OUTER BANKS BLOG

NAGS HEAD -- For Vince Simansky, the New Year means a new project.

He just picked up an original 1970 Manx SR dune buggy, a rare and unique vehicle he plans to restore, drive and then possibly sell. It has a serial number and "badges" or logos on the front and back, which makes it more valuable.

Simansky loves fixing things and that's why he's great at his day job as the manager of the pools and spas department at Village Realty in Nags Head. In addition to fixing up old cars, he also likes to shape a few surf boards each year and for the past five years, he's donated several boards to Hotline's Festival of Trees.

During the event last month, Simansky's boards fetched $1,000. All total, his boards have brought in $4,575 for this charity event since 2005.

The two boards he donated this past Christmas during the Festival of Trees were both retro fish boards. It was a shape popular back in the 70s, Simansky said. One had a blue resin tint, the other a faux balsa wood finish.

His two hobbies go hand in hand nicely and a perfect summer day for him would be taking each vehicle out for a ride. "I'd be in a dune buggy with a board on top that I made going to surf and the surf was good," Simansky said.

And for those who know him, it's hard to miss seeing Simansky cruising down the beach road when he's one of these missions.

The two hobbies did cross over recently when he made and gave a short board to Bruce Meyers, the inventor of the Manx dune buggy. Simansky surprised Meyers with the gift at a show in Carlisle, Pa. Now, Meyers uses the board in advertisements for his new Kick-Out dune buggies.

As for the donations to Hotline, he has his reasons for doing it.

"I just wanted to get my name out there," Simansky said. "It's a service to the community, donating the boards."

He started surfing at age 13 and has 34 years of experience wave riding. About five years ago, he started making boards.

In his quiver, Simansky has eight boards from a 12 foot 6 inch tandem to a 6 foot 2 inch "fat fish," he said.

Messing around with dune buggies is one of his newest pursuits. He's already finished restoring a FiberJet Beachcomber Buggy, a Spatz buggy and an original Meyers Manx dune buggy. Simansky has a background in restoring sailboats when he lived in Maryland.

"I like fixing things," he said, "bringing something back to life."

When he was a child, his dad wanted to buy and assemble a Bradley GT kit car but they never got around to it. So, about four years ago, Simansky decided to try his hand at restoring the dune buggies.

Part of the process also includes selling the dune buggies once he's restored them.

Simansky said he's not sure if it's a hobby or an addiction but he just likes "wheelin' and dealin'" as he puts it.

In order to keep in good graces with his wife Vonnie, Simansky said that when buys a new project car or boat, one of the previous ones "has to go."

Vince and Vonnie have three children, Andrew, Julie and Lindsay. They reside on Roanoke Island.

For more about Simansky, his view on surfing and pictures of his dune buggies, go to www.oldmansurfclub.com