exceptional balance on that board.

Looks like the RS really is a rocket ship as it seems to get launched out of waves

nice launched

Curious to see the next pictures 1/4 and 1/2 seconds later :-)

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LucBenac said..
Curious to see the next pictures 1/4 and 1/2 seconds later :-)

He landed it with no problem

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TJR said..

LucBenac said..
Curious to see the next pictures 1/4 and 1/2 seconds later :-)

He landed it with no problem

Whoa!!!

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LucBenac said..
Curious to see the next pictures 1/4 and 1/2 seconds later :-)

Photographs courtesy of David Ferguson

I probably would have dropped the nose into it !!!

TJR, Thank you very much for mentioning your weight in one of your posts. I have been seriously considering a 14' RS, but I have been torn between the 23 and 24.5. I have been scouring message boards for a while now, trying to parse information out of them. So far, this has been the best string. Mainly, I am concerned that I would have issues with the lower volume (being roughly the same weight as you).

I made a mistake about a year ago and purchased a 2017 Allstar 14x27. That board is ridiculously stable, but I quickly found its limitations in speed. Now, it almost feels like I'm pulling an anchor around, rather than actually gliding over the water. In an all-out sprint (flat water) I can manage to hit just over 7mph, but there is no way to hold that speed for very long. As well, when paddling a typical 5k, it takes about 40-45 minutes (depending on the wind).

Have you had a chance to take any speed readings?

Going from a 27" board to a 23" might be a bit too dramatic, but I really don't want to be in this same position again in a year. If the 23" is possible with my weight, then I would rather take a leap of faith. Unfortunately, there are no SUP shops nearby (I am near the bottom of the Texas coastline), so getting to ride one before ordering is out of the question. Thank you for any feedback!

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jbb1073 said..
TJR, Thank you very much for mentioning your weight in one of your posts. I have been seriously considering a 14' RS, but I have been torn between the 23 and 24.5. I have been scouring message boards for a while now, trying to parse information out of them. So far, this has been the best string. Mainly, I am concerned that I would have issues with the lower volume (being roughly the same weight as you).

I made a mistake about a year ago and purchased a 2017 Allstar 14x27. That board is ridiculously stable, but I quickly found its limitations in speed. Now, it almost feels like I'm pulling an anchor around, rather than actually gliding over the water. In an all-out sprint (flat water) I can manage to hit just over 7mph, but there is no way to hold that speed for very long. As well, when paddling a typical 5k, it takes about 40-45 minutes (depending on the wind).

Have you had a chance to take any speed readings?

Going from a 27" board to a 23" might be a bit too dramatic, but I really don't want to be in this same position again in a year. If the 23" is possible with my weight, then I would rather take a leap of faith. Unfortunately, there are no SUP shops nearby (I am near the bottom of the Texas coastline), so getting to ride one before ordering is out of the question. Thank you for any feedback!

I haven't been able to do any speed testing on flat water as apart from my son pinching it we rarely get flat water here I am faster on it than my 24 maliko and it is as easily as stable. it will be a big jump from a 27, I am 85kg but only 5'6 so a low centre of gravity. The 24.5 is the equal of a 26 maliko for stability and lets you focus on the stroke when it gets bumpy. i dont know what you normal paddling conditions are like, if you get lots of mess and side chop then go 24.5 straight into the wind and with it or flatfish water then 23

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jbb1073 said..
TJR, Thank you very much for mentioning your weight in one of your posts. I have been seriously considering a 14' RS, but I have been torn between the 23 and 24.5. I have been scouring message boards for a while now, trying to parse information out of them. So far, this has been the best string. Mainly, I am concerned that I would have issues with the lower volume (being roughly the same weight as you).

I made a mistake about a year ago and purchased a 2017 Allstar 14x27. That board is ridiculously stable, but I quickly found its limitations in speed. Now, it almost feels like I'm pulling an anchor around, rather than actually gliding over the water. In an all-out sprint (flat water) I can manage to hit just over 7mph, but there is no way to hold that speed for very long. As well, when paddling a typical 5k, it takes about 40-45 minutes (depending on the wind).

Have you had a chance to take any speed readings?

Going from a 27" board to a 23" might be a bit too dramatic, but I really don't want to be in this same position again in a year. If the 23" is possible with my weight, then I would rather take a leap of faith. Unfortunately, there are no SUP shops nearby (I am near the bottom of the Texas coastline), so getting to ride one before ordering is out of the question. Thank you for any feedback!

I haven't been able to do any speed testing on flat water as apart from my son pinching it we rarely get flat water here I am faster on it than my 24 maliko and it is as easily as stable. it will be a big jump from a 27, I am 85kg but only 5'6 so a low centre of gravity. The 24.5 is the equal of a 26 maliko for stability and lets you focus on the stroke when it gets bumpy. i dont know what you normal paddling conditions are like, if you get lots of mess and side chop then go 24.5 straight into the wind and with it or flatfish water then 23

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TJR said..


I haven't been able to do any speed testing on flat water as apart from my son pinching it we rarely get flat water here I am faster on it than my 24 maliko and it is as easily as stable. it will be a big jump from a 27, I am 85kg but only 5'6 so a low centre of gravity. The 24.5 is the equal of a 26 maliko for stability and lets you focus on the stroke when it gets bumpy. i dont know what you normal paddling conditions are like, if you get lots of mess and side chop then go 24.5 straight into the wind and with it or flatfish water then 23

Thank you for the quick response! We have varying conditions in my area. Fortunately, I have a small lake behind my house, which I can frequently train on flat water. The wind here is the biggest problem, as it is also not uncommon to deal with 20-30 mph straight-line winds. On those days, we can easily have rolling chop in the lake.

The beach is only about 15-minutes away, so playing in the surf is also an option. I just don't get out there very often. It sounds like the 24.5 might be the right choice. I am assuming that the RS shape (in general) is faster than the AS shape. Compound that with the narrower width and I might have somewhat of a challenge on my hands. I appreciate your candid feedback.

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jbb1073 said..

TJR said..


I haven't been able to do any speed testing on flat water as apart from my son pinching it we rarely get flat water here I am faster on it than my 24 maliko and it is as easily as stable. it will be a big jump from a 27, I am 85kg but only 5'6 so a low centre of gravity. The 24.5 is the equal of a 26 maliko for stability and lets you focus on the stroke when it gets bumpy. i dont know what you normal paddling conditions are like, if you get lots of mess and side chop then go 24.5 straight into the wind and with it or flatfish water then 23

Thank you for the quick response! We have varying conditions in my area. Fortunately, I have a small lake behind my house, which I can frequently train on flat water. The wind here is the biggest problem, as it is also not uncommon to deal with 20-30 mph straight-line winds. On those days, we can easily have rolling chop in the lake.

The beach is only about 15-minutes away, so playing in the surf is also an option. I just don't get out there very often. It sounds like the 24.5 might be the right choice. I am assuming that the RS shape (in general) is faster than the AS shape. Compound that with the narrower width and I might have somewhat of a challenge on my hands. I appreciate your candid feedback.

Unless you are a serious race competitor and/or paddle at least 75% pure flat water I'd suggest getting the 24.5. If you are coming down from a 27" AS then you'll notice an immediate performance improvement but you should still be able to balance it fine. I have the 26 and my balance is pretty crappy and I'm about the same weight as TJR and I pretty much never fall with the 26" RS - and I paddle windy choppy seas 95% of the time. If I was doing any significant flat water mileage or raced even semi-seriously then I'd want the 24. Although most elite racers and many serious racers are now on 21-23" wide boards, this is still a bit of a stretch for most weekend warriors in anything except millpond conditions.

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Area10 said..

jbb1073 said..

TJR said..


I haven't been able to do any speed testing on flat water as apart from my son pinching it we rarely get flat water here I am faster on it than my 24 maliko and it is as easily as stable. it will be a big jump from a 27, I am 85kg but only 5'6 so a low centre of gravity. The 24.5 is the equal of a 26 maliko for stability and lets you focus on the stroke when it gets bumpy. i dont know what you normal paddling conditions are like, if you get lots of mess and side chop then go 24.5 straight into the wind and with it or flatfish water then 23

Thank you for the quick response! We have varying conditions in my area. Fortunately, I have a small lake behind my house, which I can frequently train on flat water. The wind here is the biggest problem, as it is also not uncommon to deal with 20-30 mph straight-line winds. On those days, we can easily have rolling chop in the lake.

The beach is only about 15-minutes away, so playing in the surf is also an option. I just don't get out there very often. It sounds like the 24.5 might be the right choice. I am assuming that the RS shape (in general) is faster than the AS shape. Compound that with the narrower width and I might have somewhat of a challenge on my hands. I appreciate your candid feedback.

Unless you are a serious race competitor and/or paddle at least 75% pure flat water I'd suggest getting the 24.5. If you are coming down from a 27" AS then you'll notice an immediate performance improvement but you should still be able to balance it fine. I have the 26 and my balance is pretty crappy and I'm about the same weight as TJR and I pretty much never fall with the 26" RS - and I paddle windy choppy seas 95% of the time. If I was doing any significant flat water mileage or raced even semi-seriously then I'd want the 24. Although most elite racers and many serious racers are now on 21-23" wide boards, this is still a bit of a stretch for most weekend warriors in anything except millpond conditions.

Very good points Area10. The 27 AS really does feel like a floating platform, and isn't designed for any sort of speed. I just didn't have any idea what I was doing when I bought it. Prior to that, I was playing around on a board that was designed for stand up fishing (Bote Rackham). It was 12' x 32", so I figured that the AS would be tough to get used to at only 27". I was very wrong.... within a month I was wishing that I had chosen a narrower board. Given that I have the lake at the end of my yard I get plenty of time on the water, and now the "fun factor" is somewhat gone.

As for racing, I am nowhere near the elite guys, but I do like to go as fast as I can. There is a local 5k/10k race that happens once per year, and the guy that wins it is running the course in about 30 minutes (5k - flat water, then out the choppy ship channel with a beach finish). He is also a sponsored pro (was on some Brazilian team for a while), and runs pretty narrow boards. There's no way that I will be catching him anytime soon, but I have to get on something much more narrow if I intend on placing at all.

Aside from the narrower width, the bottom shape of the RS is really what has my eye. The AS has all sorts of funky concave sections and rail chamfers, and I can't help but think that it is not very efficient. The RS just looks really clean, with minimal rocker (for an all-water type board), which I think would be a much faster shape than the AS. My goal is to find a much faster board, and get out there to figure it out. I have no doubt that I will spend some time swimming back to my board occasionally, but that is part of the game.

Thank you for your input. First hand opinions are very helpful, as there are no demos available around here.

What's the build quality like?

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Special one said..
What's the build quality like?

Pretty much flawless in my experience.

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WaveScience said..

Special one said..
What's the build quality like?

Pretty much flawless in my experience.

Yeah, the fit and finish on mine is perfect, and so are the others I've seen. It's a light race-board construction so you wouldn't want to be smashing it around, but this is no more the case than with any other light carbon raceboard.

I'm constantly amazed at how SIC can produce boards in the same factory as a certain other blue brand, but the fit and finish is so much better IMO.

The innegra in the rails and nose/tail seems to do the job. No doubt if it was full PVC wrap as well it would be more durable. But it would also weigh - and cost - more.

Obviously, Naish went down the full PVC wrap route for the Maliko for 2018, following complaints of weakness in 2017 models. So the Maliko feels a nice solid board now. But when I lifted the 14x26 Maliko next to the RS 14x26 I was surprised at how much heavier the Naish was. Make of that what you will.

In terms terms of fit and finish, SIC have always been very good. This the 4th SIC board I've owned and they've all lasted well, although as I say, with only a single layer of carbon in places you can't go knocking them about. But the RS looks a very classy piece of kit in the flesh. I've said this before, but it's amazing how useful all the little fixtures and fittings are (eg bungees, multiple leash plugs, FCS for camera, that lovely handle, deck drainage pipes etc), and they are all perfectly executed.

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Area10 said..

WaveScience said..

Special one said..
What's the build quality like?

Pretty much flawless in my experience.

Yeah, the fit and finish on mine is perfect, and so are the others I've seen. It's a light race-board construction so you wouldn't want to be smashing it around, but this is no more the case than with any other light carbon raceboard.

I'm constantly amazed at how SIC can produce boards in the same factory as a certain other blue brand, but the fit and finish is so much better IMO.

The innegra in the rails and nose/tail seems to do the job. No doubt if it was full PVC wrap as well it would be more durable. But it would also weigh - and cost - more.

Obviously, Naish went down the full PVC wrap route for the Maliko for 2018, following complaints of weakness in 2017 models. So the Maliko feels a nice solid board now. But when I lifted the 14x26 Maliko next to the RS 14x26 I was surprised at how much heavier the Naish was. Make of that what you will.

In terms terms of fit and finish, SIC have always been very good. This the 4th SIC board I've owned and they've all lasted well, although as I say, with only a single layer of carbon in places you can't go knocking them about. But the RS looks a very classy piece of kit in the flesh. I've said this before, but it's amazing how useful all the little fixtures and fittings are (eg bungees, multiple leash plugs, FCS for camera, that lovely handle, deck drainage pipes etc), and they are all perfectly executed.

Concise as always, Area10!

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Area10 said..

WaveScience said..

Special one said..
What's the build quality like?

Pretty much flawless in my experience.

Yeah, the fit and finish on mine is perfect, and so are the others I've seen. It's a light race-board construction so you wouldn't want to be smashing it around, but this is no more the case than with any other light carbon raceboard.

I'm constantly amazed at how SIC can produce boards in the same factory as a certain other blue brand, but the fit and finish is so much better IMO.

The innegra in the rails and nose/tail seems to do the job. No doubt if it was full PVC wrap as well it would be more durable. But it would also weigh - and cost - more.

Obviously, Naish went down the full PVC wrap route for the Maliko for 2018, following complaints of weakness in 2017 models. So the Maliko feels a nice solid board now. But when I lifted the 14x26 Maliko next to the RS 14x26 I was surprised at how much heavier the Naish was. Make of that what you will.

In terms terms of fit and finish, SIC have always been very good. This the 4th SIC board I've owned and they've all lasted well, although as I say, with only a single layer of carbon in places you can't go knocking them about. But the RS looks a very classy piece of kit in the flesh. I've said this before, but it's amazing how useful all the little fixtures and fittings are (eg bungees, multiple leash plugs, FCS for camera, that lovely handle, deck drainage pipes etc), and they are all perfectly executed.

Doing full PVC boards does not have to be heavier, our Edge 2.0 boards are all full PVC wrapped and just as light as the lightest boards on the market and crazy strong.

Sometimes spending the money to make something right is well worth it, Not saying the skin boards are not good but IMO if you want the best of both worlds the PVC wrapped boards are it, problem is they cost more to make so most companies choose not to go this way.

Nice description Area10. As you mentioned the handle, does it hold much water as in is it a problem or not? Also how stable are the narrower boards ( 23 and 24.5 ) as there are no multiple concaves on the under side

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Special one said..
Nice description Area10. As you mentioned the handle, does it hold much water as in is it a problem or not? Also how stable are the narrower boards ( 23 and 24.5 ) as there are no multiple concaves on the under side

The "water in the handle" thing is pretty stoopid
IMO, and is mentioned by jealous rival brands, or reviewers who are just trying to find things to say. It probably holds no more water than a deep ledge handle - it's just that you can see it with the SIC handle. They'll probably be more water in the sweat in your clothes. But then there are some people who claim that the weight of a watch on their arm throws off their performance.... I guess people have to have something to obsess about. If you are paddling in flat water there won't be any water in the handle anyway.

I haven't tried the 24.5" or 23l wide ones - but I'm told that they are (like the 26) every bit as stable as any other raceboard of that width, and more stable than many, or maybe even most. The stability comes from the hard rails, wide rail, and flat (to the point of almost concave) bottom which extends to the nose. So there's no surface to roll. You don't need fancy concaves for a board to be stable - that's just Starboard marketing BS.

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paul.j said..

Area10 said..

WaveScience said..

Special one said..
What's the build quality like?

Pretty much flawless in my experience.

Yeah, the fit and finish on mine is perfect, and so are the others I've seen. It's a light race-board construction so you wouldn't want to be smashing it around, but this is no more the case than with any other light carbon raceboard.

I'm constantly amazed at how SIC can produce boards in the same factory as a certain other blue brand, but the fit and finish is so much better IMO.

The innegra in the rails and nose/tail seems to do the job. No doubt if it was full PVC wrap as well it would be more durable. But it would also weigh - and cost - more.

Obviously, Naish went down the full PVC wrap route for the Maliko for 2018, following complaints of weakness in 2017 models. So the Maliko feels a nice solid board now. But when I lifted the 14x26 Maliko next to the RS 14x26 I was surprised at how much heavier the Naish was. Make of that what you will.

In terms terms of fit and finish, SIC have always been very good. This the 4th SIC board I've owned and they've all lasted well, although as I say, with only a single layer of carbon in places you can't go knocking them about. But the RS looks a very classy piece of kit in the flesh. I've said this before, but it's amazing how useful all the little fixtures and fittings are (eg bungees, multiple leash plugs, FCS for camera, that lovely handle, deck drainage pipes etc), and they are all perfectly executed.

Doing full PVC boards does not have to be heavier, our Edge 2.0 boards are all full PVC wrapped and just as light as the lightest boards on the market and crazy strong.

Sometimes spending the money to make something right is well worth it, Not saying the skin boards are not good but IMO if you want the best of both worlds the PVC wrapped boards are it, problem is they cost more to make so most companies choose not to go this way.

What I meant was that if you added PVC to the single carbon/innegra layup that SIC already has, then it would be heavier than it currently is. And I don't think even you could argue with that ;)

Personally I'd rather all factory brands did use PVC throughout, and dropped carbon altogether. But the "carbon" badge sells, even if some have only about 5% carbon or less (how much carbon is really in Starboard "hybrid carbon" products?).

But then again, my UL custom is stiffer and tougher than any factory board, whether it's got PVC or not. It's 2x6oz Carbon on bottom and rails with ordinary glass on the deck, and resin tint not paint. It weighs no more than some carbon production 14s I have. So, yes, weight is a lot about the build quality, not just the materials.

i saw a 14ft board that is the same construction as my UL fly right off the roof of a van, waaay up into the air, taken by a 35+ knot wind, and then crash down on a tarmac road. It suffered only minor scrapes you'd hardly notice on the tail and nose. If any of my factory boards had done that it would have been expensive major repair work.

Well looking at next years maliko I think the sic rs looks more of a board I could ride and after all if it looks good and from good pedigree you'll be happy to ride it rather than thinking this looks ####. I know but it's half the battle when spending money

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Special one said..
Nice description Area10. As you mentioned the handle, does it hold much water as in is it a problem or not? Also how stable are the narrower boards ( 23 and 24.5 ) as there are no multiple concaves on the under side

The 23 is easily as stable as the Maliko 24 and the 24.5 feels like a 26. I have ridden both in some messy water and small DW conditions and they are both great. I would say the 24.5 is more stable than the Bayonet 26". I have to disagree with Area 10 on the finish, the white shows dirty marks and scuffs and the gell seems to chip easily. That being said they are sold boards, I took a hard hit on the bottom in a local beach race the other week, right on the edge of the bottom channel it took a chunk out but it looks like just Gell as the cloth below is intact, i expected an big hole straight through to the foam as the guy came in on a wave, fell and kicked the board forwards.

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TJR said..

Special one said..
Nice description Area10. As you mentioned the handle, does it hold much water as in is it a problem or not? Also how stable are the narrower boards ( 23 and 24.5 ) as there are no multiple concaves on the under side

The 23 is easily as stable as the Maliko 24 and the 24.5 feels like a 26. I have ridden both in some messy water and small DW conditions and they are both great. I would say the 24.5 is more stable than the Bayonet 26". I have to disagree with Area 10 on the finish, the white shows dirty marks and scuffs and the gell seems to chip easily. That being said they are sold boards, I took a hard hit on the bottom in a local beach race the other week, right on the edge of the bottom channel it took a chunk out but it looks like just Gell as the cloth below is intact, i expected an big hole straight through to the foam as the guy came in on a wave, fell and kicked the board forwards.

The 24.5 is super stable as TJR said. Easily a stable as the 2018 26 Maliko.

Sorry to hear about your marks and chips, TJR. I have had my board rail taped from new and I tape my paddle too, with thin 3M door edge protector (and I call BS on anyone who says they could notice the difference between it and an untaped blade) so my rails are just like they left the factory. No marks or chips anywhere else either.

My other SIC boards weren't taped though and have been fine.

But none of these Cobra (Thailand) boards (including Starboard etc) are constructed anything like as well as the boards from the Kinetic factory in Vietnam IMO (Jimmy Lewis, and some Infinity boards I think?) - which tend to be cheaper. I wish all the brands would just move their production to Kinetic. Presumably Kinetic wouldn't be able to handle the volume, or there might be logistic or currency issues, because in terms of the quality/cost ratio I don't see why more brands don't use it.

Inflatable RS models for 2019

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Kretinou said..
Inflatable RS models for 2019

It would be interesting to race one of these next to the equivalent hard board, especially downwind or in a beach race...

Great forum. I am from Luxembourg and stumbled over this string wanting to find out more about the SIC RS. I predominantly do. race (long and short), touring and DW.
Question I have with the RS is will I be to heavy and tall for the 14x23 and should I better opt for a 24.5? I am 6,1 and 185 lbs. My worry is that with my weight the board will lay in the water like a cargo ship, like a Tri or a Cat that you overload and that will lose all of its performance advantages. Maybe at my weight a 24.5 will be faster? What is your view?