Great day paddling yesterday at the Mad Paddle and I was lucky enough to be on what was the perfect style of board for an event like this, the 14' x 30 Starboard Pierce Touring.
Seems like this end of the market can easily get left behind with the constant push towards "skinnier = faster = better".
For bigger people or for touring and carrying some gear, or even just as a family board this style of board ticks a lot of boxes imo.
I found yesterday as Team Leader I was back and forward a bit, paddling over to the boat, talking to the coast guard, this thing was rock solid but still fast and easy to paddle. Most of the bigger volume boards have been downwind focussed but this one had a flat enough rocker to have good glide and it seemed to catch the tiny runners out there very easily. It actually reminded me a little of my original 12'6 Cruiser but it was way faster and even more stable.
And Rachel and I could hardly be called big people, even paddling in at the end of the race we wouldn't have cracked 120kg between us but it was still the perfect board for the day.
So what else is out there that fill that bill? The Naish Glide 12'6 is a great higher volume board but there isn't too much in the 14 class I can think of right now. I know Dale does some great 14 DC boards and the 30 wide one is probably similar but maybe a little tippier with the rounded rails, of course easily fixed with a custom.
Feels like a lot of the manufacturers are going the way of windsurfing, getting more and more specialised, although I think the BOP boards can be great all rounders as well.
I'd like to add the Starboard K-15 into the mix. (seen to the right of the Pierce 'Brosnan') Whilst this board has been around for a few years, it is still a current model, and has been tweaked a little for the 2012 range.
After testing many boards for my frame (I am around 100kg) I have found the K-15 to be a great mix of super-fast on the flat (I have posted some of my best race times on it) and quite stable in the rough. I used this on the MAD PADDLE, and didn't fall in, felt very comfortable all the way, and cruised along.
I have also paddled the Pierce Touring in the 14' Board Test, and loved the feel of it, and would be keen to try it further.
Jonathan, it looks good, I wonder what it would surf like?
In the mix you could add;
Angulo Shaka 14 x 30 and definatly a big boy board
Surftech Bark 14 x 20.25 (near enough to 30)
Personally I have been surfing the Angulo on the long runners in the bay and loving it (albeit it took a while to get to love it) and am yet to test in a real DW but on a long paddle it keeps its own and is not too shabby into the wind.
But wouldn't mind paddle the new starboard sometime
Greg
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The Jimmy Lewis 12'6 Albatross, 29 1/4 wide, 235L
Jimmy Lewis Searcher 12'6, 33 1/2 wide, 363L (havent seen one, but is designed for touring, deck rigging etc)
NSP also has built in deck rigging on their 12', 12'6 and 14' boards
almost the whole Tahoe sup range is designed for touring, they look the goods but havent seen one in aus but have heard there is a guy that has got hold of some stock.
The nice thing about the Pierce aka 'Brosnan' or now just 007 is that it really isn't meant to be for surfing in breaking waves, much more for touring in flat or mildly choppy water. So with that in mind they have kept the rocker low and gone with the piercing nose to get through little chop. But also kept it at 30" which seems like the magic number for the compromise between speed and stability.
007 really motors! And I think thats the difference, not trying to be all things to all people so its actually fun and fast to paddle on flat water. Of course with the conditions we have here its bound to get hauled out for a down-winder before it goes back to WA...
The Tahoe boards do seem to have a very similar target market. Is there a 30" wide 14' NSP - hard to keep up with all the stuff coming out.
For anyone in Melbourne who'd like to try a touring SUP, Mike at Sandy Beach HQ has a NSP 12ft Touring board for hire, or if you want a free demo, just say ''Luke from SHQ sent me down'' The NSP's are great value for money at around $1500, as shown in the recent SUP Vic 14ft board test.
Luke
^ Teeps, funny!
This board in surf... Haven't tried it, but that nose would catch out most people... I think. But, I would still like to give it a run in small runners, both down wind, and small point waves.
Nose might catch in the surf, but in a straight line doing Down Winders, I think it would go very well, catch runners, and the nose shape would allow the water to shed away really easily.
Hmm nice Scotty, always liked the look of those. Looks like it would surf beautifully too with that big nose rider nose....as long as you can cross step over your bags
actually, i've always wondered how a board like that would go in big, windy dw conditions
Here's a couple of pictures from the Mad Paddle that show the new Starboard 14' Pierce Touring board.
DJ
"The shape is not all that different to the old 12'6 Starbie Cruiser and I did heaps of downwinders on that."
What have you been drinking Jonathan?.. 
.. maybe you mean 'colour' not 'shape'.
DJ
.. maybe you mean 'colour' not 'shape'.
Hi Jonathan,
good to meet all you guys at the paddle, it was great fun, well run and organised.
A BIG THANKYOU TO ALL INVOLVED.....
I hope we got the $25 K required for the hospital.
I paddled the WOW GSR 14'0 expecting a bit more swell/ wind , your board looked like it was well suited to the conditions.
In hind sight we could have paddled the WOW 12'6 Tour, which , similar to the Starbie, was well suited to the style and conditions of the day. Nice n easy , fast paddling and very comfortable.
Here are a few shot of one
12'6 x 30 x 7 7/8 270 Litre.
look forward to paddling with you guys and girls again.
Brian
If you're going to tour you might as well do it on something pretty.
A couple of pics of our new demo beast.
Sam.
I would love to have a quiver room like , the envy of all suppers seredip and windy, well done, talk about an addiction to collecting Sups 
