 2016 Z3 in mid July.

[talltigeguy]

There is a guy named Ralph on the FOilforum who is from Germany. He has a Mastercraft. I am sure there are some boats over there that you could buy and then hope to sell when you leave. Although finding a Z3 quality wave might be pretty pricey, I am sure that you could find something to get you on the water. I would settle for a smaller boat and put on a surf system of some sort (suck gate, etc).

[bsreid]

What if you just picked up an old direct drive? I know you aren’t much of a surfer so it would’nt be too bad for the foil. No Z3 but still a boat.

[Bakes5]

^^yeah...that’s kinda what I am thinking. I’ll have to look around and see what’s up.

In regards to my attitude towards surfing, it’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that it takes so much effort to get the wave just so....and the feeling after a fast slalom set is just so great. I’m sure I’ll move over to surfing eventually. Anytime anyone has their wave perfectly dialed, let me know and I’ll hop over swim deck to swim deck and roll a quick set.

Maybe I’ll take up winching.

[jimidemo]

Isn't gas around $1.75 a liter there too! X 3.78 L/GAL = I'd probably do it too....once in a lifetime opportunity.

[BurnMac42]

I’ve got buddy in Stuttgart.

Sounds ambitious. Would they send it over on a Globemaster?

If it found its way onto my C-17 it might not make it to Germany.....free upgrade

In a somewhat related note one of our old dudes when we were flying 141's said on one flight they were flying familes and household goods across the pacific when they had an in flight emergency. Whatever the emergency was it required them to jettison the cargo...so the families had to watch all their household goods get flung into the pacific ocean....

[BrewKaiser]

German's are notorious for their paperwork and regulations. Registering and license fees for your boat may be outrageous. I have family near Stuttgart and lived in Germany for a while. Like you said, lots of rivers and lakes, but Germans are so anal about pollution (air and noise) and like mentioned above I shutter to think at the cost of gas for an afternoon of boating - and vehicle capable of towing it to wherever.

Germans are big into clubs for things like this. I'm sure there are several boating clubs you can look into. Not the same as having your own whenever you want it, but next best thing. Added benefit is new network of local friends.

Viel Glueck!

[Bakes5]

It would be cool to see a nice Z3 strapped into the C-17 bay rather than the usual trucks and generators. Gas would only be about $100-150 dollars a day as we typically burn about 15-20 gallons for a quick night and then all morning session. A little spendy but not prohibitive.

A little cost comparison. Lake Powell is probably $5-10k for a week total cost. Let's just say $7k. Assuming a day on the lake costs me $300, that still gets me 23 days on Lake Constance for the same price as a week at Powell. Even at double the price, I still get 12 days. Local rivers probably 1/2 the cost.

In any case...Boating in Germany is probably less expensive than yearly Powell trips, paying near MSRP for a boat, or going through 4 boats in 6 years.

I also kinda wonder how much I could get for my boat if I left it there. If I can just figure out how to get the Army to pay for most of the shipping, I think it will be worth it.