Please explain these boards to a newbie

[easy]

I usually paddle an Allstar 14 x 24.5 or a SIC RS 14 x 24.5 on flat water or mild choppy water because I enjoy paddling a narrower board and they go up wind better.  But if I'm down winding or paddling in rough water I want to be on a 27 or 28" wide board.  Not a lot of down winding in Florida so most of my paddling in Florida and the Bahamas is on the narrower boards.  I'm 68 yrs/ old,  5'11", 170lbs with bad feet and crappy balance.
If I could only have one board it would be some thing 14 x 25" -26" wide, all water board.

[Luc Benac]

If I could only have one board it would be some thing 14 x 25" -26" wide, all water board.

If I could only have one board it would be a (sixteen) 16' Vapor or Maliko.....

[SoFloSupChick]

Well, I may or may not have just scored a pretty good deal on a 2019 Maliko 14' x 26" (eek!)

Will report back in a couple of weeks if I've been misled by this bunch

[Luc Benac]

Well, I may or may not have just scored a pretty good deal on a 2019 Maliko 14' x 26" (eek!)

[easy]

If I could only have one board it would be a (sixteen) 16' Vapor or Maliko.....
[/quote]

   +1  I wish!

[Area 10]

If I could only have one board it would be a (sixteen) 16' Vapor or Maliko.....

   +1  I wish!
[/quote]
Well, after I get mine, I'll post a review and then you can put your order in

Mine will be built a lot better (lighter, more durable, stiffer) than either the Maliko or Vapor though.

And it will have a better handle and a few other tweaks to make ownership/use easy.

And no paint to chip. Resin tint instead.

Not sure how wide to have it. It will just be smallish downwind and flat(ish) water, so maybe 24.5" like the narrower of my two 16ft DW boards. It will have a fairly wide tail (like the Vapor) and less rocker than my DW board, meaning more board in the water, so I'm thinking it should be stable enough for a wobbly old man like me, as long as I don't use it in bumps over about thigh-high. I might even be able to go a bit narrower, perhaps. I could upwind/downwind the 12-6x24 version in rippy chop without falling, but I certainly didn't feel comfortable for more than a few minutes. Any thoughts?

[easy]

If I could only have one board it would be a (sixteen) 16' Vapor or Maliko.....

   +1  I wish!

Well, after I get mine, I'll post a review and then you can put your order in

Mine will be built a lot better (lighter, more durable, stiffer) than either the Maliko or Vapor though.

And it will have a better handle and a few other tweaks to make ownership/use easy.

And no paint to chip. Resin tint instead.

Not sure how wide to have it. It will just be smallish downwind and flat(ish) water, so maybe 24.5" like the narrower of my two 16ft DW boards. It will have a fairly wide tail (like the Vapor) and less rocker than my DW board, meaning more board in the water, so I'm thinking it should be stable enough for a wobbly old man like me, as long as I don't use it in bumps over about thigh-high. I might even be able to go a bit narrower, perhaps. I could upwind/downwind the 12-6x24 version in rippy chop without falling, but I certainly didn't feel comfortable for more than a few minutes. Any thoughts?
[/quote]


I like your thoughts on construction and board size.  I have never paddled a Vapor or a Maliko, but I do like my SIC RS 14x 24.5 so maybe something that combines the best design elements of all three. I really do need to get some time on a Maliko and a Vapor.   I would buy or order a 16 x 24 ish light, well built board like this in a second.  Actually, I'd have to buy two boards because I wouldn't want to share it with my girl friend.

[Luc Benac]

Shipping from the UK might be a small issue even with the pound going down.

[Area 10]

Shipping from the UK might be a small issue even with the pound going down.

The first UL downwind board I ever tried was a custom Richmond board from the US that was shipped to the UK just fine. That must be the best part of 10 years ago now. So I'm sure it would be possible to ship the other way across the Atlantic, although no doubt expensive.

It all depends how much you want it, I guess.

I'm waiting for a board to arrive from France right now. The French brand apparently uses a British-invented new design of cardboard shipping box that is supposed to be super-tough, foldable and reusable. Let's see how that goes. The Richmond board arrived in a wooden crate.

[Luc Benac]

Shipping from the UK might be a small issue even with the pound going down.

It all depends how much you want it, I guess.

Want is rarely an issue, how deep in debt to achieve is the real issue :-)

[easy]

Shipping from the UK might be a small issue even with the pound going down.

  Shipping from the UK could be a BIG $ problem.

[burchas]

Shipping from the UK might be a small issue even with the pound going down.

  Shipping from the UK could be a BIG $ problem.

In your case there is no need for shipping at all. Look right in your back yard at Delray Beach.

[easy]

Shipping from the UK might be a small issue even with the pound going down.

  Shipping from the UK could be a BIG $ problem.

In your case there is no need for shipping at all. Look right in your back yard at Delray Beach.

  OK, I'm listening!

[yugi]

If I could only have one board it would be a (sixteen) 16' Vapor or Maliko.....

   +1  I wish!

I'd like a 16' Rail x25

[Area 10]

If I could only have one board it would be a (sixteen) 16' Vapor or Maliko.....

   +1  I wish!

I'd like a 16' Rail x25

Yes, that would be a lovely board.

Btw if you compared the 14x28 Rail with the 14x28 M14 for surfing, flat water, and medium DW, how would they fare?