width vs weight vs volume vs shape of the race board

[GlideMarko]

hi, lets say i wanna start racing some races, mainly on lakes (sometimes pretty windy/choppy). and wanna do 12'6'' class.
what would be more important width or weight or volume of the board? i'm 5'8''(174cm) and 175lbs (78kg).
there's race boards from 28-24' in width and 15-10kg in weight ast or carbon.
bassically, how much difference would be paddling ast construction board 28''/13kg vs carbon 24''3/4'/11kg and also shape - more 'beefed up' like new Fanatic Falcon and NSP DC vs classic ax/pointed race nose? i wonder due to a price difference, which is quite substensial.
dont wanna go pro or something, just to be fast. :-) little more competitieve.
unfortunatelly i do not have chance to demo as there's no demo boards avaliable in stores, especially not race boards and therefore i cannot compare difference also in stability. currently i have NSP 14'touring board and its super stable for me, but also heavy.
comments and suggestions are highly appreciated.
Marko

[Kaihoe]

Hi Marko

Simply if you want to go fast as narrow handle and as light as you can afford.  It is possible for the board to be too light (hollow 6kg board can get chucked around)

The effect of speed are 1) length, 2) wetted surface area.  The narrower and lighter the board (and rider) the smaller your wetted surface area for a given length.   

Weight comes down to a power to weight issue, if your strong and light you'll go faster.

At your weight a 12'6" will work well for you, a 14" would still be faster.  Also you really don't need to worry about the asp vs carbon difference so much (you've got 16kg on me a couple of kg on a board is really a price point decision)

For your comparison
  ast construction board 28''/13kg vs carbon 24''3/4'/11kg
  the narrow carbon will be faster

If you swapped it round with the same construction
   ast construction board 24''/13kg vs carbon 28''3/4'/11kg
   the narrow ASP will be faster

Not being able to demo is a big issue.  Narrow boards and different styles of boards all take time to get used to and get the most out of (the rounded deep well board like the ACE roll lots but if you need to learn to ignore the roll).  If theres a group of racers near you see if you can paddle the boards that are around and get a feel for what you can handle and the shapes you like.

Also, if your a competitive guy expect you will buy more than one board in your first 1-2 seasons as your skill levels change (I currently have three race boards... need to sell some)
Probably a good argument to save money on the first board and buys an ast.   It will save you some money stand up to the paddle damage and turn contact you get with racing.
 

[Pierre]

Marko ,beefed up or rounded noses like fanatic new falcon or scow work better in downwind conditions, in flat water and little choppy condition a pointed stem may work better... with a quite narrow tail for reduced drag and a quite flat rocker. suck as previous falcon, JL stiletto, JP etc... for the rest i see Kaihoe said most important. but no need to get too narrow: comfort is an essential point to focus on performance paddling at first... generally for your weight around 26-27" inches wide is a good compromise.  remind as well recessed decks lower your feet above water and improve stability. many shapes are good but may be better if feet can be one or two inches lower.

[bretrwarner]

Marko,
I have only paddled boards at 24" in relatively calm conditions, but even at 6'2" I absolutely loved them. I currently have a 14 that is 28" wide, and while it has been nice for some of the rougher races out in the ocean I will definitely go narrower by a substantial margin next time. Good luck finding a board and have fun in the races.