Peddaling boards for the horde's
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2015 5:37 amSince starting surfing only 1.5years ago and through pure interest of experimentation, i've changed hands with the best of part of 19 different boards (from memory). 
Some from only 1 day of use before selling on to other boards which i've had for 8 months. 
Everything from::
8' epoxy longboard, 7'6 plastic minimal, 7'6 epoxy minimal, 7'2 epoxy minimal, 7'0 PU minimal, 7'0 pu minimal, 6'10 big-boy shortboard, 6'6 epoxy fish, 6'3 epoxy shortboard, 6'3 pu shortboard, 6'2 pu shortboard, 6'2 pu fish, 6'2 hi-perf shortboard, 6'2 epoxy shortboard, 6'1 epoxy shortboard, 6'1 epoxy shortboard, 6'0 pu shortboard, 6'0 epoxy quad only fish, 5'10 foamie, 5'10 hi-perf shortboard.
It's been fascinating to feel the differences of each board, see the different rails, tails, rockers, volume dispersement and fin set-ups. Even if i had no intention on keeping it other than a trial and sell on.
I reckon that if I had come across surfing when I was a teenager I would've probably ended up becoming a shaper rather than going to uni and studying business!
Through my surfboard trial process i've been able to get an absolute dial-in on the surfboard market over here and despite all my buying and swapping, probably have made about $1200 in profit.
It's turned in to an addiction almost, I can't help myself when a good deal comes up and you think- I wonder what that board would be like? Which board in my quiver could it potentially replace?
Last night I was having dinner to celebrate my mums birthday and later on in the evening, happened to see a 7'6 minimal package with board, fins, leash and bag for only $330 on this surfing group i'm a member of. I gave the guy a message and 2hrs later, was coming home with a board that was absolutely mint! I had no intention of using / owning this board but I know it can flick it on for $500 easily.
To be honest, when I saw it in person I did actually consider keeping it if I didn't already have my 7'2 torq.
Have anyone else fallen in to the hole of trading that i'm in?
I've found that any boards in the 'fun-size' range are just too easy to sell, there's always someone that wants one and there's always someone that brought one to try suring but never ended up using it much and now wants to huck it off cheap to clear some space in their house/garage. Shortboards are a little harder to make a profit on but still do-able. People seem too hung up on an inch in length or 1/2" in width being the ultimate difference in their surfing being good or not and won't think outside of their ideal 'volume-to-dimension' bubble.
I've had several people message me about coming off longboards and are interested in my shortboards that are way to small and advanced for their level or weight (after asking them a few questions). I've suggested other longer, wider or flatter boards that I might be putting up for sale or seen and mention about all the side effects of going to a smaller board but they won't budge or consider it, still persisting with that dream of suring a narrow, thin, shortboard.
Anyway, to cut a long experience short- I think i've finally decided upon my quiver of torq 7'2 epoxy, new 6'1 shortboard (volume finally seems right for me with a good balance of paddle, performance and duckdiving) and a 6'0 epoxy quad fish
Some from only 1 day of use before selling on to other boards which i've had for 8 months. Everything from::
8' epoxy longboard, 7'6 plastic minimal, 7'6 epoxy minimal, 7'2 epoxy minimal, 7'0 PU minimal, 7'0 pu minimal, 6'10 big-boy shortboard, 6'6 epoxy fish, 6'3 epoxy shortboard, 6'3 pu shortboard, 6'2 pu shortboard, 6'2 pu fish, 6'2 hi-perf shortboard, 6'2 epoxy shortboard, 6'1 epoxy shortboard, 6'1 epoxy shortboard, 6'0 pu shortboard, 6'0 epoxy quad only fish, 5'10 foamie, 5'10 hi-perf shortboard.
It's been fascinating to feel the differences of each board, see the different rails, tails, rockers, volume dispersement and fin set-ups. Even if i had no intention on keeping it other than a trial and sell on.
I reckon that if I had come across surfing when I was a teenager I would've probably ended up becoming a shaper rather than going to uni and studying business!
Through my surfboard trial process i've been able to get an absolute dial-in on the surfboard market over here and despite all my buying and swapping, probably have made about $1200 in profit.
It's turned in to an addiction almost, I can't help myself when a good deal comes up and you think- I wonder what that board would be like? Which board in my quiver could it potentially replace?
Last night I was having dinner to celebrate my mums birthday and later on in the evening, happened to see a 7'6 minimal package with board, fins, leash and bag for only $330 on this surfing group i'm a member of. I gave the guy a message and 2hrs later, was coming home with a board that was absolutely mint! I had no intention of using / owning this board but I know it can flick it on for $500 easily.
To be honest, when I saw it in person I did actually consider keeping it if I didn't already have my 7'2 torq.
Have anyone else fallen in to the hole of trading that i'm in?
I've found that any boards in the 'fun-size' range are just too easy to sell, there's always someone that wants one and there's always someone that brought one to try suring but never ended up using it much and now wants to huck it off cheap to clear some space in their house/garage. Shortboards are a little harder to make a profit on but still do-able. People seem too hung up on an inch in length or 1/2" in width being the ultimate difference in their surfing being good or not and won't think outside of their ideal 'volume-to-dimension' bubble.
I've had several people message me about coming off longboards and are interested in my shortboards that are way to small and advanced for their level or weight (after asking them a few questions). I've suggested other longer, wider or flatter boards that I might be putting up for sale or seen and mention about all the side effects of going to a smaller board but they won't budge or consider it, still persisting with that dream of suring a narrow, thin, shortboard.
Anyway, to cut a long experience short- I think i've finally decided upon my quiver of torq 7'2 epoxy, new 6'1 shortboard (volume finally seems right for me with a good balance of paddle, performance and duckdiving) and a 6'0 epoxy quad fish
