I purchased a bargin on ebay the other day. I wanted only one piece of the package but ended up with a huge glass slalom board, some early 1990's sails (a Wind Series 5.5 that's new, a Tyronsea 5.0 and a 7m), 3 aluminium booms, 2 glass masts and all the relevant accessories. What's unuasble has gone to the bin!
Here's my dilema. Do a resell the package (minus the other board I wanted) that would do the job for an "active beginner" and get maybe $100, OR take the whole lot to the tip and possibly prevent a new member of windsurfing from being discouraged because the gear is heavy and harder to use than today's modern stuff?
I'm leaning towards "doing the right thing" but so much **** gets sold on ebay for a decent price it seems like a loss to make land fill out of it.
What would you do?
Put it on here under "Buy & Sell" at give away prices. That way someone gets to use it rather than have it scrapped. Have it as collect so you don't have to do anything or any effort. I like to encorage new starters and access to chaeap gear is a good start.
Cheers - Greg W
When I first wanted to get into windsurfing I bought some old kit out of the trading post. Luckily I went and did lessons shortly after, and I learned that modern boards and sails were so much easier to use.
I think if I hadn't had those lessons, I wouldn't have realised that the new stuff is so much nicer, and probably wouldn't have kept at it.
So, I probably wouldn't sell the rest on ebay. In fact, I've still got the board I bought sitting outside and the 2 sails were never used. I won't sell them, but would give them away if someone wanted them.
Why not have the best of both worlds and advertise it as 'old style equipment'. If it sells, then you have been honest, and if it doesn't then off to landfill it goes, but it's going to end up there anyway one way or another.
5 months ago i bought a cheap old dinosaur like what you probably have, and id already had a lesson, so i realised after trying my old gear that it wasnt as stable or easy to learn on as the new learner gear.... BUT for a board, mast, 2 booms and 2 sails for 400 bucks i definately got my moneys worth out of it, and sure here i am 5 mths later having just thrown thousands at a new board and some new and s/hand rigging, i still feel it was worth going that way, coz as a beginner 5 mths ago i sure wasnt going to spend a couple of grand (or more) just to try it out, and ive avoided investing heaps in the modern beginner gear, which i would now be looking at selling, and gone straigt to more intermediate stuff which i will get years of value out of...(i think).
i guess it would just be important to let anyone using the old stuff know that its only really a short term thing for trying out the sport.... being cheaper than hiring too many times, and saves the hassel of buying good gear only to want to sell it soon after
I was out today on a board/rig I bought for $300 15 years ago. Not my only windsurfing gear, but still has a purpose.
Sell it on eBay. No reserve, starting price $1. Describe the goods honestly and insist on a pickup delivery. That way no one can complain if they did not get what they expected.
Would it be any good selling on Seabreeze buy and sell? Most people looking at gear here would probably not be that interested in buying gear from the 80s or early 90s.
Thanks guys - honesty is the best policy! I just had a look at the booms and they are the tie on type. I guess that makes it pre 1990?
Tim
Get creative.
If the board is in decent nick it might make a real good bench seat to have near a BBQ or something. Consider it a talking point.
The old sails...sunshades (if they aren't monofilm), shower curtains, there has to be a use for them.
The boards make good signs, there's a holiday accommodation house up the road with an old surfboard painted white, with signwriting on it (fins and all!) looks good, otherwise I saw one of the 'younguns' on seabreeze made some shelving out of one, by ripping it lengthwise......
Personally, I'd get hold of a heavy-duty spring, and swivel-plate, and make a practice simulator setup in the backyard
......at the end of the day, remove rig, store it whole (not like you'll use it on the water), the kids have a surfboard simulator as some playground equipment....
Gotta go now, just gave myself the idea for my old stuff up in the garage trusses.
the old rigs are good for little sailing dingys.ie converting little row boats to sailing vessels.
Classic windsurfing gear is cool, especially if it's in good condition! Please DO NOT TRASH IT!!!!
Sail a piece of history!!!
As someone else said, when you're starting out it's ok to use crappy old gear - not ideal, no, but ok. As long as the board is big enough to float you easily! You get to try windsurfing out, learn the basics and try gear in a few different shapes and sizes. I went through so many boards, booms, masts and sails before I started buying new gear (actually I still haven't bought a new board, and am still looking for cheaper and cheaper old ones) -- now I know exactly what I want, and I didn't spend a fortune getting to this point. (Ok, I lie - I did spend a fortune. But only because I was such a compulsive used gear buyer.)
There was a guy out here the other day on completely ancient stuff, the wind was light, but out of the 3 or 4 people out he was going the best. I agree with X-sport guy, dirt cheap gear might just see somebody thru the initial learning period, then they can spend money on what will become their low wind gear. As long as they now it will be harder than learning on new gear, but save them heaps in gear they'll have to resell after a few months. (as long as it's suitable for the initial learning period)
The old boards are great to learn on! I learnt to sail 12 months ago on a F2 Lightning. Not as stable as your newer beginners boards, but nonetheless got me on my way! Coupled with a reasonably modern rig, i think it was a great combination. Plus, the added nostalgia knowing that about 8 other people have learnt to sail on that board. I think i wouldn't have progressed as quickly as i did if i hadn't learnt on the old "river barge"!!
