SA
7 posts
Hi Guys,
In my early days I scoured the classifieds and garage sales and ended up with a collection of gear.
Bombora Antartica (3fin)
Bombora X-IT Slalom
Bombora Astrotoy
Neil Pryde range of sails RAF Dynamic/ Sprint (1990's)
I am still a novice punting around on a new 150L board and weigh about 80kg.
Can I get some views on this older gear (forget the sails) :
Are any of these boards worth progressing to as my skills improve? (or)
Should I forget them and concentrate on newer tech boards.?
Appreciate your comments...
NSW
9029 posts
Depends on how much money you are willing to spend.
I am getting back into windsurfing after a 8 year hiatus. Basically John Howard's government somehow had the effect of killing my windsurfing libedo. Now he is gone its all good again.
Anyway I bought a demo Tabou 140 for $1400 including board bag, straps and fin. I realised after looking at boards, there has been a huge change in design over the last few years. The 140 is pretty fat but short. In the times I have used it I have found it to be fast very easy to sail.
I just sold my old Bombora 270 for $47.50 on eBay. Its a mid nineties design so newer than your gear. It is a good high wind board but compared to the new designs, its quite difficult to sail, thats in my experience anyay. I never had an X-IT but owned a ZOT. I remember it being quite fast but a bit of a bastard to gybe. I had a Bombora proto glass board at the same time, I think it was a proto for the Antartica and it was a dream to gybe.
So is a $1350 difference in the boards? That all depends on what you value. For someone who never goes sailing then a cheap board is as good as the most expensive one. However if you enjoy your sailing. want easy to use gear, and you can afford it, then get newer stuff.
QLD
2039 posts
wow, there are some old boards there.
My advice, clean them up real nice and start a Bombora Museum.
Check the classifieds these days and see what new tech gear you can get which will make your progression so much faster and easier. Head down to your closest windsurfing shop and get some advice from the guys there also, they will surely be able to show you half a dozen new or 2nd hand boards that would suit your level and may not break the bank.
NSW
546 posts
The old Bombora's are heavy and they played with some strange bottom shapes which didn't really work.
I taught myself to windsurf on a Bombora Tri-Fin in the early 80's which worked well for 55 kg grom who only wanted to sail in the surf, but wouldn't have been ideal for most beginners.
What I'd recommend is to look for a relatively modern shape board and forget about the Bommies. The second hand market is great for buyers and sucks for sellers, so that's good news for you.
Try and find something that is fairly wide and not a plastic board like the bommie.
Glascraft in Adelaide has Bic Techno's (brand new '04? models) selling for $450!!! These boards aren't ideal beginner boards, but are way better than what you've got.
Otherwise I'm sure there's plenty available here on the seabreeze buy & sell section.
Good luck, look forward to seeing you on the water.
Muzza
SA
7 posts
Guys,
Thanks for the feedback. My 150L is a Techno bought from Glascraft (yep $450 was too good - I think they still have another in stock at that price).
The Techno will see me through this summer.
The Bombora's will probably stay in the shed 'museum' for a bit longer, otherwise I will Ebay. My conscience won't allow me to pass them off as beginner boards though.
