Frequently Asked Questions
Who are you?: Empacher North America is owned and operated by Fred Honebein and Anne Kakela. We have been involved in rowing for a combined (cough) 50+ Years. We have been athletes (High School, College, National and Olympic Team), coaches (College, National and Olympic Team) and avid rowing enthusiasts. In that time, we have found Empacher boats to be the boat of choice for training and competition. We hope our experience as athletes and coaches can help answer your questions and guide you in the purchasing process.
What do the letters stand for in the Serial Number?: The letters in the serial number indicate the type or style of rigger system: K = Traditional Aluminum side mount rigger. S = Carbon Tubular side mount. R = Aluminum Wing (Stern Mount). C = Carbon Wing (Stern Mount). X = Carbon Bow Wing. Please refer to the following link for images of the specific rigger systems: http://www.empachernorthamerica.com/rigger-options.html
How do I know what size boat is right for me?: Immediately after the Letter signifying the Rigger System, the number indicates the style and weight the boat is rated for. You can refer to the Empacher Web-site (http://empacher.de/rennboote/index_rb_e.php). Click on the boat class you are interested in to view the size chart.
Once I order a boat, how long will it take to receive it?: Empacher's are built to your specifications. Once the order has been placed, boats will take 6-9 months to arrive in the United States. This time frame can be either less or more depending on when the order is confirmed and when we have a container leaving Germany. The timeframe can be longer during Olympic years since Empacher builds a number of boats for National Teams.
When are you expecting your next shipment?: Below are the order to delivery time lines. Importation is not an exact science and time frames can change. We will do our best to keep you apprised of when your boat will be delivered.
Fall Container Time line (Sept/Oct) delivery:
- Order via spec sheet Confirmation Feb/March
- Deposit 30%, April
- Final payment four weeks before container departs Eberbach
Winter Container Time line (Dec/Jan) delivery:
- Order via spec sheet Confirmation May/June
- Deposit 30%, July
- Final payment four weeks before container departs Eberbach
Winter/Spring Container Time line (Mar/Apr) delivery:
- Order via spec sheet Confirmation Aug/Sept
- Deposit 30%, October
- Final payment four weeks before container departs Eberbach
Summer Container Time line (June/July) delivery:
- Order via spec sheet Confirmation Dec/Jan
- Deposit 30%, January
- Final payment four weeks before container departs Eberbach
Fall Container Time line (Sept/Oct) delivery:
- Order via spec sheet Confirmation Feb/March
- Deposit 30%, April
- Final payment four weeks before container departs Eberbach
Winter Container Time line (Dec/Jan) delivery:
- Order via spec sheet Confirmation May/June
- Deposit 30%, July
- Final payment four weeks before container departs Eberbach
Winter/Spring Container Time line (Mar/Apr) delivery:
- Order via spec sheet Confirmation Aug/Sept
- Deposit 30%, October
- Final payment four weeks before container departs Eberbach
Summer Container Time line (June/July) delivery:
- Order via spec sheet Confirmation Dec/Jan
- Deposit 30%, January
- Final payment four weeks before container departs Eberbach
Why does this take so long?: Empacher continues to be the Premier boat building company in the World. More medals are won in Empachers at the World Championships and Olympics than any other boat. Boats are built to YOUR specifications. We want your boat to fit and fulfill your rowing needs. From International competition to recreational rowing, we want your boat to fit YOU so your on water experience is an enjoyable one.
Parts for my Empacher: At this time, Parts need to be ordered and shipped from Germany to North America. In the future, we hope to have some parts in the US to help lower the cost of shipping. As we get this piece of the puzzle in place, we will make you aware.
You can get parts for your Empacher one of two ways. You can either go to the Empacher On-Line store:
http://shop.strato.de/epages/61850175.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectPath=%2FShops%2F61850175%2FCategories
or e-mail me directly. I will need the following information to help expedite the process of getting you your parts:
- Name
- Mailing or shipping address
- Year of boat
- Make of boat (8+, 4x/-/+, 2x/-/+, 1x)
- Serial number of boat
If you are unsure of the part you need, feel free to contact us.
You can get parts for your Empacher one of two ways. You can either go to the Empacher On-Line store:
http://shop.strato.de/epages/61850175.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectPath=%2FShops%2F61850175%2FCategories
or e-mail me directly. I will need the following information to help expedite the process of getting you your parts:
- Name
- Mailing or shipping address
- Year of boat
- Make of boat (8+, 4x/-/+, 2x/-/+, 1x)
- Serial number of boat
If you are unsure of the part you need, feel free to contact us.
Do you have any used boats?: Occasionally we are made aware of boats that people are reselling. If you are looking for a used boat, please contact us.