Suggestions For A New Touring Board

[Quickbeam]

Hi guys. I'm in the market for a new touring board and wondered if you might have any suggestions? The prerequisites for me are that the board be 12'6" (not 14' - I don't have room to store a 14' board) and that it be at least decent upwind. I'd also like it to be stable, but not a barge to paddle (I would like to be able to keep up with kayaks while on my touring board).

The reason I'm buying a new touring board is that I come from a kayaking background. My wife and friends still go out on kayaks, but I can do longer do so because of my back. So I go out with them on my SUP. Last summer we went on vacation with another couple and they were all in kayaks and I had my Red inflatable. Had a great trip and I kept up with them fine, except for one day the wind came up. It wasn't crazy wind and in my kayak it's the kind of conditions I used to enjoy and have fun in. But on my iSUP it almost scared me as I literally wasn't going anywhere. I was just about at a stand still. I made it back to where we were staying, but it took everything I had. So that's why I am once again looking for a new touring board.

I have decent stability on a board, as I currently own a 12'6" x 25" race board. I'm O.K. on this board, but just don't see using it as a touring board, especially in any kind of conditions.

I previously had a 12'6" x 29" touring board and really liked it. I ended up trading it for my current race board (I thought I could use my Red inflatable as a touring board, but because of how it handles in wind this just isn't an option any longer). And while I will definitely be keeping my race board, I am seriously thinking of purchasing a new model of the 12'6" x 29" touring board I used to have. I thought before I did that however I should find out what else you might recommend.

I should also say I don't really care if my new board is glass or carbon. I don't want the board to be overly heavy, but other than that I don't really have a preference.

And about me, I'm 62 years old (will be 63 next month), am 5' 8" tall and weigh just under 150 pounds.

Any thoughts or ideas would be most appreciated.

[hbsteve]

I'm 67 5' 11" 190 lbs.  My board is the from SUP ATX.  It is their Lahui Kai line, 12' 6" x30" at 25 lbs.  I have some balance issues and find this to be a stable board. And it paddles into the wind and chop nicely.
Because of your height and weight, their carbon race at 27.75 wide might be a better option.
Hopefully you have to option to try several boards.

[Quickbeam]

Thanks for the suggestion hbsteve. Lahui Kai is a board that I have been curious about. Have never paddled one, but for some reason I've always kind of wondered about it. You are a bit larger than me, so maybe the board you have would be too big for me??? Looks like the only other option is the other one you mentioned (the 27.75" wide), but it is set up more as a racing board than a touring board.

I was at a paddle store last year sometime and met a fellow who sold Lahui Kai. I got his card at the time, so I think I'll give him a call and see what he says. Thanks again for the suggestion.

[Area 10]

Can't go too wrong with the Surftech Barks. They have been around so long that they kinda don't get mentioned often on the forums. But there's a reason why Bark's designs are still selling. They are pretty good upwind, and you can keep going in headwinds that will have an inflatable going backwards.

Another option that looks good for someone who wants a fast tourer might be the SIC X12.6. Gorgeous looking board and the X designs are good in a wide variety of conditions.

[Quickbeam]

Thanks Area 10. Is there any particular Surftech Bark you were thinking of?

I will also definitely take a look at the SIC board you mentioned. Thanks again.

[Area 10]

Glad to try to be of help. Since you said you liked your previous 12-6x29" I was thinking of the Bark Competitor, which is a great user-friendly race/tourer that just about anyone could use. But of you wanted to go more sporty without entering into rhe realms of the elite raceboard, the Contender at 27" might suit you as a tourer if you already race a 12-5x25.

The SCC construction SICs will be more spendy, and probably less durable, which is a consideration of course in a tourer. But they are fast and capable, and you could even race it if conditions got dicey for your 12-6x25 maybe.

[Quickbeam]

Thanks Area 10. I always appreciate your insight.

[baddog]

If you're only OK on your mystery 12'6" x 25", you should consider selling it off and just get one board that does it all.  I'm suggesting staying with a 'race board' and not crossing over to a touring specific board.  At your weight, most anything over 27" wide is going to have too much volume and too much volume upwind means you're just going to get blown down wind faster.  Thinking back only a few years, the recent generations of race boards at 25"-26" are very versatile, seem amazingly stable and are only getting better (stability wise especially).  I'm 10lbs heavier and have been eyeing the 12'6" x 26" Bark Vapor,  the 12'6" x 27" Downwinder, the 12'6" x 25 5/8" SIC FX and 12'6" x 27" NSP Surf Race for a do it all 12'6".  Really waiting on Brian S. to see what's coming next at LK.  There are a number of other new boards coming and lots of good used race boards as well.

[mrbig]

I am 68 5'8" and weigh 150. I have a 12'6" JP 2015 Race which is 28" wide and perfect as an all around touring board.

Works well in moderate chop and on the ocean as well as flatwater. Way to wide for serious racing which is fine by me..    

[Quickbeam]

Thanks Mr. Big for the suggestion. I looked those boards up online and they look really nice. I just don't think I have any dealers anywhere close to me. Thanks again for letting me know about it though.

[Quickbeam]

If you're only OK on your mystery 12'6" x 25", you should consider selling it off and just get one board that does it all.  I'm suggesting staying with a 'race board' and not crossing over to a touring specific board.  At your weight, most anything over 27" wide is going to have too much volume and too much volume upwind means you're just going to get blown down wind faster.  Thinking back only a few years, the recent generations of race boards at 25"-26" are very versatile, seem amazingly stable and are only getting better (stability wise especially).  I'm 10lbs heavier and have been eyeing the 12'6" x 26" Bark Vapor,  the 12'6" x 27" Downwinder, the 12'6" x 25 5/8" SIC FX and 12'6" x 27" NSP Surf Race for a do it all 12'6".  Really waiting on Brian S. to see what's coming next at LK.  There are a number of other new boards coming and lots of good used race boards as well.

Sorry, didn't mean to be mysterious about my race board. I just didn't think any of you would have heard of it. I have a 12'6" x 25" Barracuda race board by Pure Life Paddle Boards. The company is local so I didn't think any of you would know of it.

And as I said, I had a previous touring board, which was the same style as my race board. My previous touring board was a Barracuda 12'6" x 29". I am still serious about getting another one, but just want to see what other options are out there for me.

And I really don't want to get rid of the race board. I like the board and I guess I shouldn't have said I was just "O.K." on it. I'm pretty good on it, but I only got it towards the end of the season last year, and just haven't had a lot of time on it. I do understand your point about the extra volume though.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[spirit4earth]

Is the Bark Competitor AST a good board?

[Area 10]

Is the Bark Competitor AST a good board?

I've never tried the AST version, but I used to own this board in what they called Tufflite, which was very similar. It is a superb and economical race/tourer/all-round distance board if you value stability and want something user-friendly. It's just about the most tried and trusted 12-6 design on the market: I doubt any 12-6 design has been on the market for longer, and a huge number of people have done their first races on one. I loved mine and should never have sold it. It even surfs well for a 12-6 displacement hull board. It would make a good BOP board for a non-expert. I remember leaving a friend of very similar ability far behind on one going upwind into 25knots, and he was on a 16ft custom carbon board. Joe Bark's design has been emulated in many forms since, but since he got it basically spot-on first time there's not really a way to improve it, if you want a board of that type.

The only downside is that it isn't as light as many boards on the market now. But that is reflected in the price and the excellent handles make it easy to move around.

[kayadogg]

Quickbeam, have you considered a custom touring board? This would allow you to choose the width you want without having too much volume. Also could get tie-downs glassed in and any other specifics that would be useful when touring. There are some very reputable brands out there offering customs that are priced comparably with other production boards.

[robon]

A few of us know about Pure Life boards around here:) I talked to Ken on the phone last time I was in Victoria about the sale he had on Ocean Rodeo Drysuits. He also came out this way and brought some of his boards for the west Kootenay river race, and lent out his inflatables for white water shuttles too. Nice guy and a strong paddler.

Amundson have refined the the nose shape this year on their TR series, and the 12'6" comes in 27" or 29" and two different constructions. The 12'6" TR series are relatively low volume boards and have tie down inserts up front. I liked their 14 TRX from last year and the updated 12'6" TR looks like a nice touring shape that will do well in a variety of conditions. Deep Cove Outdoors carries them and a couple other retailers on/near the coast as well.

I was perusing the Kalavida site earlier today and noticed they have a Javelin 12'6" x 28" LE on closeout that comes with a board bag. The Javelin is obviously not marketed as a touring board but it is supposed to be very stable and good in mixed conditions. LE might be a bit fragile. Not sure about their construction outside of the GS.