Surfing Waves

Never surfed in my life and just looking to have some fun on a board. Found one at my local dump and was wondering if it’s worth the $40 the guy offered to sell it to me for. I have attached images and am just looking for some advise on the yellow patches and the semi-large dents.

Boards around 2 meters, has ankle strap, and 3 fins though one looks broken.

Thebreena wrote:Never surfed in my life...

Learn to stand up on a board 3 feet over your head. Learn the basics, paddling, catching green waves, simple turns, on a board 2 feet over your head. Is this board 3 feet taller than you ?

Thebreena wrote: just looking to have some fun on a board.

It's not fun if you can't paddle out to the waves or have to be rescued by the lifeguards.

** and even if you were a seasoned intermediate surfer, if it has "glassed on" / permanent fins like the other board in the back ground, don't get it even for $40.

The board would be a few feet above my head.

That’s for letting me know that if I’m not a surfer I mustn’t be able to swim or haven’t done other water sports so will obviously drown.

The fins aren’t permanent and I believe one is broken so I plan to change them out anyways.

Thanks for the advise though, am still asking more about the discolour and the dents.

Let‘s talk about the dings, cracks and yellow stains, there a number of cracks and dings where the structural fiberglass is broken, these let water soak in. The broken glass fibres can at the least irritate your legs on the rails or worse cut you.
The yellow spots are where water is already in the foam making the board heavier.
In some places the foam may be rotten an yellowing around the stringer may mean the wood there may be weaker!

About the fins how are fins se in the board, if the go into a fitting with a grub screw to secure them easy replacement, ask the seller what sort of fin system is it. Glassed in fin repair + all the other repairs needed ( And they are) is theboatd dollar value?

We always consider safety of our forumites and in particular beginners!
Board length long enough to ensure ease of paddling. Paddling is 98% of what you do in the surf! In , out, around catching waves, so you need and will develop paddle fitness.
Do you understand the dynamics of how a beach works, rips currents and sand bank systems and then waves?
Have you surfed on anything?
We ask about swimming because surf swimming is nothing like being a good pool swimmer, all because a surfboard and leash are not a lifesaving device!
There are also unspoken traffic rules and often the people who just want to surf for a little fun become unstuck in traffic and with the ocean.

Our aim is to offer advice that makes your learning and experience safer and easier, and more enjoyable.

Surfing is not an easy thing to do, no other water sport adequately prepares you!

I would save your $40 and not buy that board as it is too small to learn on and the repairs to get it water tight will cost more than the purchase price.

I would recommend finding a used Costco Wavestorm ( or similar 8 foot foam / soft board ). You should be able to find used ones for less than $75.

Thebreena wrote:Thanks for the advise though, am still asking more about the discolour and the dents.

If you still intend to purchase that board, run your nail over the suspect areas, if your nail stops or catches, then that area is not waterproof and needs repair. It might be as easy as sanding down the area a bit, then spreading some UV curing resin on and putting it out in the sun for 15 minutes.

Bigger gaps or loose fiberglass will need a bigger job.


Have you worked with resin and fiberglass before ?

Another thing you can do is to put mylar stickers over some of the smaller " spider web cracks".

waikikikichan wrote:** and even if you were a seasoned intermediate surfer, if it has "glassed on" / permanent fins like the other board in the back ground, don't get it even for $40.

Why? Is it because it isn't cheap if you break the fins?

I think I've seen my surfer friend have a bonzer surf board that have fins moulded onto the board.

BaNZ wrote:

waikikikichan wrote:** and even if you were a seasoned intermediate surfer, if it has "glassed on" / permanent fins like the other board in the back ground, don't get it even for $40.

Why? Is it because it isn't cheap if you break the fins?

I think I've seen my surfer friend have a bonzer surf board that have fins moulded onto the board.

If a board has glassed on fins, more specifically three fins ( thruster set up ), the board was probably made in the 80's / early 90's. BONZERS ( you can look up Campbell Brothers ) although original designed in the 80's, has had a revival in current times due to the popularity of ALTERNATIVE craft and the AB3 movement. So most likely the Bonzers boards you're seeing are not 30 years old.

For me it would be a hard “no”. That board is in bad shape and like Wakikii said in as many words, if you really want to learn how to surf, you are better off putting money towards a wavestrom or similar shape that doesn’t need 100 bucks of repair.

A two meter board is too short to learn on even if you are 3.5 feet tall. My kids learned on my 10’4” log starting when they were 6 and truly 3 1/2feet tall and still fell off, pearled, and otherwise messed up alot. I put them on an 8’ board early on and they immediately complained that it was too small and hard to ride. Anyway, that board in the pictures isn’t worth the money (any money) IMO and if it was wouldn’t be right for you at this point anyway.

2c