2017 Allstar 14 reviews???

[yugi]

I’m jonesing for a 23 now. Me who never needed a race board.

Ha! So you were advocating single board quiver in order to get your friends to sell their race boards cheap - dirty trick :-) :-) :-)
I think that most of us had a zen phase but quickly came back to a quiver or two or more.

Catched!

No no no. I have only just entered my zen phase after 30 years of hardcore quiver extravangzas.

I got good reason to zen out w my  quiver-of-one. 3 actually.
- I got soooo many bikes, skis, windsurfers, kites, waterskis, wakeboards. I even have a ski boat lying around. For once I got a sport I’m happy to go in simple. [that said I do have 2 surf SUPs]
- I’m soooo done with racing. Yeah, its kind of fun in a new sport and it definitely is good when one starts out in the sport to motivate to learn. I do a few but really it is for fun. On my DW board I’m in the top 10 and if I had a race board I’d not make the podium. So big whoopie. It really is for fun anyway. Also conditions on our lake change so quick you are far better off being on a fast DW board than a race board. Really - it gets that choppy.
- I have a rack for ONE board by the lake. I show up, get changed, jump on it. No desire to pay a second rack. Rather buy beer.

But yes, suddenly I’m Jonesing. A quiver of a Rail26 and an Allstar23 does sound perfect, might even be fun. I might get a big long term project in a town on a cool lake 3hrs from here. Which means I’d need to stay put during the week. If I get the project - I’d reward myself with an Allstar23 that I’d leave there, and bust my ass training every evening (well, at least until I meet some friends there). If I train daily I get to drink as much beer as I want, right? Working on it.

[Luc Benac]

I have been considering moving to a quiver of two:
1) Blackfish 24 for light conditions ("Flat" and light chop)
2) Rail 26 for everything else

I think that a 2017 AllStar could aslo be a good one for a quiver of two but would prefer a 2017 Blackfish.

My problem is that selling my Blackfish 26 and my Riviera DW would barely paid for a brand new Rail.
I still have issues buying a board brand new :-)

So I might still stay with a quiver of three:
1) Blackfish 24 for light conditions ("Flat" and light chop)
2) Blackfish 26 to take with me when I am not sure how the day will turn.
(we often go to a spot where there is no wind in the morning = paddle with my wife and inflow starts mid-day = grab a down-breezer or down-winder; so it pays of to have a board that you can enjoy both on flat and on DW)
3) Riviera DW 26 for DW with a purpose (lot of rocker, super light, super slick)

We are of course always dependent of what the conditions should be as seen before leaving the house to what the conditions really are when we are there. So versatility in a board is not to frown upon when not in Hawaii. For me the BF 26 is my most versatile board unless I can get the same from the BF 24 after getting used to the board.

ps: Did I mention that at the end of the inlet, there is a pub with great food and 5 different micro-brewery beers on tap that rotate every week or two :-)

[Eagle]

"A quiver of a Rail26 and an Allstar23 does sound perfect, might even be fun."

yugi - would suspect you would have a ton of fun with that.  Big chop and DW the Rail 26.5 should go pretty nice and fast -> and anything smaller the AS23. You will be amazed how much range that 23 actually has.  Just got back in and it was fantastic again.  Went for a risky ride with the Hydrus pants only - and not the full Surge GTX.  Risky risky.  But was the right move - but still wore too much on top with fleece and a Windstopper breaker.  Temps were around 6C air and 5C water.  But still was completely sweated out again.

Side chop and swell is still a slight problem if it gets too steep for me - but the small stuff is perfectly ok.  Problem arises with the big Elite fin angling across waves.  That fin easily stalls on the 23 if you do not push hard.  Once you slow down and waves push from behind you get in trouble.  Almost fell in again - haha.  But was a good challenge.  Would have been pretty cold.  But was completely wet on top anyways from sweat.  Will have to just wear my super light running tops from now on.

But would say you and your buds should be out there in 5C temps right now.  It is perfect fun.  Just need to stay dry is all.  If anything more that just some left-over swell today though -> would have def worn the Surge.  In these parts all the snow is gone now by the ocean.  Almost is Spring.  Haha!   

Luc - c'mon - how many different boards total now?  Must be 10+ by now.  And maybe 20+ fins.  And 10+ paddles.  You will be surpassing A10 soon at this pace! 

[Eagle]

Here is a pic of the Bullet 14V2 with ASS with someone standing way behind the handle balance point.  Even then -> the Bullet nose rocker is just out of the water a relatively small amount.  The 14V2 has quite a low rocker for a DW board with surf nose.  Very nice board though for small to medium conditions and the average joe rider.  Def one of the better designs for that.  DW that board really shines and performs like a champ.  Conversely both the M14 and 14V2 surf nose designs are somewhat poor flat water performing boards as they do splash a ton of water forward under the nose.  I did race a lad about 1/2 my age - he was on a 14V2 and I was on my Dom.  He was the same speed - but over 5 miles he would have been much slower.  No surf nosed board is optimal for flat water distance.

The AS design tries to bridge the speed vs stability gap with the 25 wide model.  The cutting boof splashes water more sideways which is better for flat water efficiency.  So the 25 goes ok DW and goes ok on flat as well.  Makes that board width quite versatile and very popular for many riders.  The 28 is much more DW specific and the 23 much more flat water specific.  At about a 2:1 ratio ->  sponsored SB riders prefer the 23 vs the 25.  Would expect the 27 to be good for more stability at the expense of speed vs the 25.  So really just depends on the individual what will work best for him or her - in the conditions they most often paddle.

Generally -> AS23 flat to small DW - 25 flat to med DW - 27 more stable med DW - 28 DW specific.  This vid shows clearly the Bullet low rocker line on a wave.  And the next vid Norm is on a flat rocker race board and Jeremy is on a Bullet.  Shows that you can take pretty much any board on a DW run and stay dry if you have the skills.  You can see Norm hopping forward to get his board down a wave - then immediately after a steep wave stalls the board way up.

[eDUBz]

heres the inside of a carbon Sand which all star

[Rideordie]

Ouch!!!!

[Chilly]

heres the inside of a carbon Sand which all star

That looks like a pretty solid construction. Is repairing a sandwich construction the same as a regular construction? Was the damage caused by an impact or defect? 

[eDUBz]

heres the inside of a carbon Sand which all star

That looks like a pretty solid construction. Is repairing a sandwich construction the same as a regular construction? Was the damage caused by an impact or defect?

this one was dropped on a rock - guy was crossing over a jetty and lost his footing and dropped the board. The repair work on this will be the same layup carbon/divinycell/carbon/gel coat - the pic shows it prepped for repair, cleaned all the loose fibers etc.  what ill do is layup carbon then add divinycell and vacuum bag that on blend the divinycell out so theres no voids and a nice smooth transition then come back with another layer of carbon and vacuum that on and same thing blend it all out nice and smooth with no high or low spots - then color match and blend.

[Chilly]

heres the inside of a carbon Sand which all star

That looks like a pretty solid construction. Is repairing a sandwich construction the same as a regular construction? Was the damage caused by an impact or defect?

this one was dropped on a rock - guy was crossing over a jetty and lost his footing and dropped the board. The repair work on this will be the same layup carbon/divinycell/carbon/gel coat - the pic shows it prepped for repair, cleaned all the loose fibers etc.  what ill do is layup carbon then add divinycell and vacuum bag that on blend the divinycell out so theres no voids and a nice smooth transition then come back with another layer of carbon and vacuum that on and same thing blend it all out nice and smooth with no high or low spots - then color match and blend.

Sounds like a solid repair.  By seeing pictures of your work it will be as good as new. Thanks for posting.

[JEG]

double Ouch!
can't wait to see the great repair job pic eDUBz?

[eDUBz]

double Ouch!
can't wait to see the great repair job pic eDUBz?

Thanks!

[Eagle]

The outer carbon skin is very thin just like in the pic above.  The layup is quite fragile.  My SIC SCC seems to be more solid -> and my Touring carbon skin even more beefy than the SIC.  24 lbs is light though vs 26.5 and 27.5 respectively.

From a handling perspective for the average joe -> the 23 is not perfect.  It is hard to balance on in continuous side chop and side swell.  That is its Achilles heel.  A wider board like the 25 no probs though.  Handles crap like that easy peasy.

Was out today with my wife and took everything to stay upright in under 5 kts side slop.  Went out 2 mi and had to drop to my knees to rest.  Was a full 100% sweat workout up and DW in fleece balancing against the side slop.  Oddly fun though -> and great for balance and technique and confidence.  Balancing in crap like that will def pay dividends down the road.

That 23 actually prefers wind like 10-12 kts straight upwind and DW vs constant light side slop.  Solid breeze allows much more dynamic control vs getting hit with slow slop from all angles.  Crap conditions like that are deadly on a somewhat narrow board.  Thankfully though DW with some wind push -> the 23 hauls provided you keep it powered up ahead of the swells.  It requires very little power to get that board up to speed.

Wider boards like a 25 or Dom are much better in multi-angle slop in very light wind.  So very easy to balance on comparatively.  Def get a 23 if you want to improve your balance fast.  But the 25 is a good option for more stability.  Another very good option is a custom 25 Eradicator.  That board is solid stable and easy to go fast.  Can see why Norm used that board to race on.  Would be a very fast distance board Luc. 

[baddog]

I have been considering moving to a quiver of two...

...might still stay with a quiver of three

What happened to the Bark Downwinder?

[Luc Benac]

I have been considering moving to a quiver of two...

...might still stay with a quiver of three

What happened to the Bark Downwinder?

Sold it to buy a Blackfish 14x26. I could have keep it, it is still a really great board.
And it is unlikely that I will go to the quiver of two or one......three is a good number.

[baddog]

I'm trying to go to one