Long time reader first time poster.
Now that's out of the way I am relatively new to SUP (6 months, never surfed before) with my current board being a Suplove 11'2 Adventurer. I am a pretty fit guy 6'0 tall between 80-85 kegs. I have a goal of doing some racing and I am tossing around whether to go for a 12'6 or 14 race board. I have paddled a C4 Switchblade 12'6 which was way to tippy and I didn't enjoy, a JP 12'6 x 30 which was nice and a Fanatic 12'6 x 30.5 Fly Race Wood which i loved but my very helpful local expert wants me to try the 14 also. He thinks that I will outgrow the 12'6 to quickly and will need the 14 to stay with other paddlers. This is probably true as I am a naturally competitive person. He stated that the Fanatic 14' x 28 was still stable and just as stable as the 12'6 which is what I am after, as I said still a beginner.
I am posted to Canberra at the end of the year so my local will be Burley Griffen but I also want to be able to take the board out on the ocean/bay in Eden.
I have read lots and lots of posts re these boards on here and on other forums but I am ultimately confused as hell.
HELP PLEASE.
to me you should go the 14. flatwater paddling = 14'.
some ocean paddling, well i believe dw ing is hard to learn on a 12'6. that 1 and 1/2 makes a big difference in getting the hang of it.
you have to be a very good paddler to make a 12'6 dw well imo
cheers
^ what he said. Go the 14
At your weight you're probably be pretty happy on the Fanatic 'flat water' 14 for the mostly inland flat water uses you describe. The 14 x 28 ocean (the 320 litre one) is a great open water board, not the quickest on the flat but respectable (this highly dependent on the motor).
I'm thinking the 12'6" size will give you more options.
Make sure you make it down to Merimbula in November.. 
DJ
I'm 6'2 and 95 kgs and I actually prefer a 12'6. I do own both (Starboard BOP and Touring) and tend to use whatever I feel like on the day - usually grab the 12'6.
I didn't find the Fanatic 14' very stable in the ocean but it was great on the flat. If you have the option try it in both.
The 12'6 is also that bit easier to store.
I have a bark 14' x 28". No problems with stability (i'm 100kgs) and I prefer the extra length for tracking.
I'm fairly new to racing also and purchased a Fanatic 12'6. My aim was to get fit, paddle around with my daughter on board and maybe do a race. The Fanatic 12'6" was perfect for this.
Surprisingly the racing side of things has taken over. While the 12'6" Fanatic is a great board to race on, most of the competition seems to be in the 14 foot class. In quite a few of the races I've done I have been the only competitor in the 12'6" division so perhaps the 14 footer would have been a better.
I've now decided to keep the 12'6 for BOP type events and get the Fanatic 14 for racing. While it's a little less stable, as you improve it gets easier.
I'd definitely get the 14 footer for Lake Burley Griffin.
Thanks for all the input guys, greatly appreciated. I am having a big demo day on Wednesday at Erina and Newcastle. The Starboard Demo trailer is in town so going to take advantage. Hoping to have a winner at the end of the day.
Thanks again
Scotty
So I have had a good couple of days of testing. Yesterday was the Starboard 14 Open Ocean (28 wide) and today was the Fanatic Fly Race Carbon 14 (28 wide). I only decided to take the Starboard out as it was available and I thought why not. Took it out on Throsby Creek in Newcastle for about 5kms. Loved it. Over the distance speed averaged out at 7.5 km/hr. not super fast but considering it was pouring down rain I was happy. The board was really comfortable, that felt quick and stable as.
I took the Fanatic out today down at Terrigal Lagoon. The tide was out and in places the lagoon was to shallow involving lots of hoping off and carrying of the board. Due to this I only managed to do 2.4kms. When I could get a reasonable run going, 800m, the average speed was only 6.5kms/hr. I thought this odd but I did feel that it wasn't quite as fast as the Starboard. When I took the board back, Mark at ESS Erina mentioned that the shallowness of the Lagoon would have made the difference and after researching a bit it made sense.
In the end I enjoyed paddling the Open Ocean more than the Fanatic. I am taking out a Coast Runner on Saturday, thanks Pete Cox, again at Throsby so looking forward to that.
The only issue I have now is the price of the boards. I could probably pick up a carbon Fanatic for the same price as the AST Open Ocean, with the Coast Runner being cheaper again (Fanatic wood price).
I have read the reviews on the Open and the Coast but I am open to others impressions if you have them.
Cheers
Any Naish dealers in your area? .. Demo a 12'6" and 14' Glide.. (both in the AST version are a very good price) .. and keep in mind the new Coreban Dart is due any day now.. and also check the WOW boards... and Deep.. and DC's.. .. Oh yeah.. the new JM boards and Barks... There's sooooo many good boards out there now.
DJ
The Coast Runner is definitely going to be faster than the Open Ocean as well as the Fanatic that you tested. If you could get your hands on a Fanatic Flat 14', that would be a better comparison for your purposes and possibly quicker again. But if you are really game, you need to try a Starboard Ace 14', preferably in the narrow 25" width, but the 27" is also good. No doubt it will seem very challenging for you given your relative inexperience, but it is THE race board of the moment.
DJ Thanks for that, unfortunately there isn't much that I have been able to get on around here apart from the boards I have had a go on. There is a Naish dealer in Belmont but they don't have any demo stock or boards in stock for that matter. Apparently SUP is only just taking off and not worth keeping boards in stock they say. No sale for you. Apart from that every other brand you mention is down in Sydney or up in Brisbane. Which is a massive pain when you have an 18 month old. I have seen the new Coreban boards to and would love to have a crack on one but again there are no dealers within 100 odd Kms as far as I am aware.
PTWoody I am going to man up and have a crack at the Ace and Ace Pro. Might have to have my wife shore side with the silver blanket if it goes pear shaped. Can't get my hands on the flat Fanatic so I will have to rule that out at this time.
Today I did get a chance to have a look at the complete data from my gps which was really interesting and confirmed that the Open Ocean was quicker on average pace at 6:19/km against 6:49/km of the carbon fanatic. The OO got a max speed of 9.5km/h against 8.8km/h but the Fanatic had a higher average moving speed and average moving pace.
In the end that is all well and good but I am thinking of just going with the board that I feel most comfortable on unless it is dearer than the other, then I will just get the cheaper one and deal with it 
I've arranged to leave my Starboard 14'x30' Touring at DSS for you to have a crack at if you like.
Scotty, What sort of distances are you getting these times on? Are you sprinting over a short course or doing a distance time trial type run? Just interested as I have been comparing my times on different boards over long courses.
Give Mark a ring at ESS Erina,ph43652355 both 14' Fanatics in his demo Fleet.and if he doesn't have a Naish he might know of one you can demo, there are a few on the coast.
If thats not to far to travel.
wow, thats some testing.
for me when i look at that testing its the coast runner. why, well when you do get out in the ocean waters, by reports from friends, thats where it really excels.
i have ast ace 25" - only recently). yes it a bit tippy in our ocean waters(although in 2 runs i've only fallen of coming in through surf- yes it's a dog in the surf), i was truly amazed at how good it is in light wind small bumps. in some sections even out running bumps.
so much so that i brought a carbon 12'6 race on that basis and doing some homework.
the coast runner is pretty much the big brother of the race.
here's one for ptwoody and jonathan. i wasn't totally happy with the fin supplied.
after many time trails this is what i've come up with.
a. these blunt nose designs work best with the fins right up the front of the fin box.
b. i found a fin called 'salty' from futures that's more stable- first stability wobble is better and speed is just as good and i believe i can drive the board better.i just put in as far up the box as i can
Lacey I agree with regards to the Coast Runner. The issue for me with it is that it was the Carbon version that performed really well and I think in the AST it will come back to the pack hence going with the Tourer. That and I would have to sell a kidney to afford the carbon or get a divorce. The loss of a kidney sounds less painful.
glad you enjoyed the touring board matt. they are so much fun to paddle. great choice
Yeah the jury's out on the current Starboard stock race fin. Jonathan doesn't mind it and it's certainly better than the previous stock fin, that bamboo shocker. I tend to use longer and slightly straighter dolphin style fins in my Coast Runner and Ace, and I got the Jamie Mitchell fin for the Race BOP. I tend to use that stock fin on the Race BOP or Race board if we're doing any sort of BOP training when I know I'll be beaching the fin in the sand on the way in. But to be honest, my knowledge of fins is pretty much non-existent.
Ok, I know nothing, but don't discount the fact that you, being where you are may want to catch some runners, or some sneaky waves on small days......it's so much fun, and I don't think the tourer is going to do it, it's just too narrow in the tail, for mine.
Run it past Pete he's the man
Personally I think the carbons overrated, well at 115 kegs I would say that 
