While I'm extremely grateful for the free longboard that Scott gave me, I've already been feeling a desire for a shorter board, one that I can use on the waves at Ocean Beach (near our house) on more than just the calmest of days.
I've been checking craigslist regularly, hoping to find just the board I desire: something around 7 to 7.5 feet, in relatively good shape, and not too expensive at under $300. Boards of this length are often referred to as "funboards"; they fall between the longboards (9 to 10 feet) and shortboards, typically around 6 feet. They give you the stability of a longboard and the maneuverability of a shortboard. In other words, they are fun. They are funboards.
So this morning a new ad pops up for a used 7'3" Doug Haut surfboard for $150. Wow, great price, perfect length. I google "Doug Haut" and learn that he's a very well respecter board shaper in Santa Cruz and his boards typically go for around $600. I call the number and arrange to go see it. The seller lives very close to me, just on the other side of the park on 36th Ave. (we're on 35th). It's the perfect board for me and in good shape, so I buy it. I only have $20 bills and she doesn't have change so she says "how about $140?". Excellent. I am very happy.
In fact, I head straight home, grab my wetsuit and drive to Ocean Beach. I had a great time on it and even managed to get up a couple of times. I definitely like the board. It feels much better to me than the longboard I had been using. A very good board at a great price! Joy!
Now here's the boneheaded move. In my haste to get home, after putting the board on my roof rack and peeling off my wetsuit, I forgot to strap the board onto the rack. I pull out of the parking lot and in my rear view mirrow I notice something very large falling off the car! My brand new surfboard has flown off my car and is sitting in the middle of The Great Highway. OK, it's not really a highway, but a four-lane road with a speed limit of 35, but still! I stop the car in the median and go running after the board. Some kind surfer getting ready to go out runs into the road, grabs the board and meets me half way with it. I strap it on and drive home, wondering how badly it's damaged.
Thing could have been much, much worse. It could have caused a major accident. It could have been run over by a truck. It could have broken in half. Instead it just has a ding on the nose that needs to be repaired and a few other scrapes. With a $20 repair kit and a few hours time, it should be nearly as good as new.
From now on, I will double and triple check those straps before driving off with a surfboard on my car!
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4 comments:
Do you want me to say it? I will!
No need to say it. I am well aware, thank you very much.
c'mon, say it!
I did the very same thing with my new K2 skis. Of course, I was in high school at the time!
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