I am starting to think about another vehicle other than my current one - Lancer sedan....

I noticed down Inverloch an abundance of vans - how do most wsurfers get their gear to the bay/beach?

I find it annoying having to strap the board on the roof every weekend, and even more so when I am staying away overnight and have no where to stash the board when going to cafes, pubs or whatever with the gf... and you have to think about parking the car near a viewing point in the cafe etc....

You guys have a second car as well, or happily roll with your van during the week?

What's your wheels? Kombi's? Express'? and how do you find it?

Am seriously considering a van...

My daddy lets me take his van whenever I want.

LWB Hiace - but you knew that;)

But seriously its a van or trailer for me in the future. More incluned on the Van side.

If you want some luxury and size take a look at the Nissan Imports - a Nissan ElGrand gives you space and luxury.

Me personally I love the WV Kombi - what a icon of a van. Or something like the A-Team Van.... hmmm

I used to use a Nissan Pulsar. Of course that was in the old days before wide-style boards.

Lay down the passenger seat, put the nose in the foot well and the tail (fins down) on the rear seat back rest.

Sails, 2-piece mast and boom on top of the board.

Wettie, harness and stuff in the tub in the boot.

Back seat was free for the girlfriend (I only got away with that once.)

Alternatively, lockable tie downs are excellent. http://www.stickprotection.com/pro_surf.htm

Mobydisc said...

I've got a Mitsubishi Delica. Its not bad but its a complicated vehicle which means as it gets older there are more things to go wrong.

They seem overpriced a bit, being 10+ years old imports.Even if you believe the kms on the clock.

My 18 years old Pajero Diesel costs me an arm and leg to keep running.
The engine replacement cost me $6000, and it failed after only 180.000kms. $900 to fix the fuel pump, $350 - injectors, $500 - water pump...
Now the turbo is dying...
And Delicas are very similar.

Still, I cannot help but to want one of the Delica LWB Spacegear vehicles...

Hi, K Dog,

I have a van for windsurfing and a car for other stuff. During summer, the van goes to work and after work, windsurfing. During winter, the van has a rest whilst the car takes over. Van only used for w/s at the weekend during winter.

There are plenty of 2nd hand van outlets around, but most of them sell ex-courier vans that are VERY high mileage and VERY high prices. You pays your money and you takes your chances.

If you look at new, then Hyundai's are very attractive (subject to the amount of gear you have), followed by the usual suspects of Transit, HiAce, Vito, Transporter etc. If you go new, suggest you get the best warranty available for the driveline, followed by a warranty against corrosion. Also ask about the service periods and service costs. As diesel engines get lower in their emissions, they require special oils that could cost $80 for 5 litres and some vans require an oil change at 7500km, whilst others are around 15,000km.

Most cost-effective way for w/s gear is a trailer but the chassis needs to be hot-dipped galvanised after manufacture or made of galvanised steel for rust prevention. Had a trailer for about 3 years and it was OK, but prefer the van.

Hope this helps.

Scully said...

What about WorkUtes and Wagons?

WorkUtes
+Cheaper in almost every aspect
+More Diverse
+Easy to Maintain
+Easy to Unload and Load
+Lockable (w/ hardtop)
-Drunk people steal your mast from the back of your ute and throw it down a stormdrain
-Two Seats
-Long Boards + Big Stuff dont fit in a shorter styleside <lockable
-Longer Alloy Trays, Not lockable, but hidden underneath cover
Note; SportUtes have shorter trays and dont work aswell (i have one :P)

Wagons
+Cheapest in every aspect?
+Potentially 5 seats
+Easy to maintain mechanically
+Lockable
-Two seats with gear loaded
-One seat if short wagon, or longer gear
-Hard to Maintain Interior wise
-Failure offroad, unless of course you go for a subi awd, which is still a **** fwd.

Feel free to edit my +'s and -'s

swoosh said...

Scully said...

What about WorkUtes and Wagons?

WorkUtes
+Cheaper in almost every aspect
+More Diverse
+Easy to Maintain
+Easy to Unload and Load
+Lockable (w/ hardtop)
-Drunk people steal your mast from the back of your ute and throw it down a stormdrain
-Two Seats
-Long Boards + Big Stuff dont fit in a shorter styleside <lockable
-Longer Alloy Trays, Not lockable, but hidden underneath cover
Note; SportUtes have shorter trays and dont work aswell (i have one :P)

Wagons
+Cheapest in every aspect?
+Potentially 5 seats
+Easy to maintain mechanically
+Lockable
-Two seats with gear loaded
-One seat if short wagon, or longer gear
-Hard to Maintain Interior wise
-Failure offroad, unless of course you go for a subi awd, which is still a **** fwd.

Feel free to edit my +'s and -'s

Shhhhh myns not a workute, hopefully my next ute will be :D

Gestalt said...

i recently switch from a bomby old excel that i could barely give away to a new car.

the excell could fit everything inside. 2 boards, 4-5 sails etc etc. it had so much room.

the new car is a ford focus. i took the tape measure to the yard to make sure i could fit everything in. wasn't long before i realised that the way the rear seats fold down would mean issues getting everyhting in.

then i took it for a drive "on my own". i quickly decided i didn't care that the gear had to go on the roof.

what an awesome car to drive!
awesome economy also. can get 5.8l/100k on the fre


Is that the xr5 version!

K Dog,

It has to be a van, After a year of loading gear into and out of my SUV I just got the s#*ts with it and went out and got this.

Turbo diesel, Good on fuel and heaps of power...It's already done 2 WA trips(20,000km) and I'm loving it. It's my everyday car, My gear is always with me when needed and my bags always packed. If it windy I just jump in and go, It has a bed in the back if I need to crash and there's 2 spare seats if I want to take some mates. It holds my 3 boards, 4 booms, 5 masts, 9 sails and all the other crap that goes along with windsurfing and there's still room for my mates crap as well.

It was the best decision I made...Besides taking up Windsurfing that is.

Cheers...Jason.

Obelix said...

Its' looking great Jason.
Not to mention the Fanatic boards

They had some petrol models for under $30K.
How much would a Diesel models go for?

I got mine for the same price as the petrol, The car yard had a few kicking around that they wanted to clear. Can't remeber what I actually paid but it was under $30k with cruise control and reversing camera fitted.

As for the Fanatics, All gone...my transformation is complete, All JP.

...But after seeing the 2011 Fanatics, I'll be jumping ship again...They look so cool

Cheers.

i got the 2009 ford transit crew cab chassis short wheel base i use it for work and play & its great the tray is usually empty .I have trundle tray & large tool boxes so everything i used to have in a tray is now away so all the boards can fit in & go to work with me for a sail after work and if i need like when i take the family away i can fit 6 bikes in the back a canoe and my boards on the roof racks its a great I can still leave my tools on heap of room in cabin 6 seater and if we really go away i take the tools out and all the camping gear etc fits in tool boxes so all my stuffs locked up when im away thats handy all my sails & 4mt mst fit in trunndle tray booms in toolbox boards & 465 mast cabble locked in tray to tied down loops i fitted

Personally I think vans are a bit of a pain to own if it's your every day car, however not everyone may see it that way. Personally I'm a wagon man, I rolled a VL wagon for about 10 years and it was sweet, I could fit an absolute shirtonne in it and it still was basically an everyday car apart from the rear seat being permanently down ;)

However all good things must come to an end (it's going to track car heaven) and I recently bought a VY Berlina wagon. First impression...massive, my boards fit in without even having to fold the front seats forward (which I had to do in the VL). It's got just about every electric creature comfort know to man and is sweet on the highway. Sure, it's a commodore but that means parts are plentiful and cheap...although being a V8 it's not particularly cheap to run haha

I think at the end of the day it comes down to how much you want to spend, what you can live with and how much gear you regularly cart around. If you're a windsurfer that travels often to get to a spot I think there's two things you can not live without, aircon and cruise control. These days I wouldn't drive a car without them...particularly any sort of great distance.

Landrover Defender Troopy! Just like a van only a tuff 4wd aswell.

Nice setup jh2703!

I am starting to think Uncle Ricko had a good setup....

K Dog said...

Nice setup jh2703!

I am starting to think Uncle Ricko had a good setup....

it would be nice if they still made bedfords. i want one but most of them ive seen are older than me and im falling apart so i dont hold much hope for the vans

I have a BA falcon wagon with my gear in a trailer.

Chris-fords are even bigger than your holden,they are huge inside

Mine is factory gas and does 600 km on $50 of gas towing a trailer
Bought it on Ebay a couple of years ago with 80,000 km for $11k

I used to tow a trailer behind my F100 that I have had for 20 years,but now I have 2 kids ,and the wagon is working out a treat.My BA is now my tradesmans van(with tool trailer)delivery van ,grocery getter and surf cruiser. I havn't even driven it in the last year and my wife is making me sell my old(bet very cool)F truck and plans on using the money on a windsurf holiday to europe -If it keeps my wife happy,I'm happy

Trailer fits 8 boards with 10 sails ,with room up front for kids rigs,esky,kids bikes and wetties .harnesses,unis ect.
It is homebuilt with roller doors on both sides and rear,brakes and angled racks so nothing needs tying down


In Greece we a similar setup ,but I made the rear door lift up and then slide into the roof,but you can leave it half out for shelter
Both cars have got 1.2m wide roof racks to carry 2 boards wide