Author Topic: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv  (Read 8755 times)

AndiHL

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SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« on: May 05, 2020, 12:55:05 AM »
Hi folks,

I'm looking pout for my first downwind board.
The boards that I like best at the moment are the SIC Bullet and the GONG Perv (both boards in 12'6 * 30).
Why 12'6 and not 14? I don't what the boards to be too sluggish because the should also fit a kind of surfing in mushy, windy conditions up to shoulder high.
From the descriptions by the manufacturers thy should do   quite the same things.
The most obvious difference between thes two boards are their volumes.
The SIC comes with 280l, the GONG with only 200l.
What differences should I expect? The Bullet more for touring/downwinding, the Perv more for Surfing/downwinding?

What are your thoughts (maybe someone out there knows both boards?)? With pleasure I'd like to hear also your considerations concerning the board length.

Cheers
Andreas

Area 10

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2020, 02:59:55 AM »
One of the most obvious difference between the boards is the price.

I have both 12-6 and 14ft Pervs, and have owned various Bullets ever since they first came out. I downwind and surf.

The 12-6 Perv is a very nice easy, tough and cheap all-round ocean tourer-surf board. You can downwind on it, just about, but it’s not really what it’s for. All the Pervs are heavy. The 14 I have is something like 37lbs, which pretty much rules it out for downwinding - it’s just too heavy to get going unless perhaps you are in crazy hellish conditions. But the rocker lines are meant for surfing, and so don’t work overly well for downwinding either - although it’s possible to downwind pretty much anything if you have the right conditions. What the 12-6 does do surprisingly well is surf. It’s a really nice surf board for its size. And it makes a very comfortable cruiser too, with a decent touring speed due a surf board. So, it’s very much a surf-tourer, and is excellent value.

The Bullets start from the other end of the spectrum. They are light, expensive, and are built with downwinding in mind. They are probably aimed at a more experienced rider too, so are quite a bit less stable. The Bullets surf well considering that their rails are not surf-shaped (the Pervs are), mainly due to the low volume tails and they make use of reasonably hard rails too. The Bullet will paddle flat water a bit faster than the Perv, although you won’t be winning flat water races on either.

So if you want a board specifically for downwind, with a bit of surf added in, and you are a competent SUPer who can afford it, get the Bullet. But if you actually want a durable, cheap, all-round surf-tourer and aren’t going to be doing much downwinding, and/or you have relatively limited balance abilities then choose the Perv. I would lend my Perv to other people for summertime fun - although they’d have to be quite strong to carry it (most women will struggle to carry it). The Bullet is light and easy to carry. I wouldn’t lend it to anyone because it is too expensive, but the 12-6 makes a really nice all-round ocean board for a woman, and surfs surprisingly well, as long as you are capable of handling downwind-style boards.

So, these are VERY different boards, aimed mostly at very different people.

Of course, what you actually should be buying is a 14ft Hypr Hawaii gun. That would do everything you want, with bells on. It will surf better than either the 12-6 Perv or Bullet, and downwind better than either of them too. And it is gorgeous to look at, durable, and a total pleasure to own. It is lower volume than even the 12-6 Perv (by a long way). It’s a whole new category of board that doesn’t really exist anywhere else. It’s pretty much all I use these days. If I raced seriously I’d use my 2020 SIC RS 14x24.5 and if the surf is much over head-high I use one of the shorter Hypr Hawaii guns (11-6 or 10-6 for me). But for general paddling, surfing really small waves or mushy stuff up to head high, or long fat waves a long way offshore, and for casual everyday Downwinding (I have custom 16ft downwind boards I can use for really serious stuff) I use my 14 Hypr gun. It’s low volume heaven. I even enjoy paddling flat water on it - it’s got that surfboard feel rather than the floaty-boat rock and roll of race and high-sided downwind boards, which is frankly a bit annoying unless you enjoy balancing on logs for a hobby.
« Last Edit: May 05, 2020, 03:12:24 AM by Area 10 »

AndiHL

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2020, 03:24:09 AM »
@Area 10: Thank you very much for your comparison! That actually hits my thoughts about the boards.

37lbs for a 14' Perv sounds really heavy. On their website, GONG says the 12'6 Perv has only 25-26 lbs.
Would that weight difference raise the downwind capabilities?

The Hypr Hawaii gun sounds great but but this would gonna blow my budget. :(

Another board that also could fit (board design and budget) ist the Starboard Generation. Any thoughts on it?

burchas

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2020, 04:47:58 AM »
I'm looking pout for my first downwind board.

What's your budget range?
Your Height, weight (and age if you think relevant)?
Your downwind experience?

It might help to narrow down your choices.
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tarquin

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2020, 04:53:13 AM »
Where are you as well.

AndiHL

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #5 on: May 05, 2020, 05:09:15 AM »

What's your budget range?
Your Height, weight (and age if you think relevant)?
Your downwind experience?


Budget: max 1.800 €
Height: 1,87, weight ~88kg
actual board: 9'6 32'' wide, 150l wave SUP that I built my own.
Experience:
downwind -> nope
SUP -> ~1 year in nearly all conditions the baltic sea has to offer, from absolutely flat water up to chest high mushy windwaves
Goals: Downwinding and surfing in these conditions, not so much on touring


tarquin

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2020, 06:43:04 AM »
https://www.side-shore.com/produits/23609/bullet-126-twc-sic
 These guys have some great deals at the moment. Not sure about shipping at the moment but even with transport they have a few boards in your budget. Keep an eye out in there second hand stuff as well.
 

tarquin

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2020, 06:56:25 AM »
They have a bullet 999 and a RS 1299 both 12'6 in the second hand section. I nearly bought a second hand board from them last year. They were super helpful. Sent extra pics and answered any questions. Transport was going to be 100 euros from them in the North of France to me in the South. They are used to packing up boards and transporting them. Some companies won't do it.
 As far as recommending boards I don't have enough experience. I will leave that to others.

burchas

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2020, 08:19:19 AM »

What's your budget range?
Your Height, weight (and age if you think relevant)?
Your downwind experience?


Budget: max 1.800 €
Height: 1,87, weight ~88kg
actual board: 9'6 32'' wide, 150l wave SUP that I built my own.
Experience:
downwind -> nope
SUP -> ~1 year in nearly all conditions the baltic sea has to offer, from absolutely flat water up to chest high mushy windwaves
Goals: Downwinding and surfing in these conditions, not so much on touring

With this in mind I would suggest you go for a shape that is easier to downwind than surf. The two somewhat conflicts when you're not an experienced downwinder.
More volume (to a point) helps you picking up and maintaining bumps more easily, especially in slow conditions, so is weight. Suitable length should also be determined with your first priority.
If your bumps are short period and/or confused the 12.6 might be better but if have nice, fat and well spread rollers, a 14' will give you a better experience.
Weight is usually determined by your budget ;D I would shoot for the 25-26LB if I could stretch my budget, they just easier to downwind at the beginning than a 33LB board.

That said, if your wind speed is consistently above 20knots I would consider a lower volume board since consistently high wind speeds do make up for poor technic and you do want more control
over your board.

So without having the full picture I would go with this board:
https://sicmaui.com/boards/bullet-sf-12-285.html

The new SIC Bullet 2020 shapes were completely revised and based on the specs I've seen would be superior to the old shape in every aspect for what you're looking to do.
If you only had a choice between an old bullet 12.6 and a starboard Generation, I would probably go with the Starboard.

Again, If your wind is consistently high. I think we need to have a different discussion

« Last Edit: May 05, 2020, 08:23:18 AM by burchas »
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Dusk Patrol

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2020, 02:24:14 PM »

Ditto on the 2020 Bullet recommendation. Also for previous gen V2s.

There is also a slightly heavier construction version of the same board Burchas recommends, but significantly cheaper.

https://sicmaui.com/boards/bullet-sf-12-6.html

Or the same board at 30" wide, at the same lower price point. If you want to be comfortable in those Baltic waves.

https://sicmaui.com/boards/bullet-df-12-6-30.html

I have seen, but not paddled a Starboard Generation. It looked great as a true all around open water board. The Calif Starboard rep said it was sort of modeled after the first gen Freeride, which I have owned and enjoyed. Still do for that matter.   

As for length, you say you're leaning toward a 12'6 because you don't want the board to be sluggish. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your local conditions, but in general 14s feel and are faster, and you quickly get acclimated to having a 14 foot board. So keep it in mind if a good one becomes available : )   

Where are you located?


RS 14x26; JL Destroyers 9'8 & 8'10; BluePlanet 9'4; JL Super Frank 8'6

AndiHL

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Re: SIC Bullet vs GONG Perv
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2020, 10:09:44 PM »
Where are you located?

I live in a small town at the coats of the "Bay of Lübeck" in Germany.

Up to now, the wind is under 20 kts if I go paddling: First, a hard paddle upwind, than a short but delighting downwinder.
Or, like yesterday, trying to get the 1 ft waves near the beach building up by 15 kts wind.
Coming from surfing, currently i think more like surfer than like a paddler ;-)
Although the conditions (chaotic, short periodic and mushy.) are mostly not surfable.

@all: thanks for your input and replies!
« Last Edit: May 05, 2020, 10:12:26 PM by AndiHL »

 


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