OK I am going to look like a loser here but I need some assistance please.
I'm 100kgs, 5ft 9. I bought originally an ART IN SURF 10'6" X 32" X 5" which of course is an absolute boat of a thing that unless that can;t keep in a stright line if it tries ! I am really very competant on it now, I never fall in, I can move feet a little etc etc. and I even felt good enough to upgrade to a nice quickblade paddle. I currently just paddle for fitness, on the ocean, can get bumpy and wind can come from anywhere.
OK so then after reading various forums I bought a 14' x 27.25" Fanatic Falcon. Now I've only used it a few times granted, and I've never fallen off it yet, but holy hell I spend my entire time feeling totally unstable and fighting stability rather than concentrating on paddling without thinking about it. Therefore enjoyment level is decreasing.
The question is have I gone too far too soon ? Or do I need to stick with it ? I didnt get a 12ft6 as I was told my weight is too much for them. Should I go for a wider 14ft board or liek I said stick with it ? I guess right now I am confused totally for what I am trying to achieve, which is to move on from my first board to the next step of being quicker and more straight line..
All help gladly accepted thanks
Mitch

You need to make a decision about what you want. Race are designed to go fast. There is a penalty to be paid for that. And the falcons are not quite as stable as other boards of the same width that have wider tails. You'd probably be happier now if you were on, for instance, a 14x28 Maliko like DJ paddles, or perhaps even better, the 14x29 Glide. Or you could get an ocean-specific board like a M14, SIC Bullet etc which are built to be easier to handle in chop.

BUT, if you stick with the Falcon you will eventually be able to paddle it and still have fun. You may have to make a commitment to improving your physical capabilities, and start taking that side of your paddling a bit more seriously. If you feel ready to make that commitment then you'll be amazed at how fast you can come on, and how your physical capabilities will change.

No-one can make this decision for you. Being on a board that is uncomfortable to paddle does impact upon paddling enjoyment, no doubt. If you don't intend to race then you may decide that the hassle isn't worth it, and put this episode down to experience. But since you are writing on this forum, this may mean that you are ready to step up to the challenge of a fairly narrow race board. Only you can decide which way to go. Whatever you do, stay with a 14, don't go to 12-6, and there's no going back to an all-round shape now. So you've already made one big step forward.

Just stick to it.

I have the same board and I felt the same when I first got it and thought that I had made a bad decision, but I love it in all types of conditions.

I'm your weight and 6'1"

I agree with Smash1, stick with it.

There is no reason why that board won't be ok for your weight/height. It will just take a bit of time for your brain to calibrate your balance with the new board. Is there any flat water nearby? If so, do a few sessions there till you get the feel of it.

In six months you'll probably wondering whether you could handle a 25"

I found the biggest challenge was getting my mind around the fact that when this board feels like it's tipping over, it then self-rights itself. Once you master this - the rest is easy

Better that way ...challenging ,than saying this thing is a pig ...
you will master it .
i reckon it takes a couple of months ...before you really get to love your new boards...learning all the new feel.

my 14 is 28 ' and feels very stable ..now

You might want to try and bigger fin for more stability?