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Often times, surfers find themselves in a dilemma. They want a new board... But either:
-Don't have the money to buy one at new price...
-Don't know where to find one...
-Want one quickly for an upcoming surf trip...
But, it is very important to remember some things when you are buying a board on eBay.
You have to remember... For your home break, locals know best. It is best to first seek a local shaper. They know what the waves are like in your area... And they shape accordingly. Lets say a person in Florida buys a board shaped in Hawaii. In Florida, the waves are generally mushy, and hard to get into. But in Hawaii, it is the opposite. Waves are much easier to get into, and then the focus shifts to performance. What good will a board that handles GREAT do you, if you cant get into the wave? Not much.
Getting a board on eBay is sometimes risky. Boards are big, and also fragile. Generally, the shipper does their best to ensure the board is packed well, as to avoid being damaged on the way to the buyer. But sometimes, this is not enough. The shipping company, whoever it might be, is not as careful as they should be, and then you receive a broken board... Just in time for your surf trip that you've been planning for 6 months. Not fun at all.
While talking about shipping... It is also important to keep in mind the amount of time it will take for this board to get to you. You always want to give at least 14 days + 1 before you head out on a surf trip with any new board, not just boards bought on eBay. The 14 days is for any shipping problems... Two weeks is generally a good amount of time to resolve any issues that may arise from the shipping company. And the + 1 is the day that you will go to your home break and try out the board. Get a feel for how it rides at home, where you are comfortable, and where you know how the wave is. It is sometimes difficult to adjust to a new wave. You definitely do not want to have to adjust to two new things at once, a new board, AND a new wave.
Hope this helps everyone. And remember to keep these things in mind when buying a board.
-Don't have the money to buy one at new price...
-Don't know where to find one...
-Want one quickly for an upcoming surf trip...
But, it is very important to remember some things when you are buying a board on eBay.
You have to remember... For your home break, locals know best. It is best to first seek a local shaper. They know what the waves are like in your area... And they shape accordingly. Lets say a person in Florida buys a board shaped in Hawaii. In Florida, the waves are generally mushy, and hard to get into. But in Hawaii, it is the opposite. Waves are much easier to get into, and then the focus shifts to performance. What good will a board that handles GREAT do you, if you cant get into the wave? Not much.
Getting a board on eBay is sometimes risky. Boards are big, and also fragile. Generally, the shipper does their best to ensure the board is packed well, as to avoid being damaged on the way to the buyer. But sometimes, this is not enough. The shipping company, whoever it might be, is not as careful as they should be, and then you receive a broken board... Just in time for your surf trip that you've been planning for 6 months. Not fun at all.
While talking about shipping... It is also important to keep in mind the amount of time it will take for this board to get to you. You always want to give at least 14 days + 1 before you head out on a surf trip with any new board, not just boards bought on eBay. The 14 days is for any shipping problems... Two weeks is generally a good amount of time to resolve any issues that may arise from the shipping company. And the + 1 is the day that you will go to your home break and try out the board. Get a feel for how it rides at home, where you are comfortable, and where you know how the wave is. It is sometimes difficult to adjust to a new wave. You definitely do not want to have to adjust to two new things at once, a new board, AND a new wave.
Hope this helps everyone. And remember to keep these things in mind when buying a board.
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Guide created: 07/10/06 (updated 09/25/08)
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