14' Flatwater touring board for (very) big guy

Hi all

I currently have a Starboard Atlas (12' x 33 x 236L) and while it is a great first board, I'm looking at something more dedicated to flatwater/touring on rivers and lakes. I'd class myself as reasonably proficient, but certainly no expert and have not landed on my ass too many times.

At present the only two possibilities I can find are the Starboard Touring Carbon (14' x 30" x 288L) or the Fanatic Falcon Carbon (14' x 30" x 317L). I'm open to any and all other suggestions.

I'm 135kg.

Initial enquiries on the Starboard touring is they may not bring the Carbon model into Australia frequently or at all, and given the Fanatic board is hollow, I may kill it given my size.

I'm highly confident I'll handle the step from a 33" board to at least a 30" board and happy to consider narrower options if there is a very good, suitable board.

Can the wider more experienced SUP community give me some suggestions on anything else I could consider?

Thanks!

What do you weigh?

Magilla I had the same problem, and sorta still do.

Jacko as always right the Fanatic will do the job, and having paddled the touring, and even surfed it "badly" it was good.

Fristly i'd question Carbon, at 135 kgs your gonna be able to carry a board and at 135 kgs how much does carbon matter on the water, well thats IMHO, I have the Angulo Shaka and its possibly the heaviest SUP board (other than chinese import) in the world, but i love it 14 x 30 and 300 and something litres, has done the job for 2 yrs, it (and I) will never win a race, but its great to paddle and great in the open ocean, and surfs well too. Finding one might be hard tho.

You might also consider wide DC - there are a few around but again hard to find

i am waiting for JP to bring out a 14, along the lines of the 12'6 that Piros posted in here, but its not due anytime soon.

FWIW when I started i was just a nudge under 130 kgs and am now a nudge on 115 kgs but almost 3 pants sizes smaller.

Good look

Greg

Thanks HC and Greg

I do admire your input. I'm glad I'm not alone in the 'big fella' category.

I will take up your offer HC on the private message. Very interested in what you have to say about fins also. Given I paddle up/down some of Melbourne's rivers most frequently, I've just bought a weed fin out of the UK. about 30% cheaper than the same fin locally.

The carbon thing comes from years of sailing competitively. Everything is carbon, but I guess you're right Greg, if i want to save a few kg's then the best and cheapest option is probably paddle a little harder/longer/more frequently.

Thank you both for the comments!

Hey mate i have the Fanatic Falcon 14x30 in HRS, and have paddled it as high as 120kgs without any probs, great value in HRS too.

Cheers

How about a custom DC? He has made boards for some very large blokes like former NBA basketballer Luc Longley and can put the volume where you need it rather than getting a generic shape made for no one in particular. Still surprises me that more people, especially those who don't fit the mould, go out and buy a board off the rack. Considering a custom board is not much more $$ (if any) than a pop out and the resale on them is usually pretty good it would have to be a no brainer. I guess the only downside would be getting a demo on one which after coming from a short board background was never an issue because it was never available anyway.

Definitely worth giving him a call. Dale is a great bloke and a great craftsman. He makes the entire board himself and does all the glassing, sanding etc.. Make sure you have plenty of time when you call. He loves a chat

I agree to a point but for someone 135kg I don't think there is anything on the market suitable. DC is a professional board manufacturer who has been making paddle boards for a wide variety of people for almost a decade and before that was and still is a very renound surfboard shaper. I would have every confidence in him making a board for a guy this size that is better than something off the shelf. After all someone in a shop is only going to be able to sell you what they stock.

Still very happy to take others points of view though!

a falcon 14' x 30" or a dc custom is my call.


actually mate i know a dc 14' x 30" full carbon board that is second hand at dales factory.


the guy only used it a handful of times. strong as and as light as. no expense was spared on this board


i think its going at a bargain price. really excellent condition.

i've a picture of it going back through my files

Hey guys, thanks for the tip. I've PM'd Laceys Lane. Hopefully I'll get to know more...

Well I tried the Carbon Starboard 14' Touring and the HRS Fanatic Falcon. Used the same Paddle, fin and section of water.

The Starboard was first. Far less stable, quite flighty (maybe because it's carbon), very stiff, not that easy to turn, sensitive to weight distribution. Maybe marginally faster.

The Fanatic was way more stable, harder to paddle through the water (it's reasonably heavy), more maneuverable but seemed to glide better. The board would flex under my weight which felt a bit odd.

Not sure if the Carbon Falcon would be stiffer though.

Anyone's thoughts?

No surprises there. You would have felt the weight in the HRS after the carbon Starby . Interesting that you found the Falcon a bit flexy, I didn't notice much flex, maybe just a little. I spent maybe 20 minutes on the Carbon version in some choppy water back in December, I recall it being plenty stiff and a bit more "punchy" than the HRS. I think the HRS is a bit deceptive though, once up to speed it likes to run and it carries some momentum when it's trimmed right (the sweet spot isn't huge with a heavy rider) In the Gippsland race a couple of weekends ago a much lighter mate trailing me on his 14 x 17 ACE reckoned there were a few sections of small runners with the wind behind us where I just "took off" away from him (he reeled me in later but fair to say that was about my lack of fitness and skill, not the board).

Other than the DC I'm not sure what's out there for you. Coreban Dart might suit, or the 14 x 29 Walk on Water (you'd be welcome to come down and try my WoW sometime for comparison).

(edit: and there's this brand new thing: www.seabreeze.com.au/ the 14 x 30 is 299 litres. Surftech's "Eliminator" is another big boy 14 but I don't know if there are any in the country. Tried the 14 x 30 Surftech Laird a while ago, goes nicely but I found it disconcertingly flexy)

Well, after a whole lot of research and study and my ever decreasing bank balance, the 14' x 30" Falcon HRS has won the day.

Left a deposit with the good men at RPS and hope to pick up in a couple of weeks.

Thanks everyone for your input. I really appreciate it!