Should I by an Equipe II?

[nickoftime]

I am a beginner/intermediate who has only sailed on a mistral Superlight (long board) w/o footstraps and am learning how to use a harness. Ive got a Windwing 7m sail.

There is a used Equipe II in good shape at my local (Boston) shop for $800. Given that I will need to buy mast and boom, this is at the top of my price range. I weigh 175 and do not anticipate a whole lot of heavy air sailing.

Questions:
1) is this the right board for me?
2) are there certain years/construction types that I should look for?

Thanks

[prozac]

800.00 bucks is a lot of cash for a board that you may only sail for a couple of seasons and then want something shorter. Try to buy from a private party and skip the shop. Keep performance in mind and get a board with straps. For that much money you should find a really good deal on a complete rig. I would go down to your local beach on a windy day and look for the gear nuts with all the gear. They may have a board they want to sell. Maybe your local shop has a used/wanted ad board. With the power of the internet, it is too much fun doing the research buying just about anything. Surf to all the board makers and check out the specs and reviews. Some makers list board specs from a few years back. I bought one of my boards this way. It took a month for me to find the three year old board in A- condition and was clear across the US. Also, rent different boards if you have not made up your mind on a particular make and model.

[artofwindsurfing]

Dear new windsurfer,

Before you buy anything, I would like to know more about you ? How much do you weight ? How tall are you ? How many hours ( very important ) have you windsurfed so far ?

Looking forward to hear from you,

Sylvain Pilon, windsurf instructor, HI

[wanda]

I agree. $800 is a lot to spend on an extinct board. There are other options out there which will provide you with more convenience and more fun.