Hi,

I'm looking to buy a 2nd hand board to to do some flat water blasting and work on my gybes and jumps. I'd also like a board that I could start to learn on in the waves. I'm at the bottom end of intermediate skills, can water start etc - probably fall off when gybing more often than not.

My budget isn't extravagant (around $500 mark for a board) and I've seen a few of these Starboard Trances around. I've tried to find some reviews online and what I have found seems to suggest these boards were the predecessor to the Kombat, more detailed info or any footage of the boards in action is hard to come by.

Anyways I'd really like to hear from anyone that has one of these or has had one of these boards. Your advice etc would be greatly appreciated.

I fluctuate between 80 and 85kg so any advice on how this board would suit my weight would also be appreciated.

I've pretty much had budget gear all my time sailing so I'd really like to try and pick up something half decent this time even though I'm still struggling financially to support my favoured pastime.

Cheers for your help.

Boz, I'm 86kg and used a Trance 84 last season. I used it in high wind only. Over 20 kts. It is a great board and very forgiving in jumps and Gybes. The sails I used were 4.7 and 5.4. I rode in QLD and WA. I really can't fault it other than to say it is for high wind. AT $500 you could make a lot of mistakes as you get into this area and not worry to much. If the one you are looking at is in Caloundra, it used to be mine. It is in mint condition, and sailed only one season.

I have one of these and loved it - had it from new and after 5 hard seasons the bottom delaminated in January. A small bubble turned into a large (60cm diameter) one under the front. Very weird to sail so I replaced it with a kombat 79 which I am also happy with. The trance had so much use that the foot straps were worn out and I had rotated them once already. The cloth cover was just worn away.

The Trance turns on a dime and is very forgiving, I found I could bounce around and land it on the nose and it would just recover and plain away.

So check the underneath for bubbles but otherwise in my opinion they are great.

I am 85Kg and sail mainly bump and jump around Perth and Lancelin (I did a couple of Ledge to Lancelins on the Trance).

Compared to the more slalom style boards I had before it gave me a lot of confidence in the waves.