second board

Question
Hello! I am having a difficult time finding a good second board to buy. I want to get a used probably older board to save money. I have already become really good at basic sailing maneuvers except I have been able to plane or waterstart. I have not planed yet because of my centerboard is not removable in motion. I have an old bic with a fiberglass keel and a tie on boom. I usually sail in pretty high winds for the board and my board sometimes vibrates but will not plane. Anyway my point is I am looking for a second board that is smaller and that will be good for planing and gibing, however I dont want something I will outgrow very easy. I weigh 160 and have a budget of about 600 dollars I might be able to get a little more but that what id rather spend. I think I am looking for a board without a centerboard but I do not know if I am quite ready yet. Anyway I would really appreciate your help if you could point me in the right direction of board style, size, and maybe even brand or anything else you think I should know. I am going to windsurf a little this week so I can practice waterstarts. Thanks in advance
-John

Answer
Hey John,

There are newer style boards out there that have fully retractable daggerboards and work great as transition boards when moving from a long board to a short board. Something around 280-300cm with around 145-180ltrs volume would work well for your size. I would recommend looking at the smaller end of the ranges as you could float easily on a smaller board. Also, you will not outgrow a smaller board as quickly. With your size, a smaller board will still work as a light air board when you have progressed to a higher wind board. You could also look for something without a daggerboard but the learning curve will be a bit more challenging.

A few brands/models are, Bic 290D, Starboard Go, & Mistral Prodigy. Look up these brands on Google and check out the descriptions of the new models. The older models are very similar and perform just as well. Check out ebay and craigslist for used gear. You can also Google used windsurf gear for misc. sites hosted by sailing clubs. When searching, try windsurf, windsurfer, & windsurfing separately to get maximum results. With some patience you should be able to find something in your budget.

For some great info, check out windsurfingmag.com in the 'how to' section.

Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover