hoping to get some input.

i've got young kids and can realistically only afford one board, but not for a few months. i hear good testimonials on nearly every SUP board available. i've been surfing for years and have pretty good balance. i can rent 2 different boards from my local shop, but i doubt a few hours on the water will enable me to decide which board i'll own for the next several years.

so tell me if this sounds crazy...i know a guy with an older saliboard i can get for next to nothing. he's about my size (6'1" and 220) , and says he can stand up on the board and balance easily. the board's 12' long, 26.5" wide and 4.5" thick. unfortunately, it weighs 40 pounds and is two or three inches narrower than i'd probably like. it's shaped a lot like a longboard. the board's been well used, but it's water-tight.

does it make sense to play around on this for the next few months until i have a better idea of what i want to buy, or do you think the width (or anything else) is a deal breaker?? have you heard of anybody doing this?

i'd really appreciate any insights here!

thanks a lot,
-mike