MobZ said..holgs said..
Bringing your wind sport gear while travelling around Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy is like a Swiss tourist bringing their ski gear on their trip to Australia.
Upon reaching north coast Italy I felt this comment, yes, lots of places you are better off doing something else Europe has to offer which OZ does not. Those beaches were for swimming (as are SO many beaches over there). Lots of umbrellas and I was feeling way out of place as the only one with windsports gear among the throngs of people at Lignano Sabbiadoro. After sussing out where was allowed to sail I got out a few times for some decent sessions and met another winger.
Tried a Tuscany spot, Lake Bilancino. It was quite but a bit tricky getting to the water. Awesome to see all kinds of cool motorbikes railing around street corners of Mugello when there was a en event on.
Garda was sweet, a stormy week ment good north winds every morning and the place relatively quiet.
We'd borrowed a motorhome and had no dramas getting into a camper stop right at Torbole.
Walchansee in Germany was holiday time as hot AF, it was a drama to find parking near launch spot. Beautiful light north winds when there. Also some epic motorbike riding in the mountains there. Crew sending footpeg sparks around corners fun to watch and film.
I had ten sessions all up. I traveled underweight with NP Fly2 5.4 wing and Axis HPS 980, harness leashes tools etc. When arriving in Germany I made a post on a German wing foil Facebook page asking to buy a board. A member of the group made me a deal to buy back his Virus 85ltr mid length after 6 weeks. €950 and he bought back for 650. He lent me a 5.4mm steamer which I was very thankful for heading out for those epic Garda Pelèr 6am sessions when most the place is still sleeping. I put a hole in the board and he was cool about it so I gave him a scooter as bonus. And he gave me good German beer.
Hiring would have been hard for a few reasons so I'm glad I did it this way. It was as cheap as it's going to get and I had the freedom to sail whenever without long term hire stuff sitting around.
Getting around and grabbing hire gear at the spot on foot, scooter, or motorhome was a mission I was happy to avoid in the busy places.
It's all much busier than most of Oz.
So good to get out there and find out all water users there speak the same language as home, yeeeew! Yeeeha! Oi! All met with smiles sharing the stoke.