I actually bought it buckled so I haven't had a chance to try it yet. I decided to take a gamble and got it for $50. I figured if i could get it fixed for $100 - $150 then it would be worth it since the board is pretty much flawless other than the buckle. I did a lot of research on it and looked around on the Firewire forums the past couple days so I have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done, and found a lot of people who had similar buckles repaired and the board came back feeling brand new. I talked to Jamie today, he seems like a good guy and really knows his stuff. He told me it would probably be around $125 - $150. I'm sure he could do a fine repair on it, but for that price I could send it back to the factory and have them do it there which is probably a better deal for the price. Having it repaired by the people who built it just seems to make the most sense to me since there is no price difference between the two. Thanks everyone for all the help! i talked to jamie about it and he gave me aprice of around $125 to $150
Sounds like a good deal to me...$50...quite a score! I'm with you on the firewire option...as well. Also...a recommendation...make sure to insure it when shipping--any damage that compromises the board any more would have to be reimbursed (guess that would be a win as well)--also for the returning shipping.
Thanks for the kind words everyone. BH hipped me to this thread. I've been fixing boards in the South Jersey area for about 20 years now and have seen almost everything. It's not all easy to fix, but most of it can be repaired. I've started a new bloggy thing for the ding business for everyone to check out random pics of repairs... www.TalesFromTheDingShack.blogspot.com Rob G, nice talking to you the other day. I don't believe there is anyway I can fix your board for cheaper than the price of shipping to FW. Plus having the manufacturer do it sounds like a great deal. Btw, try Amtrak or find someone w/ a freight shipping account like Delta Cargo. I might have a box @ the shop you can use. I am proud to serve Heritage Surf Shop and the surrounding surf community. If anyone has a question about a repair, you can call the Ocean City shop @ (609)398-6390. I'm usually there Wed, Thurs, Sun 10-6 to answer any and all questions pertaining to surfboards and repairs. Jamie
Damn, that is a nice buckle. how did you do it by the way. i did the same exact thing to my firewire about a year and a half ago during hurricane bill. if it was a flexfire, i would have thought it was my board cuz that buckle looks exactly the same. by the way, i believe jamie is in the ocean city shop, not the sea isle one where BH is.
I just wanted to bump this thread with an update. I ended up taking the board to Jamie at Heritage down in OCNJ and couldnt be happier with the results. The guy is a god among men when it comes to board repairs, he did such a sick job and for a killer price! Thanks everyone for the suggestions and I highly recommend Jamie for any repairs in NJ, I know I'll be going back to him for more in the future. Im so stoked to give this thing a go next swell! Heres some before and after pics:
WOW Jamie did a fantastic job . I cant even really see the repairs . He just fixed my retro twin a cpl weeks ago and it looks like it was never even damaged . Jamie does the best ding and restorations I have ever seen . Stoked that your Stoked
Its actually the Stealth which is basically the Rocket with a few changes to give it a little more performance. Its 5'10"x19"x2 1/4" made with FST (FireWire Technology) construction. It needed a lot of work when I got it, more than me or Jamie had originally thought, but Im so stoked on how well it turned out. I cant wait to throw my new set of quad fins on it and give it a go. Hopefully swell soon!
