Hi,

Looking at getting a new board, and searching for advices/suggestions...

1m75, 70Kg not expert, paddling 90% on flat water, I'm looking at a faster board so I guess it will have to be narrower. I'm paddling long distances, and some times with side chop/wind so the board has to be comfortable.
I would also like to use it a little in downwinds and races so 14' it will be.. or will a 12'6 be as fast for me?

I've been looking at the Javelin X26LE, but how stable is it? What about a Starboard Sprint, can it downwind? How fast is the AllStar on flatwater?

Looking forward to some good advices...

You need an Ace. I suggest 14' x 25". The 2014 Sprint will apparently do light downwind and chop but the 2013 was really a flat water only board. The All Star is very good but would be more suited if your proportion of paddling was favouring bigger chop and downwind and less flat water.

Thought so you would suggest an Ace, but how stable is it when standing back or doing boy turns? I was more looking at a wide tail board

Regarding the width, I've tried a 2013 Sprint 14*25,5 on flat water and found it ok though a little challenging, but I would imagine it beeing quiet tricky with side shop, so a 25 wide ACE should be even more due to the thin tail....
Do you have an idea of how stable these are compared to a K15? Some they it is lively, I found it easy... but watch out for side shop.

The K15 and Ace are really very different in the way they feel stability wise. With the K15, you have that rounded hull so it's very canoe like and roll-y. However the balance is aided by the 30" width. The Ace has an almost completely flat bottom with some concave so it is not roll-y, it stays upright and then tips more suddenly. But in my experience, and being close to your height and weight, I feel the 25" Ace is perfectly stable. The lower standing position makes it more stable than most boards in the 27-28" bracket. The dugout thing is definitely an acquired taste, but as you are experienced with a K15, I don't imagine it would put you off.

In terms of stepping back, check out this video of Beau O'Brien as a good example of how many of us use limited movement inside the cockpit (so to speak) and rather than step all the way back, we drop a knee and lower our centre of gravity...

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/2014-Starboard-Ace-downwinder-Beau-OBrian/

As for doing buoy turns, while some have mastered the kick turn on an Ace, if you ask me it's completely inefficient so I just tend to sweep turn on that board.

I just can't find the ACE's big nose very appealing compared to the new piercing nose most new boards have. how does it react to side wind and front wind/shop?

I have the

14*23.5 ACE
14*25 ACE
14*24 Sprint

Im 178cm and weigh 77kgs and the board I mostly use is the 23.5 ACE. Its fast upwind and downwind, cross chop and side wind can be a little challenging but you get used to paddling them. If you are getting one board the 25 ACE is the go, it might not look appealing but they are bloody fast. The shape does grow on you after a while.

Hi murf,

Thanks for your comment, looks like I will to go for the ACE 25.

Is it a 2014 Sprint you have? Have you tried it in light down wind?

Yep its the 2014 Sprint. For really light downwinders it is good (less than 10 knots) but I still prefer the 23.5 ACE over it, I find the ACE still catches runners better. The new 23.5 has had the footwells dug out even more this year so the standing area in feels like the 25. We are pretty lucky in Adelaide are we really only ride the 23.5's as the runners line up really well over here. When I go anywhere else I take the 25.

I doubt that you will find a 14ft board that is both as fast and as stable as the K15. So I hope you don't end up disappointed. But you won't miss lugging that behemoth around.