Agree with Lucky here...though once you get bitten, you'd like to squeeze that last knot out...hehe. Light wind riding is a little obsessive...
Just get last year model to start out.... They are still super fun....
I think the boards are pretty durable. I've been riding the shit out of mine, and even at 30+ mph the board is fine. I think like surfboard..use them for what they are intended for and they will be okay...most of the dings on surfboards I get out of the water, so get a nice bag.
Even if I like the idea of having one board that covers a lot of types of riding, I think for raceboards it is better to just get a raceboard...and use it for racing and lightwind riding. For waves, get a surfboard. It is just the way things are...the fins just reflects the type of riding..easy going and speed, smaller fins, and light wind and upwind drive...big fins...just in general that is...