Surfing Waves

Hi folks, I am a new member here, and I've been looking on craigslist for a used board and I came across this board by a Jamaican company, Quashi surfboards. I've read everything I could find online (which isn't much), but I was wondering if anyone has any personal experience with these boards.

I have been surfing for about 2 years on an 8 foot Wavestorm, 3 days a week or so....I feel like my progress has been decent and I can ride some fun waves, but I broke the Wavestorm recently, so now I'm looking for something that is going to advance my surfing. Something that I can ride in different conditions, and just something cheap as I'm still learning really, so $200 or less is my budget. I'm 5-11, 175, so I was thinking of something in the 7 to 7'4" range. I surf in LA mainly at Malibu, Topanga, Sunset, Venice, El Porto, etc.

Here is a link to the ad:

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/spo/d/custom-quashi-72-surfboard/6689088629.html


If anyone has any experience with a Quashi, or anyone has any advice or recommendations, that is greatly appreciated. Mainly I'm curious what you guys think of this board, and if it would be worth that much...or maybe I should offer less for it? Thanks!

- Jon

My advice would be to stay in the 8 foot range but go to a Molded-Epoxy board like NSP, Torq, Bic, etc. I don't know of Quashi surfboards, but from what I can see it has a pulled in nose, a bit of rocker and it's made of PU/PE fiberglass resin. The pulled in nose and rocker will be better when you are starting to do critical turns in steeper faster waves. If you are on a budget, you have to factor in the dings and shatters you will get surfing a "normal" construction board.

Thanks for the feedback. So you are saying a molded-epoxy board "like NSP, Torq, Bic" is a material that will be more durable and better at "taking a beating" ? Is that what you mean?

What if I am interested in moving towards riding a shortboard? Don't I want to move down in size gradually? Plus I could always keep other boards that are longer, such as a 9 foot longboard for those days when the surf prefers it. I am looking around to get something like that also. Thanks Chan!

waikikikichan wrote:My advice would be to stay in the 8 foot range but go to a Molded-Epoxy board like NSP, Torq, Bic, etc. I don't know of Quashi surfboards, but from what I can see it has a pulled in nose, a bit of rocker and it's made of PU/PE fiberglass resin. The pulled in nose and rocker will be better when you are starting to do critical turns in steeper faster waves. If you are on a budget, you have to factor in the dings and shatters you will get surfing a "normal" construction board.

An 8ft wavestorm isn’t equivalent to an 8ft hardboard - the wavestorm is wider and thicker and so forth. So going from a wavestorm to an 8ft hardboard is effectively going down in size. But you could potentially go for a mid 7ft board if you wanted. Or a 9ft board. The latter will be easier but the former should be doable

Moulded epoxy boards are a lot hardier than fibreglassed boards when it comes to those small to medium dings and impacts that everyone - esp beginners - suffer. You can absolutely learn on a fibreglass board, it just might result in you having to brush up on your board repair skills

Thanks guys for all the excellent advice!
Do you think this would be a good board for me? (7'6")




https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/spo/d/76-becker-patriot-pro-model/6693010251.html

Or would something like this be better? (7'9")



https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/spo/d/bic-sport-79-natural-surf-2/6697089587.html

Going to check out this one tomorrow (7'2"):



https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/spo/d/simon-72-surfboard-leash/6695452079.html

And another possibility, longer board (8'10")..are the stress cracks a potential problem or is that just more of a cosmetic imperfection?




https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/spo/d/810-el-porto-longboard/6698601546.html

The guy selling the Becker and the El Porto has a lot of other boards that he fixes and sells on Craigslist, so I will probably go by and shop around.

Any further advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I’ve bought my share of cheap, beater boards. So if I were to choose from the 4, I’d consider either Becker or el Porto but haggle for a lower price than$200. You are going to have trouble reselling the bic in Southern California, and the third one is too short and too old to me. Becker looks like it has glasses on fins meaning it could be pretty old, but should be ok for learning. Stress cracks could be ok short term, like a year or two. I have bought one with similar cracks for my kid as a learner board.
At those prices it’s not worth getting the dings fixed professionally, so either learn to repair yourself or just use uv cure resin knowing that those might not be a permanent fix.

Thanks for all the advice saltydog, I appreciate it.

saltydog wrote:You are going to have trouble reselling the bic in Southern California

Why is that?

J100 wrote:Thanks for all the advice saltydog, I appreciate it.

saltydog wrote:You are going to have trouble reselling the bic in Southern California

Why is that?

Cause BIC make better pens and , razors that are more appealing than their surfboards. iMHO.
The board's redeeming quality is their almost indestructible nature.

I ended up buying this board today, 7'6", 21 1/2", 2 7/8". It's an Ellington (San Diego). I just paid 60 bucks for it.




I don't know if this board is epoxy or polyester or fiberglass. Can anyone tell by looking? I want to do some DIY repairs to it. The tail looks like it could chip. Do I just put Solarez over it with some plastic wrap and leave it in the sun?




Also one of the fins has small cracks at the front and at the back of where it is going into the board. It's not loose or anything, but I should probably put Solarez over those cracks right?




There are also some dings but they don't look like they need immediate attention right now.

Totally new to doing repairs on boards but want to learn. Thanks! - Jon