Hi all,
I previously posted a topic June/July last year about whether to get a 12'6" or 14' board, this one to be exact:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/126-or-14-Race-Board/?SearchTerms=14
Anyway long story short I got the Starboard Touring 14 ast (14 x 30). Great board has served me well in all the conditions that I have subjected it to. I am now in Canberra and weekly do a time trial on the delightfully brown Molongolo Reach. The problem is that I have now outgrown it and my competitive instincts are catching up with me. I want to go faster and challenge the other guys I paddle with.
I am also interested in doing the Blast Summer Series in Sydney next year (will be doing the last round at Balmoral this year)
Anyway I am looking at my options for race boards and will welcome opinions. I would love something that would handle bumps and Burley Griffen downwinders (no swell, all wind and washing machine action)
So far I have paddled the following:
NSP Race Cocomat - love it, light, felt quick however have missed the boat and none available
Fanatic Falcon 27.5 - nice, light, little twitchy but felt quick and settled at speed
Surftech Bark Dominator (tuflite) - beautiful light, slippery board that is solid as
I am heading to Woolongong on my way to the Blast Paddle and will be having a good paddle on the JM Navigator and the Dominator (both pro elite) and I am hoping that their are some other board to try at the blast paddle. Also a good chance to chat to others.
I am also heading to Melbourne on 23 March for work and will be heading to RPS on the 24th to get on as many boards as I can. Been in touch with Warwick and he has been very helpful.
It has been recommended to me to have a serious look at the 2012 and 13 Starboard Ace 25 which is intimidating me a little. Warwick has offered me a go on his so will be doing it.
Basically I am after any insight, advice and recommendations. I have checked out the 14 SUPVIC test and it is my reference.
Added info still 180cm and 82kgs, fit and healthy.
Cheers in advance
Wow that is a lot of typing
Hey Scotty, two things I know here.
1/ There will be more 14 Coco Mats coming and
2/ you should consider adding to your list a DC custom or DC/NSP production board (will be pre-order ready soon).
And here's the disclaimer: I work for NSP.
Hey Scotty,
i met you at Eden after Christmas at the old tannery after your paddle across the bay.
Having met you i wouldn't dismiss the skinny Starboards for you (and definitely not for me). Lots of people in the super fit category raving about them in all sorts of conditions. And they are quick!
I reckon if you rang Sam @ WindSurfSnow he could hook you up on one when you come up for the Blast Race.
Sadly I wont be at the next Blast race but look forward to catching up with you next year!
Regards
Greg 
CMC - Thanks for that info, I will attempt to keep my ear to the ground re the 14' cocomats. I am really interested in the DC/NSP boards that are coming as I really like the look of the DC boards. The thing that will stop me rushing out and getting the first board I ally like is the imminent Canberra winter. What is the expected date, if releasable, that the new NSP/DC boards are released?
Apart from Balmoral Paddle is there anywhere else I can jump on a DC board?
Greg - I remember meeting you at the cannery, hope the rest of your Christmas break was enjoyable. After that paddle I actually got my Dad hooked and he is out nearly every day down there. Thanks for the vote of confidence re the 25 wide boards, lucky I swim well 
I have already spoken to the guys at WWS but they are doing a BOP the same day at Collaroy I think. Might see you down at Two Fold Bay later in the year or at the 13/14 Blast Series
Here is my disclaimer-I pay for my gear.
I have a falcon carbon 27.5. I really like it. There is talk about all other brands... Dugouts vs non etc, being the fastest.... But it's the bloke or gal on it. some are quicker than others, don't get me wrong.
Look at flat water races and ocean.... All different craft win. . . . Again depends on the skill
I'd recommend going with a board you like the look of and feels good under foot. Don't worry about test times etc... People have their favourites and go harder on them.
And being a paying customer, I choose a few that I like and know are quick, then go see my local shops for the best prices. At the end of the day $$$ make a big difference for most punters.
Based on what I've seen. I like, falcon, Allstar, lahui Kai. . . . Maybe re-sale comes into play too...
Gotta agree with ShireSup, plenty of options out there, but don't dismiss the 25" Ace or let the width or design intimidate you. It can be a bit harder to handle in big sideways chop or cross swell but when you get used to it, it really flies. For flatwater paddling and downwinders on the lake with no swell, it would be a great board. If you've been happy until now with the Starboard touring board you've had, then you probably can't go wrong sticking with the same brand. Either Sam at WSS in Sydney or Warwick in Melbourne should be able to hook you up with a demo.
(Disclaimer: I'm a starboard team rider.)
Hey mate,
I'll be at the balmoral summer series race. You are welcome to try my 14x25 starboard allstar if you like. I find it an awesome all rounder. Very stable at 25" wide too. That said I am around 70kg with a very low centre of gravity. :) You'll understand when you meet me. :)
See ya at balmoral.
My view of stability is that you'll never improve unless you choose a board that challenges it in the conditions that you train in. Narrower is faster and if you go to 27" now then find you've got the itch to go to 25" in 12 months time then it is going to cost you more money to upgrade again. If you're mostly on flatwater, it is the perfect time to train yourself on a narrow board. Then again, if there is any chance you'll want to do ocean races, go back to 27" unless you can train regularly on it.
For chop and rivers (where you have to go one way despite the wind), you may want to think about a board that handles those conditions best (and think about a smaller weed rudder too). Ace has quite a bit of volume in the nose and tail so I'm not sure that is the best choice out of the SB range, but if I'm wrong somebody please correct me.
I'm about your size and weight and have been on a 26 1/8" Jav for the last 12-18 months. I fall in from time to time, but I would regret not being able to go as fast as I could esp. on flatwater. A board with a little bit of tip if you get lazy feels more alive than one that does not. My stability and core are now pretty good.
Great to see CMC & Ali Cat disclosing their interest, should be more of it and I think it adds more weight to the post if we know that they should know what they are talking about.
skebstebamal - the cost isn't a breaker for me however it is for the boss so it is a massive deal for me now, feel of the board under foot very important and the motor on top is essential. Working very hard on that 👍
Alicat - very happy with the touring and it allows my wife to enjoy it as well. Will be getting on a 25 Ace for sure to test it out. Will be catching up with Warwick for sure.
Kieranr - thank you for the offer of a test of your All Star I will definitely do that. All the comments about it are great, the price is great (AST) and the more all round status of the board is appealing to me. Do you have the CF or AST? Brad Smith has given me a good account of you😉
Snowie - what you say about the width is very much at the front of my thinking this time around. Also makes my wife happy that I may be future proofing. We all know that you can't have enough SUP boards though. I for whatever reason have always dismissed the Javelin but I am intrigued and will try and get a paddle on one. Falling in only worries me in the coming months here
Thanks again everyone
Hey evil...click on the Kawana time trial in the forums, there are is a long list of boards that have been paddled with times. several people have paddled multiple brands and models and that will give you a bit of a gauge. Kawana is a flat water loop that cops a bit of wind. I would have thought not dissimilar from what you would paddle.
Hey Scotty,
It's defo worth going to Jamison park paddle for a trial. I'll be there on Sunday for the time trial as will I'm sure a lot of other great guys n' gals. Jamison park have a good selection of fanatic falcons, Naish javs and starboard aces and allstar. Not sure who you may have been speaking with.
It's also worth having a chat with Sam and the guys at wind surf n snow(in collaroy, on the way to narrabeen/jamieson park) to perhaps organize a demo to be available at narrabeen. What better way to test a board than a hotly contested time trial!!
This is for the Melbourne guys, is there anywhere that I could jump on either a DC or Deep 14 to demo? Really trying to broaden my choices here so that I can make my final decision as hard as possible
Confirm the Jamison Park Paddle at Narrabeen Lakes is worth spending some paddling time at. Full range of Jav's and the Starboard race boards to hire out.
WSS at Collaroy was also well worth a visit, stacked to the ceiling with some very desirable boards, including the SIC 17'ers.
Thanks PT and SSSimon sorting out my movements over the next two weeks at this very time.
Thanks again
Enjoy your board shopping!
My simple advice, if you are driving to either Melbourne or Sydney, make sure you DON'T leave town without a good board on the racks!!
Drive home a proud man with your latest catch on the roof...
A quick joke...
I'm sure you could re-write it for SUP...
Evil, you'll have to do some pretty fancy footwork if you want to see any Coreban boards - I don't think that aspect of your trip has been planned.
If you are going to be at Molonglo tomorrow (Wed's TT) give me a shout - I'll get down there with 'the Edge'
Big thanks to Sam at Wind Surf and Snow for bringing down his own personal Ace for me to have a paddle on today. Awesome board.
If you are unsure about what board to get talk to Sam and head down to Jamieson Park Paddle for a demo, well worth your time.
Unless you finish in front of me by more that one minute (again) your search has been futile!
So I ended up getting a Starboard All Star 14 x 26 AST. Firstly thank you to everyone for your input and advice. Unfortunately in the end instead of going with the best board for what I wanted I went with what my wife would have been more accepting of, that being the cheaper option. I know, I know under the thumb but remember happy wife happy husband without an axe in his head.
Anyway within a week I regretted my purchase and wished I had of just accepted the axe in the head and got the Ace 14 x 25 but I was stuck unless I wanted to take a hit on trading it in and begging for more money, which I wasn't doing.
Since then I have been given a fantastic opportunity for a do over. My Dad is now a mad Sup'er and wants another board. Luckily he loves my board and is going to just do a swap with me for an Ace. So I have posted in the wanted section for a 2013 Ace hoping that someone is offloading a much loved board. If I can't jag one then we will go new.
So to any team riders that need some room for their new 2014 board let me know 
Cheers
Scotty
