I live in Carlsbad California. I am in a similar situation. Brian S lives and works in nearby Encinitas, SUPATX has a 10,000 sq.ft facility 20 miles from our home.... this is SUP race country here in San Diego. I demoed the 14x27.25 Lahui Kai Race board yesterday. I was quite impressed. And especially the rock solid feel and stability, particularly in the tail section. I tried a couple of buoy turns and was amazed at the rear stability the tail block offers.

There is a fair amount of nose rocker in the LK, which will do you well in the open ocean and perhaps be a small compromise in the flats.

The only other board I have demoed recently is the Hobie Apex 14x 27.50 The Hobie is lighter by lbs. With nothing other than feel, it seems a little faster. There are more inserts for BOP style handles on the sides than LK Race. In contrast, LK has forward inserts for a GoPro, Speed coach, or a leach. And yes, a few racers, including most notably Annabelle Anderson are forward positioning leaches now for easier removal in beach entry finish type races.

If I had to choose today I would buy LK race 14. Especially if your paddling will include open ocean and beach entry and exits. And as the Starboard Allstar was originally designed by Brian S you'd do yourself good by giving it a go as well. You'll pay less, at least here in the US for the LK and still have a triple carbon finish and about the same weight as the carbon All Star. The LK race is showing up a lot more at the local paddle spots and in races here in San Diego county all the time.

Thanks so much I'm 6 ft 212lbs and paddle mostly the ocean and the bay. I agree starboard has more widths but I was looking at the 14' long 28 wide. I think 26 or 25 is to narrow for my skill level right now

Awesome! I think I'm going to get the Kai Race. It seems like you get a lot more for your money.

There are a number of us in one of the squads up here at Currumbin that have been using the production version Lahui Kai's for a while.

I have given my one a hammering so far and it is standing the test of time as good if not better than the last custom carbon one I had which was also very durable.

Both the boards you mention are great designs with excellent construction.

Go with the board you like the most and you will be a happy paddler.

Cheers, Lockie

FWIW 'm a good bit heavier than the OP, I chose the 14 x 27.25 LK over the 14 x 28 Allstar. The LK felt more stable to me despite being a bit narrower and having a bit less volume. Also feels to me a little more slippery through the water (but that's entirely subjective, haven't done any comparisons with a Garmin or whatever). I also like that the deck recess is not so deep - I find the deeper deck on the Allstar uncomfortably restrictive

speedz18 said..
I see you mentioned the 2016 Lahui Kai Race. Do you happen to know when they will be coming out. And have you ever paddled a 26? Are they a lot more unstable then a 27?

Speedz the new 14' x 26 is due here in Oz, in August.
As the shape of the 14' x 26 will be similar to the 14' x 27.25, the general rule with the new BZ shape is that they feel (stability-wise) like a board 1-2" wider.
Stability is a personal thing and a 1" drop in width will affect stability.
If you are comfortable on the 27.25" the chances are you will be able to progress to the 26" with ease.

The LK 12'6" x 25.25 model will be a pure BOP race board. This is the board that Kelly Margets has had a lot of success with until it was stolen
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/Stolen-Blue-Lahui-Kai-from-Newport/?SearchTerms=Stolen

SDCounty said..
I spoke to the folks at SUP ATX this morning about the upcoming new models mentioned in the previous post. They are expecting two new models, in the 2015 design to show up in San Juan Capistrano, California about 3 weeks. There might be more, but the two below were discussed.

The are set to see a 14x26 Brian S LK and a 12'6" x 25.25 LK model. No mention of pricing was made and the guess is that both models will be lighter in weight than the existing 14 and the 12'6" x 26 versions.

If there are no other updates to this forum on this subject I will report back in after they arrive.. I will be demoing both as soon as they arrive.

25.25", definitely interested in trying. I have to laugh at that 1/4" as both my All Stars came in mystery hidden widths; aka, not what's shown on the board.

The 14x26 Lahui Kai Brian S board became available to the public in San Juan Capistrano two days ago.

I demoed the board yesterday in harbor channel conditions with 10-15 mph winds and some surface chop. The board I demoed weighed in at 26lbs. It has the same finish and color characteristics as the 12"6"x 26 Team Race model.

The board is sleek and fast, glides well and tracks exceptionally well. I wouldn't call it tippy, but it is definitely more "twitchy" than the 14x27.25. The tail, when performing a buoy style pivot turn is far less stable than than it's counterpart at 27.25".

I didn't have a speed clock so I can't speak to how fast one is to the other. Results may vary.

At the end of the day, I opted for the 27.25 wide model. If you want to be at the front of the line on bragging rights by owning the most current "elite" racing board, or if your strictly going to stay in flat water conditions, the 26in wide is the board you want.

If, on the other hand, open ocean touring or down winding is what you do most, there is going to be less work balance wise and for some less fatigue with the 27.25, particularly in paddles in excess of ten miles.I don't believe the 27.25 is a significant compromise and probably the better option for most riders. It was for me.

SD, did you mention your weight?

No, 180lbs 5'10". Perhaps more importantly I am
65 yrs old. Geezer status. In decent shape with a
47 bpm resting heartbeat.

Hey speedz18, glad you like the board and it sounds like you both made the right choice for weight and height. What area do you live in? Glad to hear that your local store is selling the 14' x 26" its only new in Oz and I think will be a great seller. Enjoy the board and your time on the water and anytime your near Currumbin come for a paddle

Speedz18, which All Star were you testing? 2015? And what width? Any details on why you guys liked the LK over the All Star. Thanks.

I'm from NJ. Lot's of different water to paddle. Metedaconk River, Manasquan River, Toms River, Barnaget Bay, Forge Pond, Medford Lakes, and the Atlantic Ocean. That's in my County. Lot's of other waterways in the state and we have plenty of paddle clubs too. So if ur ever in the neighborhood let me know. One thing NJ is good for is paddling.

How does the LKs stability compare to wider downwind boards like the Naish Glide 29, NSP/DC 29 and Falcon 30?

Im looking for a 14fter for mostly flat but also keen on some downwinding. I'm about 6'5 and 95kg so stability is important but I don't want to sacrifice heaps of glide. Grateful for any feedback provided.

Thanks DJ. You certainly make them look stable in your vids. Are they as quick on flat?

Anyone else got any feedback on stability?