Even for someone like me who is new to racing/offshore cruising I found this to be a very unbiaised article written by people who actually seem to know what they are talking about - it's a great read.
zenwaterman.blogspot.com/2009/11/sup-race-board-comparison-planing-vs.html
I don't think I'll ever be an offshore racer but this link is a fantastic read, and very enlightening regarding design. I rode a 14 ft fanatic on the weekend and thought that I was going faster the further back that I stood, but balanced it out flat as that is what I normally do . I think that an element of their design means that you can achieve better speed when you get it up on "the plane" as in boating terms. This defies the principle of my 12 ft lake rider which goes faster when evenly balanced in the water. Brilliant find Billboard and recommended reading for anybody who sups.
good find billboard. the boards i like are the ones that go from piecing/displacement to flat/planing very quickly. i feel you get the best of both worlds. the fanatic 14' in a dw run, i would be back 10" from the handle and even more sometimes. the displacement nose is still good to jump the bumps.
my dc 14' probably goes to flat quicker so on that board i'm only about 5" or so back and further back at times too.
on dw runs i try to get back as far as i can. after reading a fair amount of that topic i now know i why i felt it was better.
both the fanatic and the new dc 14' er are great for doing this and they still paddle well from those more back positions. you don't feel like your dropping the tail or anything.
being able to stand back, enjoy the ride and still be able to chase down bumps is the ants pants imo.
cheers
ive been on the 14 fanatic for a while now im on or in front of the handle off runs im way infront chasing runs?
. noel, you have the carbon, i had the wood veneer- that could be some difference/
Great fine , and Robert from blue planet surf is a top bloke .Had the pleasure of meeting him last year at one of there demo days in Hawaii .
Boylos
