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Beginner advice on budget windsurfer - 3 options
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natbprice



Joined: 17 Jun 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 8:43 pm    Post subject: Beginner advice on budget windsurfer - 3 options Reply with quote

I want to have some fun trying to windsurf this summer. I don’t want to spend a lot of money (less than $300). No rentals nearby. No lessons nearby. No local windsurfer community that I have found.

Been scouring Craigslist..

Option 1
O’Brien windsurfer complete kit - $75
Haven’t checked it out in person because it’s 2 hour drive. Looks like it’s seem pretty good use..see photo

Option 2
HiFly windsurfer - Asking $450. Might be room for negotiation.
Somebody won this around 1990 and basically never used it. Been kept in garage. Looks like a tank. Great shape. Like new. Approximately 13 feet long.

Option 3
Unknown model - $250
Also haven’t checked out this one because it’s about 2 hour drive. I think it’s about 10 feet long. Not much to go on except old photo. I know it saw some good use at one point.



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grantmac017



Joined: 04 Aug 2016
Posts: 946

PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

None of those are worth more than $75-100. The sail, mast and boom are all pretty much dumpster material.

Where are you located?
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natbprice



Joined: 17 Jun 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why are they dumpster material? Im in Nebraska.
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grantmac017



Joined: 04 Aug 2016
Posts: 946

PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

natbprice wrote:
Why are they dumpster material? Im in Nebraska.


Because they are likely to break on top of being hard to rig and use.

I'm an advocate for older equipment, especially boards, plus I'm a cheapskate. But there are some things I won't touch.
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joethewindsufa



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 1190
Location: Montréal

PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 5:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NMI = need more information
where you will windsurf exactly - not many lakes in Nebraska ...
how big is the lake you will be sailing on

how much do you weigh ...
how good is your balance, endurance, strength ??
will you travel to windsurf ??

personally have purchased some nice boards under $300
a nice smaller sail with mast and boom/wishbone perhaps $300
but never a kit for that kinda money
sold one kit ONCE to a kid as favour F2 Comet with Simmer Sail for $250
threw in a free lesson too to ensure all was good
he was a lightweight and was good to go

in other words you have to find a nice windsurfer who feels for you
or perhaps increase the budget slightly

in any case - wish you lotsa luck AND patience
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cgoudie1



Joined: 10 Apr 2006
Posts: 2597
Location: Killer Sturgeon Cove

PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 6:29 am    Post subject: Re: Beginner advice on budget windsurfer - 3 options Reply with quote

For $75, if that O'Brien has all it's parts (I don't see a fin), that might be OK.
Have the owner go through it piece by piece before you make a 2 hour drive.
The Windsurfer, and the Hifly are probably even poorer choices (that Hifly
is a huge displacement hull, and despite being enormous is probably pretty
tippy, on the other hand it probably has all it's components.

You could probably find something in the 3 bill range that'd be serviceable, but not with shipping.

You're in a tough spot for finding serviceable used gear. In a place where there is windsurfing, you'd find that stuff in a dumpster.

Here is what you should look for. A board of at least 150 ltrs and more
than that would be better, with a centerboard, a roughly 5.5M sail with battens, a 2 piece mast (how would you transport a 1 piece), and a boom with a clamp on head, plus, a universal and base plate that attaches to the
board and a base extension that attaches the uni to the mast, and don't forget the skeg (fin). I've seen kits like this go for 3 bills, but I live in 2 places where windsurfing is still alive.

Good luck,

-Craig



natbprice wrote:
I want to have some fun trying to windsurf this summer. I don’t want to spend a lot of money (less than $300). No rentals nearby. No lessons nearby. No local windsurfer community that I have found.

Been scouring Craigslist..

Option 1
O’Brien windsurfer complete kit - $75
Haven’t checked it out in person because it’s 2 hour drive. Looks like it’s seem pretty good use..see photo

Option 2
HiFly windsurfer - Asking $450. Might be room for negotiation.
Somebody won this around 1990 and basically never used it. Been kept in garage. Looks like a tank. Great shape. Like new. Approximately 13 feet long.

Option 3
Unknown model - $250
Also haven’t checked out this one because it’s about 2 hour drive. I think it’s about 10 feet long. Not much to go on except old photo. I know it saw some good use at one point.
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natbprice



Joined: 17 Jun 2016
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks everyone! I was hoping that the demand for windsurfer equipment is so low that I could pick up a kit for cheap..

I weight about 175 lbs, 6'2". I think I have good balance, endurance, and strength? I don't know how to windsurf though. These are the spots I would windsurf (probably Branched Oak): http://www.newindsurfing.com/nebraska-area-sailing-sites

I was actually trying to learn to windsurf about 2 years ago when I was living in Florida. In the surf though I struggled against waves and initially tried on shortboard. Tried at another location, but cut my foot on some oysters and later moved to Nebraska. I have some used gear in Florida, but I am not sure it is valuable enough to ship out here. Got one quote for $850 to ship everything on uShip. However, maybe I could ship a sail and the mast for cheaper. How do you ship a mast? https://staugustine.craigslist.org/spo/d/windsurfer-3-board-5-sails/6617281196.html

About 3 hours drive on Craigslist somebody is unloading lots of equipment. It is more than I would like to spend though ($575 - 8'2" Bic Techno II 133, $725 - 8'1" Mistral Explosion 130, $525 -8'4" JP Fun-Ride 125). Seems overpriced to me, but what do I know?
https://northplatte.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=windsurfer&sort=rel

EDIT:
In Florida, I have 2 clamp on booms, universal base (I think), a mast extension, a couple fins, a carbon fiber 2 piece mast, and some sails. Sounds like the ratio on shipping to value of that stuff might make it worth shipping. Any tips on shipping for cheap? Maybe all I really need is a decent longboard..
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://outdoornebraska.gov/lakeogallala/

This is west of where I reckon you live. It’s a great spot for a Midwest lake.

PM me if I can help, I live in Colorado, nr DEN.

The boards you posted are all OLDE. Some have unique pieces . You would Ben better off with a newer board. Make that much better.

A 2piece mast can be shipped FEDEX,one piece forget it, its of no used to sail with.

YOU may need to expand your C/L search to a wider area, and be prepared to travel. CHEAP in this case means OLD.

_________________
K4 fins
4Boards....May the fours be with you

http://www.k4fins.com/fins.html
http://4boards.co.uk/
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NOVAAN



Joined: 28 Sep 1994
Posts: 1544

PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is a tuff thing to learn without some input from other windsurfer's. I started in 1980 on that kind of gear and nobody had a clue what they were doing. So it can be done. The gear your looking at is pretty old , heavy and most likely ready for the trash.. Parts that are sure to break are had to find.
Most windsurfer's would gladly give you that gear. Somebody trying to sell it
probably has no clue about modern windsurfing. My opinion is you get what you pay for. If you really want to get into the adventure that is windsurfing, find better used gear. These days, 500 bucks at a windsurfing swap meet would net you way better up to date use able gear. And alot of it. Shipping anything these is getting out of hand price wise..
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grantmac017



Joined: 04 Aug 2016
Posts: 946

PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2018 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

natbprice wrote:
Thanks everyone! I was hoping that the demand for windsurfer equipment is so low that I could pick up a kit for cheap..

I weight about 175 lbs, 6'2". I think I have good balance, endurance, and strength? I don't know how to windsurf though. These are the spots I would windsurf (probably Branched Oak): http://www.newindsurfing.com/nebraska-area-sailing-sites

I was actually trying to learn to windsurf about 2 years ago when I was living in Florida. In the surf though I struggled against waves and initially tried on shortboard. Tried at another location, but cut my foot on some oysters and later moved to Nebraska. I have some used gear in Florida, but I am not sure it is valuable enough to ship out here. Got one quote for $850 to ship everything on uShip. However, maybe I could ship a sail and the mast for cheaper. How do you ship a mast? https://staugustine.craigslist.org/spo/d/windsurfer-3-board-5-sails/6617281196.html

About 3 hours drive on Craigslist somebody is unloading lots of equipment. It is more than I would like to spend though ($575 - 8'2" Bic Techno II 133, $725 - 8'1" Mistral Explosion 130, $525 -8'4" JP Fun-Ride 125). Seems overpriced to me, but what do I know?
https://northplatte.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=windsurfer&sort=rel

EDIT:
In Florida, I have 2 clamp on booms, universal base (I think), a mast extension, a couple fins, a carbon fiber 2 piece mast, and some sails. Sounds like the ratio on shipping to value of that stuff might make it worth shipping. Any tips on shipping for cheap? Maybe all I really need is a decent longboard..


That gear in Florida is giveaway stuff and the stuff nearer you about 2-3x what most would pay.

I started with a $250 Craigslist setup and that board formed the core of my quiver for a year, but everything else got replaced rather quickly. In hindsight spending a bit more to start would have been cheaper.
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