New Bic 12-6 C-TEC TRACER

[tbsurf]

Priced under $2k in light carbon construction, this board looks very interesting.  I’m interested in something fast for mostly ocean cruising, capable from smooth water to chop.  Has anyone had a chance to try it?  I’m wondering if REI will carry it, as they sell Bic boards.
http://www.bicsup.com/index.php?section=93

[Fog City Rider]

Looks awesome imo.  $1899 for the 12'6...

What I really wish Bic would do, though, is make a shape like this in ace-tec!

[HanaSurf]

I know racing is the hottest segment of SUP today for the manufacturers but they are wasting time trying to sell me a 27" board for Touring.

[Fog City Rider]

They're making it in 27 and 29!

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

Or make a fourteen-foot Wing.

[HanaSurf]

14 footer only in 28". To "borrow" a comment from another poster here I saw recently, Life begins at 30". I'm glad companies are refining their race boards. I'm sure that glide,speed,stability,etc. have all been improved by the R&D for the race boards,just please transfer some of this over to some 30,31,32" touring boards instead just 27,28,29" race boards and calling them race/touring models. 

[Fog City Rider]

There's definitely a shortage of wider touring boards... Although a 14 at 28-29 wide typically feels as solid underfoot as a 12.6 at 30 wide.

Starboard, Jimmy Lewis and now Boga have some 12.6 boards in the 32 range.

[Sorrento]

It's winter here in Southern Australia . I called in to my local board shop yesterday to see what was likely to be on offer as the weather gets warmer here later in the year. I want a board longer, narrower and faster to tour on than my Hobie ATR  11' that I bought last year as an entry level board. I am now hooked on stand up. The Bic Sup Tracer certainly has caught my attention but at 28 inches wide on the 14' I question stability.  I still like the sound of the Hobie 12'6 elite touring 2014 model. I know it is less than 29 inches wide but user reviews claim very good stability. Over a quiet coffee the shop owner just happened to walk in after a recent trip to Thailand for a heads up view of the 2015 offerings from Starboard. He produced a colour photo copy of the catalogue for me to have a look at the next generation of touring boards. I understand the Starboard 2014 12'6 and 14' x 30 inch models were pretty much identical to the 2013 models in terms of hull. Only a new deck pad and paint decals were added. Let me tell you the 2015 models look substantially different in design. Apparently a huge amount of design upgrade has gone in to both the shape and the cosmetics of the board.  . Length and width dimensions are the same but they have departed from the red in the wood sandwich model to a beautiful gloss green colour. Carbon models will also be available. They also will be coming out in an 11'6 model and, from memory one even shorter than that. Stay tuned - look for a September release. If the dealer gets some samples over soon I will try to get some pics.

[Sorrento]

By the way, here is a quick review of the Bic Sup 14' x 28" C-tec Tracer  http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/New-14-Carbon-BIC-Tracer/