Best Board for a Beginner

Question
Windlover, I'm also an advanced beginner and would like to follow up on your previous answer.  The boards that you described are obviously all of the more recent design.  From my observation, though, they are hard to come by on the secondary market.  How do you regard the older style beginner boards, i.e., the long and narrow ones? I found an offer to buy an old Bic (325x61 cm, the owner doesn't know the age or volume) for under $100.  Would something like this also be adequate?

Answer
Hey Greg,

Older boards still work for beginners, they are just a little harder to learn on. The key factor of buying an older board is making sure that all the parts are there and that they are in good condition. Especially the daggerboard and the mast base. If the mast base is a proprietary type base, replacing it can be next to impossible. If the board is new enough to have a standard mast track and accept a standard mast base, then the mast base is a non-issue. Daggerboards are not universal and usually only fit a specific board. Ensure that it is the correct one and functions properly.

As for price, most older gear is rarely worth what a seller is asking. Under a $100 may be okay but you may be able to get them to go lower as there is very little market value on gear older than 10 years.

Hope  this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover