Surfing Waves

Hi, first post here, would welcome any advice.

Planning a trip to Southern California with the missus for early January and don't want to bring my own board - mostly due to the hassle and risk of baggage-handler damage. Should I rent a board for the trip or buy one?

Out of a ten day trip hope to be surfing 7 days if we're lucky - currently planning on San Onofre, Malibu, and Refugio.

Probably can't justify the expense of a brand new board given that I've got boards at home that are under-ridden. I'm tempted to buy something 2nd hand - on grounds that I can get a better board for less than in UK.

Would appreciate any suggestions on best places to pick up something in decent shape, and what kind of ballpark price I should expect to pay for something not beautiful but ideally watertight and with a bit of character. Assume I'll be needing a big old log for the places we're headed. That would also help justify me bringing it home, as I haven't got anything over 9 ft.

Thanks

Richard, Brighton

Hey Hairy,, Mr. Dick Gozinya here and I recomend the purchase route try looking on www.craigslist.org, www.pennysaver.com, and www.ebay.com
tab into Los Angeles areas and look there. As for price...Well..Um.. Yea you know how that goes could bo 50.00 to 1,000.00 dollars and the normal is 300.00 to 500.00 for a good to great board or stop in a surf shop there are alot of em and buy a new/used stick there.
As for areas San O if it's firring is the best !!! hands down you can realy only do a short board at Trestles but at Dogpatch or Old Man's logs rule, the vibe there is great (no Localisim) 10.00 a day for the day spot. As for the Malibu???!!!! well um yea mabie.. (lot's of bad localisim there!!) Wouldent want ya getting a beat down) so mabie steer clear of that area The surf is good yes but not the best and for sure not worth the trouble.
Everywhere else is cool. All the areas can be surfed with a minimal (San O loves the logs but mal's do just fine and logs won't fair so well in some shore break areas as well as a mal but still doable. Not sure what you commonwealth brothers pay for boards but do know the U.S. dollar sucks donkey sac so it should be cheaper. Unfortinatly your comming here in winter so due to the light change won't get as much surf in but oh well (can't help ya there). Let me know if ya wan't me to try and track a board down for ya (will need lots of specs) as well as let me know when your here I'll meet ya(preferably at california's great San O ) and paddle out with ya.

Thanks kindly sir, appreciate the advice - looks like craigslist for me - just had a look and there are some bargains to be had. The exchange rate makes it a bargain right now but who knows where our respective economies will be in 3 months...might be we're all going down the pan together.

Only thinking of Malibu because I have a friend with a key to the carpark handy for Little Dume...

Will definitely give a shout when we're headed San O way - from what I understand it is my idea of paradise (except with a nuclear power plant.)

As for light it has to be better than here!

HA HA yes indeedy I think we still have better light now, in Jan it will be a bit different more of what you've got now. WHAT !!!!????? MALIBU !!!Share the KEY man!!!! Na the nuke plant is no worry and at least it looks like a giant set of boobs It is a surf meca, California's version of Hawaii. Hey lemme know when ya find a stick if it's local enough to me I'll go and look at it for ya(pictures can only do so much) if it passes inspection I'll tell ya and then you can arange some kind of purchace/hold suiting your needs ( I build,airbrush and repair em so I know what I'm talking about). As for the economy....Shezzzz I got no answers for this kind of absolute iditocracy and it is truly assinine the whole world economy is gonna suffer this one and were so deep in the hole now I think my government policy has changed to (keep digging deeper we might poke through the outher side and see light again!!) Happy to be an American but embarresed to admit it, If ya know what I mean.
Anyways lemme know if I can help your tea sippin arse out for I think the drive is a little far to have any mistakes or letdowns and don't wanna see a good trip go bad.

Richard, hope you like San O as much as I do. I live and work in northern California, so I do not get to San O enough.