I am looking a buying a bombora 270 (don't know what year) but can't find much info on the net about it. I assume it's a plastic board. How readily does it plane and could it be classed as a fast board? I am a beginner who can sail a windsurfer and have the basic skills down pat so how good would this board be to continue to learn on? I sail on a lake sometimes and in the choppy ocean most of the time. Thoughts??? Is it worth it???

How does it stack up against an Exocet speed slider??? The main problem is that I live in tassie so the market for cheap windsurfers isnt really there. Is the bombora a plastic board?

Yes the Bombora will be plastic. About an early 1990's model. There is 2 kinds of 'plastic' boards - (1) old school moulded polyethylene (like beginner's boards from the 70's and 80's) and (2) newer epoxy boards with a plastic layer over the top to make them more resistant to scrapes and bangs (like a Starboard Tufskin or recent BiC Techno's) . First kind - heavy and slippery and unable to be repaired. Second kind - good for intermediates.

If it is 'plastic' - you want the second kind. Basically if it is not white and doesn't feel the same contruction as your XP, then it is probably OK. The plastic layer over the top of a modern intermediate board is rare though, and not essential.

The Speed slider is a modern epoxy board. Made from about 2004 to 2010 ish?.

There is no comparison - the Bombora is hard to give away and the Exocet will be spot on for an intermediate sailor.

BUT new style boards do not like being smashed and getting water inside. If they are both $50 that is about right for a pristine Bombora but it may mean the Exocet has been damaged. How much are they asking?

I used to have a Bombora 270. A good board for the time but not as good as a modern board. They are roto moulded, not blown, so they are not slippery. The non slip was actually very good. Quite a quick board though I'm not sure how quick. I remember the first time I used it in Lake Illawarra. I really was impressed with how easy it was to sail. However that was back in 1995. Having a tough board was always pretty good. No need to worry about dings or cracks. They were okay to gybe, much better than the earlier Xits and Zots. The rails are not razor sharp like they are on earlier Bombora slalom boards.

I'm not sure about the Windrush XP but I think that is a board that is another generation or two back from the 270. I think the 270 will be a better board when the wind picks up.

They have a powerbox finbox so fins are available.

It will not be as stable as a more modern board of the same volume. I sold it on eBay a few years ago to a bloke from Wollongong for about $50.

I sail the 292 as my light wind board & its does me not many people are faster when i go out. The only problem is the mast track is to far forward for the more modern sails & the foot straps are a bit to get into as well as they are further back than whats normal but i think for the price its been worth every cent and it appears indestructible.

Thanks for all the replies guys!!!

Mark - They are asking $300 for the Exocet. The Bombora is $450 with a fibreglass mast, alloy clip on boom, 7m sail, 5m north prisma sail, vgc (whatever that is...), mast foot and a base. He is also throwing in a learners long board, centreboard, fins and footstraps. Is this a good deal? And should i expect the sails to be a more modern design (more square top) or an older triangular design? The bombora is also a 110l board and i weigh about 75kg.

AUS02 - I live in Launceston and sail at Bridport. Have you got any suggestions for where to buy a board (and rig).

Obelix - My current board is extremely heavy and is horrible to steer so its hard to say exactly what my skills are but i can mostly tack and gybe, haven't tried water starts and haven't used a harness.

Would it be cheaper to buy board and sail seperatly, or together. If it is better to buy seperatly, what should i look out for?

I'm a 16 y/o who just got a job so my budget doesn't really stretch into the thousands.

Also do I have to watch out in terms of what type of mast extension i get in relation to the board? Or does any mast extension fit any board?

^^^ The only downside of starting on 'older' gear is that it can turn you off the sport. If you're offered free/cheap gear - stick with it, get the basics happening & then demo some newer gear, you'll be blown away by the difference & how much easier it can be.

In saying that, some of the 'old' stuff is still pretty good. A seabreeze member I met in Pt Fairy a few weeks ago chooses the old over the new after owning both.

Mmeyer said...

windsurfing...it is such an amazing sport!!!

Bang-on there Mmeyer!

Good luck with getting some gear & get out there on the water.

Sailhack said...

A seabreeze member I met in Pt Fairy a few weeks ago chooses the old over the new after owning both.

To clarrify, I choose my 80's longboard over my 90's bombora shortboard any day.

However a couple of weeks ago I went to SHQ for a look at very modern gear and walked away with a spanking new JP Funride. Having played on it for a few weeks, I'm converted and very much enjoying it. The Funride matched to a modern sail absolutely beats the hell out of the 90's bombora in every respect.

The wally will still get a regular outing though, just cause it's good fun and can be sailed on those days where wind is scarce.

That also need loads of power to move then around