Surfing Waves

Hey,

What should someone look for when they consider buying a used board? How can I tell if a used board is either a bargain or completely bollocksed beyond belief?

Hawkwood

Things like dings should be fairly easy to spot. But you need to check to see if they have been repaired well. Check for water penetration or if the repair is watertight.
Check the fins. If they've been repaired are they still in line and at the right angles and are they still well fixed in? If the board has a fins system make sure you have some fins to try and that the retaining screw threads are still good. FCS threads can where out and if they do a new plug has to be fitted as you have no way of securing the fin.
Check the deck for pressure dings. Alot of boards get damaged on the deck due to popping and this can be concealed by wax. Take a credit card with and don't be afraid to scrape off some of the wax to have a look.

Also you probably want to avoid a board that's about to delaminate or has alot of water penetration under the glass. Look for really brown areas of foam around ding repairs. This could be an indication of water penetration.
A board that is delaminating will probably have a yellow tinge to it all over and if you lightly squeeze the glass it will give and make a noise just like foam pulling away from glass, a light tearing noise because that is exactly what is happening under the glass.
However on the plus side if you can glass yourself then a delaminating board with not too many dings can be a real bargain if it's a nice shape. You can buy them for next to nothing and then de skinning them is so easy as the glass just falls off without damaging the foam too much. Then you can re glass it and you have a newly glassed retro board.

KS

I wouldn't be too concerned about pressure dents on the deck...every used board is going to have them.

I also wouldn't be too concerned about a board that has yellowed all over (after you make sure it does not have a delaminated problem). Boards just get yellow over time.

The first board I picked up was used and has pressure dents on the deck and is pretty yellow in color. I've had no problems with it.

Driftingalong wrote:I wouldn't be too concerned about pressure dents on the deck...every used board is going to have them.

I also wouldn't be too concerned about a board that has yellowed all over (after you make sure it does not have a delaminated problem). Boards just get yellow over time.

The first board I picked up was used and has pressure dents on the deck and is pretty yellow in color. I've had no problems with it.

The last 3 boards i've repaired have had pressure dents so bad that they have gone through the glass down the side of the stringer. These have been letting water in alot of but were covered over with wax. Agreed all boards will have pressure dents but it is an area where the glass can get broken and be concealed. It worth a quick look in my opinion.

KS

I asked because used shortboards (I plan to upgrade to a shortboard, a year from now...to supplement my 7'2" Premier Minimal) are cheap as a basket of chips around here and the first place I gravitate when looking at surfboards is the used boards rack.

easy way to check pressure dings (specially aroufd the stringer) is by touch, you should be able to feel its not smooth if the glass is broken.