I recently sold my wifes board on craigslist (sorry admin, but free is always in my price range).
The board worked quite well for her for over a year, and she really improved, but it always had too much volume for her. It was built as more of a beach break board for a rider 200 to 225# and wanting to push it toward the short boarding style. 

A number of callers wanted one thing or another, flat water, cruiser, longboard, kids board. I felt kind of wierd talking people out of buying the board because I knew what type of buyer would really be happy with it.  Along comes "Dave" who surfs just that type of wave, and is a fit 225# with plenty of balance.  He gives it a test in choppy 2 foot Doheny and voila, it's a match!  I'm sure "Dave" will get the best out of the board. Heck he caught 2 waves for every one I caught, and I could see it in his eyes...that knowing smirk.  He found what he was looking for.

It's almost a curse coming to the zone and learning all the ins and outs of SUP.  But it's never a curse to be patient and make a good match for a solid trusted piece of equipment. 

(side note, after Dave was done, my son's girlfriend gave it a whirl.  She paddled for nearly 3 hours, caught her first several waves, and another convert was made.  Well, it's off to find a good deal for her now... This never ends does it?    )

That's exactly what it's all about and good for you for not selling it to the 1st unsuspecting newb that showed up. It always seems silly to me to try and direct someone (especially someone you don't know) to a particular board. You can point them in a general direction and say that something "might" work for them but that's about it. Even if Dave and his twin brother David showed up and tried the board one might love it and the other not so much. It's why I tell everyone to demo when they can....this is all too personal.

The deal went down yesterday, and "Dave" surfed it again with us at Sano.  Afterward, he says, "I really appreciate it."  He's happy and even caught a bunch in the mush and blown out conditions of Saturday. My wife could see he was a fit, and she let her trusted ride go without as much as a wimper...ok a slight wimper.    Her new board should be ready in a couple weeks.

So right on many points SUPcheat.

A day or two after the deal went down, I got another text from "Dave." He let me know that a slightly overhead swell had hit HB, and he went out with our old board, and it was everything he'd hoped for.  I knew that he'd need some power to the wave for that board to really shine, and I couldn't be happier.

Picked up my wife's new custom on Monday afternoon.  She has a good eye for style, and at 8-10 x 31 x 4 x 138L, the size is as near to perfect for an every day board as she'll ever get. Can't wait for her to put it through it's paces:


Son had a go at a 9-5 x 31 hammer and he caught a couple dozen waves in the 3 hours we were out on Sunday.  His girlfriend went out for her second time and actually rode several waves... she's totally hooked now. My son better not blow it (we like this one a lot).  I don't think my SUP shopping days are quite over yet...

Slatch - That is a great story. A little ripple of compassion and honesty spreading out into the multiverse! Imagine if more and more of us tried taking the higher road in all of our endeavors.