When’s The Last Time You Bought A Used Board?
Old dogs, new tricks.
I’ve never been into old cars.
My focus has always been getting from Point A to Point B, not how things felt along the way. Choosing machines that could cheaply achieve that allowed me to save money I could then spend on very important things. Like surfboards.
I was never into old surfboards, either.
One board changed that: A 6’8” Akila Aipa twin fin purchased for $200 on Oahu’s Craigslist. This board does things that I did not think 6’8”s were capable of doing. It’s fast, loose, even whippy – and still has all that paddle power. I would part with any board in my quiver before I would part with my Aipa. The rest, I believe, would be much easier to replace.
I got that board four years ago. I spent some time earlier this morning attempting to convince a stranger from Western Massachusetts’ Craigslist to sell me an aged 6’3′ CI with glass-ons for $100. I think I may have a problem.
I never made a decision to start collecting boards. I used to scroll through the used sites every week or so for kicks. On the rare occasion, I would buy a board if it filled a gap in my quiver. I got in the habit of checking more often. Then it became a daily ritual. Now, it’s a proper addiction.
I’ve purchased five boards for a total of about 600 Euro this year alone. I don’t buy boards for decoration — I only buy boards that I legitimately want to ride. I’m running out of space in my apartment, but I can’t stop. If I see a board for good value, I have to bite.
The cool thing about used surfboards is that they mean different things to different people. When it comes to buying or selling them, there’s no set standard in terms of value. I’ve been outraged by prices both high and low. Shopping is like a game, and the outcome of winning is a new sensation under your feet for cheap.
This addiction has made me think about old cars differently. These are objects that somebody, or a group of people, put heart into designing. They could be cutting edge at the time, but they feel a bit more raw once time strips away the emotional influence of trend.
There’s still something you can tap into by putting yourself behind the wheel.
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Want to watch the final episode of Stab High (For Free)*
I remember the last asterisk I saw in surfing during a year in which the World Title wasn’t decided at Pipeline. But, Hobgoodery aside, this is a much different situation. This is about being able to watch the last episode of Stab High if you jump on a free Stab Premium trial. I think I’ve used five different email addresses for Amazon Prime trials in my life. This won’t work like that. Get your free month now, because it likely won’t happen again anytime soon.
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Good week for it. Dane Reynolds gifted Micky Clarke (but mostly all of us) the gift of this edit to celebrate Micky’s 22nd birthday. I like the way this kid surfs and the film feels so very Dane. Watch, celebrate.
One last thing:
Always trust, but never hype, a Christmas swell.
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