Went with the 14x28 allstar. Was looking for something more relaxed than my 25 ace on downwinders...after yesterday's first downwinder on the allstar I'm sure the 26.5 or maybe the 25.5 would have been doable. Seemed almost too stable or am I just used to the crazy wild ride on the ace...
Any other thoughts from other 2014 allstar owners...
Cheers
Hi Mike, I went the 12'6 Turtle Bay All Star and I may have gone too narrow! It's great to surf and very fast on flat water but a real handful in big downwind. Was wondering if the 28 wide may have been a slight over reaction to the Ace, but really a great complimentary board for the crazy big days. How was the speed, did it feel markedly slower than the Ace? Trying to decide on either the 14 x 26.5 or the 25.5. And is yours carbon?
Cheers Jonathan
Glass model. May just be trying to get used to it compared to the ace. To be honest didn't feel super quick. Though I paddled with Steve on Sunday...from wat I've seen latrely he's killing it of late , really quick. Kept up with him, even ahead at times,. So maybe it's deceptively quick. Maybe due to it being so very very stable. Ace is a rock and roll ride...seems like ur going at warp speed sometimes. As I'm sure the 28 is intended, it would suit the bigger paddler. I'm around 75kgs, 175cm tall. Having thoughts of putting it up for sale ,and going narrower. Love the board, think it's got all the right things I'm looking for... Just feel I should have gone narrower . If anyone's looking for a 28 allstar. I'd b happy to talk...
Cheers
My 2 cents: Coming off a knee injury from kiting i ordered 14 X 26 Carbon. Stability is not an issue. It certainly pierces the chop in front & is substantially more stable (for me) than the Falcon 25 Carbon i had before, keep in mind ,totally different bottom configs though. Due to that point alone it is faster straight away. Several Guys i paddle with have Carbon Aces in 23-25. They are quick, experienced paddlers in flat & ocean conditions. Personal enjoyment & development keep us all out there & the beer is still at the end wherever you finish.
Like all square tailed boards there is the issue of the board tracking the swell/wind direction. Cross on is our normal direction. Finding a nice fin config now to ride a little further out to sea to utilise the boards total downwind speed home will close the gap on the Aces. They ride out to sea or coastward equally once adapted to the rock & roll & are the fastest.
Allstar :nice board.
Waxed the tail.
As you know Michael, I have the 25 and it's currently my favourite board in all the Starboard line up. Well at least for another 2-3 weeks 
. I am certain you can go to the 26 comfortably, if not the 25.
I noticed at last week's 3:2:2:1 at HMB that you were a bit off the pace when we were both on All Stars and yet when we were both on our Aces on Sunday, you were at least as fast as me. So with that in mind, please stay on the 28. I'll never beat you if you get a 25 or 26.
Mike i think you can go down in width no problem.
I did a downwind run at Merimbula last year with a bit of cross chop on the demo 14x28 Allstar very stable board and i'm 6'2 about 100kg
i own a 27" Ace and Coreban Dart i think the stability is very close to the Dart rock solid but faster
