Hi all,
All feedback here gratefully appreciated.
I'm living on Waiheke Island (see: http://maps.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/aucklandcouncilviewer/?extent=1740696,5899158,1835681,5950421), am 6'4" and weighing in at 85-90kgs depending on how my calorie input/expenditure is going. I'm using a Coreban Icon for a wee bit of surfing and flat water stuff. I'm wanting to change up to a 14 footer for some offshore paddling around the island including down winders from Auckland in howling SW's not to mention hauling around Waiheke. I have been thinking that an SIC Bullet would do the trick for the miles / conditions I'm looking at. However the smoking Capetown down winders that Peter Peterson has uploaded on Youtube have got me thinking that a Naish Glide or LE would be perfect too. The benefit of an LE is that it provides more versatility for flat water racing events. With my weight and height and preference for some windy / rough stuff I'm inclined to go for the widest option for stability over straight out speed. A Falcon or NSP '14 are an option but with all that volume (and presumably a bit of extra weight?) in the nose I'm less inclined towards them and gravitating towards the pointly Bullet / Naish option. According to the promo the 2015 LE would be a Swiss army knife of boards so maybe worth holding out for???
Hi,
I'm on the 'mainland'
Naish Glide, I'm on a 14 GX , love it , looking to upgrade to the latest and greatest Glide soon.
SIC are great boards but more spendy.
I'm same weight but 2" shorter.
If interested in my board, pm me.
Simon.
dont forget about the jimmy lewis M14. Built for downwinding, super stable at at 28 wide and 290 liters. Does well in a race and anyone can paddle it.Oh, and it surfs unreal.
Select to expand quoteSaltH20 said..
SIC!!!!
Have first paddled my new Bullet 12 for hours yesterday and today in a 20-25 knt breeze, upwind, crosswind, downwind, frontchop, sidechop, boatwake. This thing is unbelievable, fast, stable and controllable under any circumstances. A real funboard thus.
I guess only one 14 footer is maybe even better, that can be only the Bullet 14.0 V2.
Cheers for the feedback guys - Keep it coming. I'll come back to you shortly. Photo from above my office for your viewing pleasure in the mean time!
In all honesty i can't vouch for a lot of the models you mentioned, but a few months ago I bought a 2014 Glide GS and couldn't be happier. I'm 6'9" and 105-110kgs with pitiful balance so the extra width of the Glide is greatly appreciated. No real experience of Downwinders - at least compared to others on here - but as far as flat water performance goes i took 1:25 off my PB on my first SUP 5.0 on Narrabeen Lakes on the board. The previous best was on an DC14 by the way...
But having said that, the 14'x28" Javelin looks very tempting…!
I'm a bit bias to the Fanatic but with the length of the run into Auckland from where you are I'd definitely consider the large SIC with a rudder. It might be a bit large to get back home on the ferry though.
Would love to head over to this race one year.
Don't let the weight or the size of the Fanatic nose worry you. If you downwind from the island it will actually be a huge benefit. The new model has the nose slightly reduced. The thinner open ocean is good on the flat also.
The race starts in this bay and heads all the way into Auckland in the distance.
Forgot about the rest and get the best DW board. A SIC with steering,it makes life so much easier
Cheers guys. I think it's the SIC option then on the general basis that it's the SUP equivalent of a new Range Rover.
Sorry Desflurane - Once I flog off the boat below I'll be in the buying business.
www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/yachts/trailersailer/auction-758511697.htm
Cheers David. Yep, for what I want to do I think either the GX Glide or Bullet are the go to boards for me. I'lll post when sorted!
I'll put another plug in for the Jimmy Lewis M14. It's a bargain compared to some other brand and you can't fault the look or quality. The colours on the web don't do them justice.
On the water you might not have bragging rights about being the fastest but it is good fun when the wind blows. The more it blows the better it gets.
I would have loved to compare it to a Bullet but they weren't available when I brought the M14. Definitely want to get on one of those one day.
This might help.
I have just bought a M14 after quite a bit of research and feedback from an experienced downwinder and others. I have no experience of the other boards and am just starting to use the M14 so can't give you direct feedback.
in my research, obviously the SIC and M14 are full on downwinders .....the glide is more a race/downwinder cross. On the flat I guess the Glide will be fastest....it seems to do fine on downwinders too but need to watch the nose a bit.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/New-Downwinder/
On the sea and in downwind conditions the Bullet is the fastest of them all.......that is why the vast majority of folk use them on the Molokai race. You will pay more and it is a bit more tippy than the M14. The 2014 M14 has had its hull tweaked to a more flatter rocker....bit faster and better glides so I am told but I wouldn't be able to confirm the extra speed etc as I have no prior experience.
i chose the M14 - the feedback is that it is more user friendly for an intermediate than the bullet and handles rough water very well for someone of my ability. It also has a rep of being the most surfy......nice if you come from a surf sup background. At this stage all I can confirm is that it is really stable in rougher water and appears to pick up bumps nicely. The finish is great and they of course look magic.....surprisingly light and the toughest out of the three. The only downside I can see is the handle isn't the wrap around ergo type like the Naish.....but it is a deep handle And not an issue if you have an okay walk to the water.
All three boards are top notch I reckon so you can't go wrong
Agree with comments above.
I am 6'2" and 90kg and have both GX Glide and 14" Bullet and paddle a fair bit around Sydney Harbour and Northern Beaches. Having lived in AKL for a few years [pre-SUP] - you are lucky to be paddling around Waiheke !! Beautiful place.
I don't know the M14 so can't comment. Agree with DJ that as far as a super stable first 14" board goes - the GX Glide is almost bullet proof. You do pay a small price with weight - its HEAVY compared to the Bullet. If it were a choice between earlier 14" Bullet vs GX Gilde - I would say Glide no question.
The new 14" Bullet V2 has less nose rocker than mine and hence will push less water on the flat and a mate recently trialled one in Maui and said it was pretty quick on the flat as well as great downwind.
In my view the 2 boards are really quite different.
GX Glide - great for cruising, flat water paddling and can downwind. Rock solid and perfect for those days cruising around the bays on Waiheke or flat water, ocean training.
Bullet V2 - Super fun DW machine, marginally less stable, nice to paddle on the flat. More like a Ferrari - needs to be red lined a bit to get the best out of it !
My advice - get a 2nd hand 2014 GX Glide at a good price - which you will probably keep forever, try all the different types of paddling you want to do - then work out which board you want NEXT :) …. in my experience there is no swiss army knife [single board] answer once your hooked !
Would love to do the Waiheke to Auckland DW one day…. looks epic.
Select to expand quotePM02 said..
Agree with comments above.
I am 6'2" and 90kg and have both GX Glide and 14" Bullet and paddle a fair bit around Sydney Harbour and Northern Beaches. Having lived in AKL for a few years [pre-SUP] - you are lucky to be paddling around Waiheke !! Beautiful place.
I don't know the M14 so can't comment. Agree with DJ that as far as a super stable first 14" board goes - the GX Glide is almost bullet proof. You do pay a small price with weight - its HEAVY compared to the Bullet. If it were a choice between earlier 14" Bullet vs GX Gilde - I would say Glide no question.
The new 14" Bullet V2 has less nose rocker than mine and hence will push less water on the flat and a mate recently trialled one in Maui and said it was pretty quick on the flat as well as great downwind.
In my view the 2 boards are really quite different.
GX Glide - great for cruising, flat water paddling and can downwind. Rock solid and perfect for those days cruising around the bays on Waiheke or flat water, ocean training.
Bullet V2 - Super fun DW machine, marginally less stable, nice to paddle on the flat. More like a Ferrari - needs to be red lined a bit to get the best out of it !
My advice - get a 2nd hand 2014 GX Glide at a good price - which you will probably keep forever, try all the different types of paddling you want to do - then work out which board you want NEXT :) …. in my experience there is no swiss army knife [single board] answer once your hooked !
Would love to do the Waiheke to Auckland DW one day…. looks epic.
This one might be worth a look at when it arrives on the market soon. www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/Review/New-14-Carbon-BIC-Tracer/
^^^ I tried said Bic the other day. It's more a flat water board, not really what I'd think of as an Ocean Cruiser. It rides nicely on flat.
Not what I'd recommend for : "for some offshore paddling around the island including down winders from Auckland in howling SW’s". For something that includes "howling downwinders" a planing hull will be your friend. Thing is planing hulls work just fine on flats and chop.
Select to expand quoteyugi said..
^^^ I tried said Bic the other day. It's more a flat water board, not really what I'd think of as an Ocean Cruiser. It rides nicely on flat.
Not what I'd recommend for : "for some offshore paddling around the island including down winders from Auckland in howling SW’s". For something that includes "howling downwinders" a planing hull will be your friend. Thing is planing hulls work just fine on flats and chop.
And the circle is getting smaller and smaller around the Bullet's
Should be nice if the Bullet 14.0 V2 would come 2015 in the twc construction.
Could increase the sales figures by the multiple and should eliminate the yellow danger
Quick update.....V2 safey tucked into the garage. Will file trip reports in due course!
Well I may have missed the boat to influence your decision but I just sold a 2014 GX Glide to buy the V2 Bullet
and for the record I'm 5'11 and 103 kgs paddle one last weekend 8 kms in all sorts of ocean fell off once.....that sold me 
Good luck with yours
Nice one.
Looking forward to the ride reports.
How was the purchasing process?
Through a shop or online? Delivery time?
Costs? PM me if you want.
We must get together for a trip.
Nice one. - Cher!
Looking forward to the ride reports. - Will do!
How was the purchasing process? - Easy - As per below
Through a shop or online? - Through Nik at the SUP Shed. Did me a SWEEEEEEET deal on the board and a mint as Flying Objects bag.
Delivery time? - Managed to snavel the last out of the container that had just landed so was about a week if I wanted it that quickly.
Costs? PM me if you want. - Shhhhhhhh! Will do!
We must get together for a trip. - Sure thing! I need a while to learn how to ride it! 
First decent paddle yesterday with a light DW back to Onetangi Beach. Leg burn seems to have subsided this morning. This is gonna be fun! www.mapmyrun.com/workout/853808755
Yes I do.. I've only paddled a friends board but I really liked it..
It's a totally different board to boards like the Jav.. Allstar.. and Falcon..
Not as fast but still very nice.. It's a great fun DW board.
Cheers mate, i have the opportunity to get one pretty cheap, can't find any good side shots of the rails, they look quite soft, which is what i want, as i live in rough conditions, and have a board that has very boxy rails, and gets kicked around like crazy.
