.

Cool thing about the race boards is that there is always a new hot model, so you can get a less competitive one for cheap if you are patient and buy used. Imo thats the perfect option for fooling around in light wind and practicing a tack.

I think any of those are expensive for production boards but people will pay market price. The price will go down when people don't buy them. I think even kite specific boards have gone up in price. I saw a Firewire for $899. My feeling is if you're going to pay a lot for a good board, which you are look at custom boards. Each one is unique and designed specifically for you. You won't pay more than many of those boards. Check out amundsoncustoms.com to get an idea. I've bought 2 boards and John takes time to understand your riding style, conditions, size, etc. You're not going to get that design help from a production board.

Same as any board. A epoxy longboard is 1200..unless you buy a shitty shapeless junk board
it really reflects what is cost to develop a board.

We sell our custom for less them most of those prices and like Vkngktr said they are made for your specs...



to be honest I don't mind the big boy charging so much .. It just makes the customs look better and better..

Terrie
www.jellyfishboards.com

Where can you find used raceboards at a decent price? I've been looking for a 69/70 wide raceboard to replace my 2011 Cabrinha 183x59. The only deals I've found are for other Cabrinah 183's.

Seems like most people sell their used raceboards in their local area. Helps build the fleet and lets them avoid the major hassel and cost of shipping a raceboard. We don't have a big fleet (yet).

Also, I'm skeptical of buying any raceboard from 2012 from across the country with all the horror stories I've seen on the forum here. No way to know if you're buying one that drinks water. Then what do you do?

Same thing happened to the prices of kites in the past few years. Buy used or find cheaper alternatives.

You can usually find new boards from last year pretty cheap. Also, unless you are racing or trying to get out in the absolutely lightest wind possible, an old surfboard or a skimboard will get almost the same low end as a designated light-wind directional

Haven't used a skimboard much in light wind, but it is not even a comparison between what I can get out in on my Sector 60 vs my Naish Custom Global. In 12 knot or less conditions, I used to struggle to get out on the Naish, even with a 15 M kite; I can pump my 12 and take the Sector and be easily cruising and making substantially better upwind progress. It's like night and day. I love my Naish, I think you'd need something more fish shaped or at least shorter and wider to be a comparable light wind surfboard. Not any old board will do.

As Tautologies pointed out you are paying for the R&D costs. In the case of Firewire they integrate the latest build technology and leverage 35 years of true surf shaping experience for some of the top surfers in the world. Their site shows $785 for the baords.

i think it is just what the market will bear. but keep in mind production costs are rising with a rise in shipping and materials. so naturally costs are going up, but as far as R&D take the sector for example. i dont think there substantially more R&D into the v3 than the V1. I may be wrong there but i have a feeling they went through a similar process with both boards. does that justify a 400$ increase?

with the sector, the board become very popular so naturally they can improve upon the design and fetch a much higher price because the market for that board is in place.

i think production costs are rising but that being said, the companies are probably pricing based on competition as well. its just like in real estate, if a comparable house to your sells for over market value then you can fetch a similar price.

C