SIC F14 Wide Glide

[HanaSurf]

I have chance to buy F14 and need opinions if it is right board for my conditions. I live at coast but have never paddled in ocean or done a downwinder. I always paddle the ICW. I live at the SOBX(Southern Outer Banks) in NC. The ICW gets white capped with the usual 10-20mph SW winds. I'm looking a 14 footer to tour ICW and maybe try some long downbreezers. I demoed the F14 but it was in an inland river on calm water. It is super stable and I liked the way it paddled. The dealer has 1 of my present boards sold and will sell my other board if I buy the F14. I guess my question is will the F14 perform well in the ICW for a tourer and downbreezer or does it need more swell(ocean) to perform and come into it's own. THANKS

[HanaSurf]

I'm 5'7" and 185-190 lbs. I'm only interested in a 14' board.

[Area 10]

Sounds like a good choice to me, especially if you've already tried it and liked it, and aren't intending to enter any flat water races. I'm sure that someone will be along soon to tell you that you could get a narrower board at your size, but there is a lot to be said for stability when touring, not racing. Another possibility to consider might be the Bark Downwinder 14x28. Not as stable as the F14, but probably a bit quicker when touring etc, and a shade lighter.

[CascadeSup]

I would say, yes, it will do well in those conditions.  It won’t be the fastest board out there, and it will handle bigger/windier conditions. 
It is a big board for someone my size (6’2” 165lbs), but a really unpleasant experience paddling a narrower 14 in choppy, confused open ocean convinced me that I was willing to give up some speed for a board that I wouldn’t have to fight to stay on.  I was looking for a board to do downwinders, and paddle in cold water. I demoed the F14, 2014 Naish Glide (29”) and the Imagine Connector (29”), and liked the F14 the best.

I have had my F14 for a year now, and I really like it. I paddle mostly in lakes, in winds from 0 to 25 knots, have done a lot of downwinders,  upwind, crosswind, as well as fitness/cruising paddling.  Sure, it would be nice if it was faster, but I’m not willing to give up the stability.  Then again, I generally don’t keep up with other paddlers no matter what board I’m paddling.    I have a couple of other boards, including a flat water race board, but if I could have only one, I would take the F14.

[Eagle]

On board with the other comments posted.

If you found the board super stable and liked the way it paddled -> that is very positive.  No doubt that the F14 can perform well as a tourer and downbreezer in winds 10-20 kts.

The only thought then is it the right SIC for you?

If you have the chance -> test the Bullet 14V1 and 14V2.  We know a number of paddlers from 120 lbs to 200 lbs who ride those boards all the time and really love them.  One friend though has a 30" wide F14 and really likes his -> but in bigger waves he prefers his F16.

Some paddlers find 30" too wide and a touch slow to accelerate - but it really is about you and the fun you have - not what others like.  So if you are happy with the F14 then get it and have fun putting it through its paces DW.

For us we like wide boards so even with our old mediocre balance skills we stay dry.  We leave the real narrow boards to serious performance racers and others that want a challenge riding slop and chop.  Our preference is having max fun paddling in any condition not worrying much about falling off.

That type of fun to us is the essence of SUP.   

[Off-Shore]

I'm with Eagle on his comments. I'm 5'11" / 180lbs and if I'd tried the F14 on my first ever downwinder/downbreezer, I'd have bought it. However I bought an F16, and struggled for the first few months to stay on it, but when I got it dialed in, I never looked back. I also bought a Bullet 14v1 TWC last year, and as an all round board IMO it's hard to match, and similar but narrower than the F14. If you get a chance, try to paddle the B14v1 or v2 before you buy the F14. I have a friend (6' and 190lbs) who loves his F14, and has paddled both my Bullet 14v1 and F16 and finds both too tippy so it is really down to personal preference.  When I get on his F14, I find it too "sticky" and sluggish compared to my Bullet 14v1.

The Bullet 14 is one of the most versatile boards there is around, and if I could only have one board, that would be the one. Last Sunday I took it on a 13.5mile / 21.6km tour mostly on flattish water with some downbreezing and this morning I took it surfing..

[HanaSurf]

THANKS,these comments are really helping my decision. Stability is very important as I'm almost 65 and had 2 TIA's. I'm looking to tour,exercise and start learning downbreezers on the moderate windy days with around 2ft whitecaps in the Intercoastal waterway. At 30" it will be the skinniest board I have (all mine are 32" plus). I was very surprised at the stability especially with the small fin. I have large Allison fins on my other boards. One trait I liked was I slowed the board down and paddled an average medium pace like when I tour and the board semmed to maintain the same speed,paddled easily,and kept a very nice glide. I felt at ease on the board immediately and I was wearing my street clothes!! I went to buy a Kialoa Insanity paddle not a board   I think I'm gonna buy this board when I take my used boards back for him to sell. I'm stoked on the idea of catching some small bumps in ICW.  If I catch the wind and tide right I can do a long trip from Morehead City to Beaufort and see the wild horses on Carrot Island to boot. 

[HanaSurf]

Took my old board to shop today and the buyer was waiting for it!! I took the money for the sale and put it down on the F14. I should be able to get new SIC Thursday or Friday. Hope I like it as much as you guys here do. THANKS for the comments.They really helped me make a quick decision. It seems SIC is sold out of the F14's and this was the last one my dealer had.

[jcmaros]

Good choice. I have the F14 and F16. I am 6'2" 250+ and it is a very stable board. A bit slow but if that doesn't matter you will love it. I have also done DW'rs on it and it is great.


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[HanaSurf]

When I demoed it,it was very stable to me. It was a fairly calm day in an inland river and I'll be bringing board to coast where it will always be a bit rougher in ICW on the best of days. Speed won't matter much as I am getting it for touring and to begin learning downwinders in the ICW on days when it's too windy to tour. I think it will be a great beginner board for downwinders. All my boards are 32" or more that the F14 is replacing so 30" FEELS fast to me. I'm keeping one 32" just in case(Hobie ATR11 12'2).
 My Pau Hana Big EZ sold first day and I'm taking my Naish 2013 12'0 Glide in today and picking up the F14.Hope to give it a paddle this week end.

[Off-Shore]

Hanasurf. You're going to love that F14 in a good downwinder. Anything above 20mph / 32 kph, and you'll have a lot of fun. Start out small (lower winds, shorter routes) and build up. It'll make you feel half your age (or lower!) 

[HanaSurf]

Thanks Off-Shore. If it makes me feel half my age it'll be worth every dime I paid. As I said in 1st post,I've never paddled in Ocean so I'll start with small stuff in ICW and learn to catch bumps then go for more wind and larger stuff.  Question,on the top of board the flat finish looks like some one took hand full of sand and scratched entire surface in long,uneven swipes. I know they used sand paper but the sanding marks are so bad they show up in pics even with a cheap point and shoot camera. I brought board home still packaged in the shipping carton because I had to transport it so far. I understand it's a flat finish but should the board have all these scratches from front of pad to the nose on a high dollar board like this?? THANKS

[CascadeSup]

Can you post a picture?  That does not sound like it should be that way.  The paint/top coat is not glossy, but I don't think it should show scratch marks.  Here is what mine looks like, if it is of any help...

[HanaSurf]

I've tried to post pics in the past but wasn't successful but I'll get my wife to try for me tomorrow. Shop I got it from was closed so I'll talk to them tomorrow. I've bought board and Yakima rack and roll trailer from them before and they have always been great to do business with.
 Your board looks fine. I know the F14 finish on top is a flat matte finish but these are long sweeping scratches in the blue and white.I'm picky about the way my stuff looks but I can't imagine this is the way a new SIC should look.

[Off-Shore]

HS. If your pics aren't posting it is probably because they are too big as the site has a size limit (1,000KB / 1MB per pic). Try making the pic smaller and post again. IMO your F14 should not have scratches in it like you have described. It is a matt finish.

Here's a short slo-mo vid of me on a friend's F14. In these downbreezing conditions there was quite a lot of paddling required compared to my F16 in the same conditions.