Author Topic: SIC 14' V3 Bullet  (Read 15471 times)

headmount

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SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« on: November 25, 2013, 12:08:11 AM »
I'll post for a while about this board and add some more pics but here's the first day impressions.  

First I picked the board up and the boys at SIC said weigh in was 22, at home mine was 23 on my digital scale which could be a tad  inaccurate.  In any case it's light.  Real light.  Width is just under 27 and in the water that felt just a tad more tippy to me than my 17'.  That affect was accentuated by the fact that I hadn't cleaned the deck pad of all the shop residue it had picked up hanging around in production.  The sensation was like standing on soap and I was hesitant to move my feet at first to experiment with different areas.  So I'd rinse the pad if you get a new board.

Did a DW run in Kihei with our extended gang and out of the gate it felt fast on the ball bearing ripples.  When the glides grew to a catchable size, entry was easier than my 17'.  Balance during gliding was better than the 17' and steering sensitivity was fantastic.  

Unfortunately I was so focused on the getting the board wired, I neglected to spot my path along the coast and by the time I did, I realized that the wind direction had drifted me offshore a considerable distance.  Cutting back against a contrary grain proved challenging but the board still dropped easily and then turned left quickly once I was on glide.  However slippage was significant and progress towards shore was limited.

Even my pals, far inside of me were having a tough time, except for Covesurfer who has shown remarkable ability to take the correct path for adverse wind directions.  His move to get close early in the run when the surface is flatter makes the end of the run much easier.

Extremely tough going for me at the finish with my line during the last mile being 45-90 degrees to wind.  Glides that previously were possible, I couldn't catch with the necessary line to gain our finish.  PBill was paddling well and with his 17' board and farther inside line, he was able to finish before me for the first time.    He also finished before Victor who also struggled on a 14'.    

I think he's taking steroids because he finished before me again today and I was on my 17'.  My 17' felt heavy after riding the 14' yesterday.  Gliding was light.  Also a first for me was ripping a finger open with a blister for my first time ever.  Don't recommend it.

I let a strong paddling gal take my 14' and she ordered one afterwards.  More to come...


Takeo

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2013, 01:09:21 AM »
Thanks for the review Bill.  I've been waiting to hear about the 14 V3. Still not so clear on the changes from 1 to 3.  I know 2 was suppose to have a flatter rocker for better in the flats, but curious to hear the changes to V3.  22-23 pounds is crazy light, was this a standard layup or one of their light/ultralight layups?  Hope you get a camera soon so we can see the board in action!

Chilly

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2013, 06:36:44 AM »
Congratulations Headmount. I’ve been staring at the picture for the pass 20 minutes drooling. I’m interested to hear more about it.
NSP 2016 12'6 Surf Race Pro

headmount

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2013, 07:50:40 AM »
It's hollow construction and lay up options of heavy or light,  was something they never spoke about with me.  So I figure it's standard, whatever that is.  Seems strong.

Rocker looks steady but not very much, which is to say it's fairly flat rocker.  Haven't taken a straight edge to bottom yet but it appears flat with slight vee beginning just before the rudder.

One thing I didn't mention before was how incredibly stable it was when the nose pierced underwater.  When my 17 goes under, i can feel it in my quads and gut and sometimes the board will want to yank left or right.  Didn't feel that with this 14'.  With boards this flat, an occasional underwater piercing is going to be a fact of life. 

Can't wait to get it out in good conditions.  We're clutching at straws around here recently.  As soon as any wind rustles a palm tree, it's like ... 'squirrel!'  It is winter.

covesurfer

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2013, 10:01:40 AM »
This board is so light and so beautiful, I really have to force myself not to look at it too much as it would be really easy to get obsessed with it and have to order one. Seriously, I am trying to keep this beauty out of my thoughts.

My friend Art got one last summer, even narrower than HM's, I think Art's is 24", light, sleek and also so seductive. I got to paddle that board on a downwinder in the Gorge and the narrow width was much more stable than I had expected. The board accelerated from paddle strokes much more easily than anything I've paddled.  I pretty much forced myself to forget about that one too - like a supermodel that you meet one time.

It's already breezy at 7:30 am with a lot of north. Maybe this afternoon will be good.

excav8ter sup

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2013, 03:37:40 PM »
Headmount, is your board similar in shape the the new SIC F14?  Based on the one picture I have seen, it looks quite similar.

Thanks

headmount

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2013, 05:46:14 PM »
You know I'm not familiar with all the various models and what they are.

excav8ter sup

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2013, 08:01:41 PM »
Ok. The store I buy my boards from sent me a picture from the 2014 catalog. The f14 is something new i believe. Looks like a sweet 14er

headmount

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2013, 08:37:03 PM »
Mine is called the Bullet 14 V3.  Their latest model.

JLK

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2013, 09:31:54 PM »
Board looks awesome now I want to get a new one

SUP_DJAfrica

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2013, 10:40:26 PM »
Looks great.
How does the rudder system feel on a 14fter. I like the idea of a rudder system as ensures your board can be used in more conditions but the 16 and 17 fter's just seem such a bigger board. Is the rudder system still pretty usable on this board?

headmount

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #11 on: November 26, 2013, 12:45:21 PM »
Oh yeah.  The steering is very applicable for this length (14) and the rudder sensitivity is so much quicker than the 17, which I found lags at times.  Especially during those moments as I previously described where in order to drop in you need to be pointed in a direction contrary to your desired path.  Once you're in the glide, the instantaneous  Ferrari -like steering allows you to quickly angle back towards the direction you wish before you lose too much ground.   Conditions like we had that day had us groveling for every inch towards shore.  If you were exceptional at surfing a 14 you might be able to duplicate without a rudder but I doubt your turns would be as quick as with the rudder.  Quick really matters in situations like that.

My biggest challenge was angling past glide-catching angles towards the end of the run.  That part was slow going on, what became for me on that first run, a tippy board sideways in choppy seas.

Only one run so far so I have much to learn.   

JonathanC

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2013, 01:46:41 PM »
Board looks great Bill, looking forward to seeing it suspended in the garage....

Southbay

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #13 on: November 27, 2013, 10:35:49 PM »
Can't wait to see the board in action!  Hopefully sometime this weekend...dying for a run.

SUPflorida

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Re: SIC 14' V3 Bullet
« Reply #14 on: November 28, 2013, 11:15:13 AM »
More pictures please,,, Nose, tail, rails, bottom, deck depression...that board is gorgeous!!!

 


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