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The biggest mistake when buying a second-hand board? Buying a board that is unsuitable for the intended use just because it's cheap! Because one thing is certain: a board that is ten to 15 years old and suitable for your riding style, level, size and weight will always be more fun on the water than a brand new board of the wrong class or size.
A board that is ten years old may be more suitable than the latest model from the wrong board class.
For this reason, we want to accompany you on the typical path to finding the right board. We'll start with the question of which board class or size makes sense and how to recognise which board class a board belongs to based on its characteristics. We will then show you how you can carry out a quality check yourself, even as a layman, and discover hidden damage.
Finally, we'll take a look at the current second-hand market for you and show you not only where you can find the largest selection of used boards - but also what they currently (may) cost.
Class society: the different boards
For example, if you are looking for a board with a volume of 115 litres, you can get anything from a small slalom board to a freeride, freemove, freestyle or large wave board. In extreme cases, this means that you could end up buying a board that is completely unsuitable for your needs. Beginners and intermediates in particular fall into this trap time and again, according to the motto: "You're looking for a board for gliding and your first power jibes. However, the seller is pretty convinced by his 115-litre waveboard and finds "that the thing glides really well and turns really easily." The price is right, the volume is supposedly right too - and the wrong purchase is made.
From the seller's point of view, there doesn't even have to be any malice involved - just a completely different perspective and a lack of knowledge about what the prospective buyer is looking for. To make sure you're fishing in the right pond from the outset, here's an overview of all board groups and their characteristics
1. longboard/WindSUP - the improvers
Target group: beginners & advanced, up to first attempts at gliding; light wind surfers; families
The idea that longboards with daggerboards are only suitable for beginners is one of the biggest misconceptions in windsurfing! Because even if you have already mastered planing, the typical wind conditions inland only allow for very irregular planing fun. From this point of view, longboards are the best. Even for experienced surfers, they open up the possibility of (almost) always getting out on the water. Due to their length of 260 to 350 centimetres, they run faster than any other board in displacement mode, pull maximum height with the daggerboard and can also be used for planing with the daggerboard folded in. They are also ideal for practising manoeuvres such as tacking, jibing and other tricks: the perfect basis for surfing on fun boards. The shapes of typical longboards have hardly changed since time immemorial - "length runs" also applied 20 years ago. For bargain hunters, this means that even a 20-year-old longboard is still up-to-date in terms of its shape and can be bought without hesitation, provided it is still in good condition. You should just make sure that the board has a normal mast rail into which a modern base plate can be screwed. This is not the case with very old models, in which case a replacement mast base is almost impossible to obtain.
An alternative are (inflatable) windSUPs, which are comparable in size to longboards and also offer the dual use of SUPing and windsurfing. The following applies: every windsurfing longboard is in principle also suitable for SUPing, but not every SUP can also be used for windsurfing. For this to work, the SUP must have a thread in the deck into which a base plate can be screwed. To reduce lateral drift, it should be possible to fit a centre fin. If this is not the case, there are also systems such as the Add-on drift stopper or the Ezywing - Additional fins are simply strapped around the board using a tensioning strap.
2. freeride boards - boards for the masses
Target group: Beginners to planing surfing through to experienced freeriders. Ideally in combination with camberless sails or maximum 2-cam sails.
The most widespread board group is freeride. Freeride boards have had a length of between 230 and 250 centimetres and a volume of between 100 and 170 litres for around 15 years. A Powerbox fin with a length of 30 to 50 centimetres usually sits in the tail.
Freeride boards should glide early thanks to a long gliding surface, be easy to control and enable relaxed gliding manoeuvres such as power jibes and duck jibes. The large target group also manifests itself in the strap positions: On the one hand, freeride boards offer positions that are further out on the edge, allowing even experienced riders to race around in a sporty manner. On the other hand, loop plugs are always installed far inwards and at the front of the deck. These allow beginners to glide surfing in particular to cruise in a relaxed manner and learn to ride in loops.
And the right size? Excess volume helps beginners to planing surfing and all those who are still standing the power jibe irregularly. 40 to 50 litres more volume than your own body weight is often very helpful, so that a sheet start is still possible. If you can glide safely in the loops and mostly stand up manoeuvres, you can of course also reduce the excess volume.
Review: Freeride boards used to be significantly longer and narrower than they are today. A look at the surf test archives reveals that between 2005 and 2007, a trend towards significantly more compact dimensions and greater width prevailed. For those searching the second-hand market, this means that a freeride board from 2005 with 130 litres is not comparable with a newer model. An example: A common freeride board such as the Fanatic Shark 129 measured 260 by 69 centimetres in 2005. In 2010, the comparable model was a full 15 centimetres shorter and four to five centimetres wider. Since 2010, the changes in dimensions have been significantly smaller.
For second-hand buyers, this means that if the board was built before 2006, it is usually significantly narrower and more tippy than newer models. This is particularly noticeable in manoeuvres, and these boards also glide less well in wind holes due to their narrower tails. So if you have had your first gliding experiences and jibes on a modern 150-litre freerider and then buy an old freeride board of the same volume, you will have the feeling of surfing on a much smaller board. However, the long oldies are at least competitive when it comes to planing.
3. freerace & slalom boards: the sports cannons
Target group: Surfers who can glide safely and use far outside loop positions; combination with camber sailing; regatta use; double use of windsurfing & foiling
Freerace boards are also available in a volume range of 100 to 150 litres, the dimensions do not differ significantly from freeride boards - which is precisely why there is a risk of making the wrong purchase. Compared to freeriders, freeracers are sportier and more geared towards top speed. This is achieved through a shorter gliding surface, wider tails and a stance position that is further out. There is often a slim and straight fin in the tail, which is usually mounted in a tuttle box with two screws through the deck. The internal loop plugs are often missing on this class of board - a major drawback for beginners to planing surfing! Slalom boards go one step further - these are short, wide boards for the regatta course, which make sense for experts and in combination with powerful camber sails. For planing and jibing, these concepts only have disadvantages compared to freeride boards.
Since the 2018 season, many freerace and slalom boards also offer the option of using them for foiling. It is always important to check the manufacturer's official approval: Stickers/prints on the box such as "foil ready" or "approved for foiling" are an indication that the fin boxes are reinforced. Some foils can be fitted to older models, but there is no guarantee that the box will hold. Tip on size: For a board to be suitable for foiling for the first time, it must have a tail that is as wide as possible. For this reason, freerace boards are only acceptable for foiling from a size of around 125 litres. The smaller the boards are, the more the flight becomes an egg dance. Pure foil boards can of course do much more in this respect.
4. freemoveboards - the all-rounders
Target group: Experienced surfers who can glide safely and make a water start - and want to cover everything from flat water to moderate surf and jumps with one board. The combination with wave or freemoving sails makes sense. If you are still practising planing and power jibing, freeride boards are better.
Freemove boards are the more manoeuvre-oriented alternative to freeride boards. In comparison, freemove concepts have narrower tails and a rocker line that is rounder than freeride boards. As a result, they are slightly less stable in manoeuvres, but also offer better turning ability. The transition to freestyle waveboards is fluid, with sizes over 105 litres often referred to as freemoveboards and smaller volume sizes as freestyle waveboards.
Boards in this category are therefore made for a wide range of conditions: heating and jibing on flat water should be just as possible as an occasional excursion into moderate surf waves or first jumps and freestyle tricks. To make this possible, freemove boards generally offer a far inboard strap position and a slightly outboard position. This allows the boards to be used with three or even four straps. The fin setup should also support the turning properties: Here, either more curved single fins are supplied or even a thruster setup consisting of a moderately long centre fin and two small side fins.
Freemoveboards have also undergone a change in the past, moving towards slightly more compact and wider dimensions. However, this happened less dramatically and over a longer period from 2010 to 2013, so if the board is older than ten years, it is around ten centimetres longer than current shapes. The most striking difference is certainly the fin setup. Before 2014, small freemove and freestyle waveboards only ever had a single fin in the tail. Now, the thruster setup with three fins is standard, at least for the small sizes under 100 litres - which offers surfers more options to tune the board for different conditions such as flat water or small surf.
5. freestyle boards - time-lapse rotation
Target group: Special boards for jumping and planing manoeuvres, in combination with freestyle or wave sails up to max. 5.5 m². Those practising planing manoeuvres should focus on the freestyle waver group, as these boards plane better and go upwind, become faster and run more cleanly on the edge.
The discipline of freestyle has developed rapidly - and as a result, the boards have been continuously tweaked to adapt them to the new manoeuvres. You could be forgiven for thinking that there was a time when a new trick was invented almost every day. And the boards are just as special as the manoeuvres, which have become increasingly unusual and radical over time. Sliding manoeuvres such as Spock, Flaka & Co are not dead and are part of every trick rider's repertoire, but there was a decisive turning point in the development of the discipline - namely when it went higher into the air: 360s were no longer slid through the water with extremely short fins, but were completely rotated in the air. Sails were ducked and charged in order to catapult out of shallow water as high as possible. The volume thus moved to the centre of the board and the shapes became significantly shorter and more compact in one fell swoop.
Those who have never heard of so-called power moves such as kono, burner or sail duck and have no plans to practise manoeuvres of this kind in the future can rest assured when it comes to freestyle boards built in 2010 or earlier. Classic freestyle tricks from carving 360s to spock, flaka and the first Switch moves work wonderfully with the longer oldies. Thanks to their longer fins, the longer freestylers are even easier to ride in a straight line than the very modern shapes. However, if you are starting to duck the sail and have power moves in mind, a modern shape under 225 centimetres long will give you a clear advantage - and it will be easier to learn the radical manoeuvres where you mainly rotate in the air.
6. waveboards - Kauli's children
Target group: Use mainly in surf conditions, for jumps and wave riding. Use in conjunction with wave sailing. If you have more days in flat water or chop than in the surf, you should take a look at the freestyle wave boards, as they glide better overall and offer more control.
Waveboards are made for surf - and that doesn't mean a high swell wave on Lake Garda in strong winds or the Ijsselmeer chop. As soon as it comes to lining up turns on the wave while standing in both loops, you benefit from the comparatively narrow tails and round rocker lines of the waveboards. There is exactly one option for the loops - far inwards. Waveboards have undergone major changes in the past. Riders such as Kauli Seadi, who won three world championship titles in waves between 2005 and 2008 and influenced board design, played a key role in this. Instead of the long and narrow single fin boards, Kauli used compact shapes as twinsers (2), thrusters (3) or quads (4).
With a slight delay, this trend then became established for all brands. Looking back, we can say that everything before 2008 was narrow and long. At that time, an 85-kilo surfer chose a 75 to 80-litre board as an all-round solution to be able to turn passably. In 2008, the first boards became wider, but still had single fins. From 2009, the trend towards greater width, more volume and a multifin setup became widespread. This was possible because the multifin setup also significantly improved the turning characteristics. It was now possible to ride wider boards with more volume that still turned well. It is obvious that additional width and volume bring noticeable advantages when bobbing, crossing waves and planing. Today, the rule of thumb is: volume equals body weight for the widest range of use.
7. foilboards - give you wings
Windsurfers have been taking to the air since 2017 - at least across the board. Since then, the industry has been offering special boards for foiling. These are significantly shorter than windsurf boards of the same volume, but have a wider tail. Generally speaking, the wider the tail, the easier it is to control the foil and the more stable the flights are. This is also the reason why windsurf boards in the freeride or freerace categories are only suitable for foiling to a limited extent. The truth is, however, that foil boards are special boards for foiling; they usually don't work at all with a fin.
If you want to buy a used foil board, you should ideally do so in conjunction with a matching foil. If you mix up the brands of foil and board, there is a risk that the components will not harmonise. This is particularly true for foil boards with a tuttle box - here the foil position is predetermined. Boards with a double rail are less problematic. This allows the foil position to be adjusted, meaning that components from different brands can be better harmonised.
And the size: beginners to foiling should plan for 30 to 50 litres of excess volume and choose a concept that is not extremely short (> 200 centimetres) - this guarantees effortless starting and take-off. If you can pump actively and are primarily aiming for manoeuvres or jumps, you can also consider a model under two metres in length.
Check the condition of the used board
Regardless of which class of board you choose, there are shortcomings that you should be aware of. If you can inspect the board in person, you should do so. If the board is at the other end of the country, you have no choice but to trust the seller and ask a few specific questions about its condition. Pay particular attention to:
Soft spots in the deck
Freestyle and wave boards in particular can suffer from hard, flat landings in the area of the footpads and the mast track. Lay the board on the ground and press the areas around the mast track and pads with both thumbs. If everything seems hard, this is a good sign. If the deck bounces visibly, the laminate has probably already separated from the core. If such damage is not repaired quickly and professionally, the deck laminate will eventually tear and the board will take on water. You can also buy such boards at a favourable price, but depending on the extent of the repair, you should budget for between 150 and 250 euros in additional costs.
Cracks & holes
Smaller cracks and holes, provided they have been repaired properly, do not have to be an exclusion criterion. It is only important that the board has not taken on water because it has been used in a damaged condition. If, for example, minor damage to the tail, bow or edges has been repaired, you can buy the board without any problems.
However, cracks that have appeared in the standing area, under the footpads or around the mast track are problematic. With wave and freestyle boards in particular, these are often signs of overloading due to hard landings. On freeride boards, cracks are often hidden under glued-on foam nose protectors. Here too, you should check the nose area with firm pressure. If solid carbon or fibreglass protectors are glued on, however, you rarely need to worry.
Irregular paintwork
If the paintwork on a board looks uneven, this may be a sign that it has been repaired in the past. If the seller plays with open cards and points this out, it does not have to be an exclusion criterion. If damage has been professionally repaired, this does not necessarily limit the durability. However, if a board is offered as undamaged, deviations in the paintwork may indicate that earlier damage is being covered up. It should then be possible to reduce the price somewhat. The areas around the bow and the edges in particular should be inspected carefully.
Worn out loop plugs
Before buying second-hand, you should also enquire about the condition of the loop plugs. It is almost impossible to recognise this - you should definitely ask the seller. Background: Self-tapping screws are screwed into the plastic loop plugs. If a loop is firmly screwed in, the plug often lasts forever. If the loops are often re-screwed or tightened excessively, the plastic will eventually crumble - and the plug can no longer be used. Normally, there are other plugs available that you can switch to. Tip: Before having worn-out plugs laboriously replaced by a repairer, you should try repairing them with grub screws.
Boxing & mast track
The areas around the fin boxes and the mast track are exposed to greater stress, especially on freeride, slalom and foil boards. Cracks in the box area are an exclusion criterion, as the repair is quite complex and therefore expensive. If you want to foil with your used board, you should also make sure that the box is "foil approved", i.e. expressly authorised for foiling. In general, you should always ask for the original fin when buying a second-hand board, as this is usually included with the board. Exceptions are slalom boards, which are usually sold without a fin.
non skid paint
Many older boards are slippery. Simply feel the board in the standing area between the straps and the mast track - and compare it with the roughness in the bow area, for example. However, non-skid paint can also be quickly refreshed by a layman, with an investment of 30 to 40 euros it is relatively inexpensive.
This is how much a used windsurfing board can cost
So what exactly do you pay for boards of different ages? We have done some research. However, due to the widely varying condition of the boards on offer and different construction methods, we can only give price ranges.
Previous year's models
With every model change, brand-new boards are also flushed onto the second-hand market - often from team riders, semi-pros or people with a connection to the windsurfing industry. Roughly speaking, you pay around half the regular retail price for an undamaged model from the previous year. A freerider with a favourable design can be bought for as little as 700 euros, while a current wave board can change hands for between 1300 and 1400 euros.
Best Ager
Boards in their prime are two to four years old - at least if the price-performance ratio is taken as a basis. Some of the shapes here are still absolutely up to date, but you often only pay between 30 and 50 per cent of the new price. Want an example? A Fanatic Stubby Waveboard from 2019 goes for 800 euros. A Tabou Twister Freestyler from the same year costs 750 euros. And how about a Fanatic Gecko HRS freeride board or the Freeracer Patrik F-Race for 1,200 euros?
Oldies
From an age of five years, the fluctuations become greater and greater. In general, the age of the board should not be used as the basis for a price negotiation in the five to 15 year range, but primarily the condition. Background: A ten-year-old freeride board can be in top condition if it has been well looked after and has only been stored in a warm cellar for years. A price of 800 euros may then be appropriate. Conversely, a three-year-old model may be worn out if it has been beaten for months on the choppy slopes of the world - in which case 400 euros may be too much.
And when you've finally found what you're looking for, there's still the question of shipping. You can find a guide to all providers here.
