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All water race boards For a paddler looking to take the next step and get involved in long-distance challenges or racing, the all water race board offers the best option. These boards are highly durable and are designed to withstand a range of conditions. Probably the best-known allround race board is the Starboard All Star. It comes in an extensive range of widths and has become a firm favourite among racers and leisure paddlers alike.
Starboard All Star Starboard builds excellent boards, which seem to age well. They are arguably on the heavy side compared to many rivals, but this seems to translate into greater durability. As a second-hand buy, the All Star represents a sound investment, as it is likely to be relatively easy to sell at a later date. In terms of being a first hard race board, a second-hand All Star probably makes more sense than any other board.
The board comes in a range of widths. This means that the shape actually varies considerably between widths, resulting in a situation where different widths behave very differently from one another. The new 26- inch All Star is very safe, stable, and maybe a bit boring. The 24.5 has a similar volume, but its shape creates something much livelier and exciting to ride. Weird … so always try out the particular width of the model you are interested in and don’ t assume uniformity of shape or behaviour!
In my opinion,( except for one year), All Star models do everything well. By everything, I mean they are fast on the flat, are good to paddle in chop, and are very good on a downwind run.
SIC RS My first all water board was a SIC RS. Back in 2019, the RS was seen as the direct allaround competitor to the All Star. I bought it to be different – not a very scientific approach, but that was me back then. The design of the RS is quite different to the All Star, and this translates into different characteristics in the water.
It features a flatter deck, a flatter hull with less rocker, a squarer tail, and reduced volume in the nose. To me, this makes it more user-friendly for general use. It is probably faster on the flat, similar in side chop, and slower in downwind conditions. In rough conditions, it becomes pretty difficult to ride, because the sharpish angle where the rails meet the hull can create quite a pronounced‘ kick’.
The All Star has various hull iterations, so you can’ t make a general comparison, but paradoxically, a more‘ unstable’ hull at slow speeds seems to become more predictable in rougher weather. The SIC Bayonet has a V hull, which makes it quite wobbly when you begin to paddle. But in rough conditions, it’ s easier to dial into the swell than the more‘ stable’ RS. The Bayonet just goes with the flow instead of trying to fight it.
Returning to all water boards, there are some fantastic options available on the second-hand market. In addition to the All Star and the RS, the Infinity Blackfish has been a popular choice in the UK market. Other models would be the Naish Maliko and possibly the NSP Puma.
Given that these boards perform well in most conditions, why consider buying additional boards? Boards designed for a specific use will typically perform better in that particular application, although their performance in other areas may be compromised.
I became frustrated with my RS on downwind runs. Most of my frustration was down to my limited skill. I endured several instances where fellow paddlers were passing me on wider touring boards. I didn’ t want to blame the board, but I was noticing a pattern.
The Fanatic Blitz The Fanatic Blitz was marketed as an all round board, but was quickly adopted by the downwind fraternity at locations such as Tarifa as the‘ go to’ downwind board.
With good reason. It has a pronounced rocker, a small tail, a flat deck and a nose that doesn’ t‘ nose-dive’ easily. It has a more rounded hull than the RS, which allows it to track with the swell rather than fight it. In a downwind, it behaves like a giant surfboard.
I bought my Blitz second-hand from an online store for less than £ 1,000. I don’ t paddle it much, but some of my most memorable paddles have been on it. There is no comparison in enjoyment and adrenaline levels between it and the RS on a lively downwind. Conversely, take it on a flat loch and it feels like you are using a lot of energy to push water out of the way.
Downwinding is my favourite part of SUP. I’ ve still got a lot to learn – which is all part of the attraction. But it is incredibly rewarding when done well. The best downwind boards I have come across are the Blitz, the SIC Bayonet, and the SIC Bullet. There are many others. Starboard makes the Ace, which is a hardcore favourite, but I found it a little bit unstable for my liking. Boards like the Starboard Generation also make surprisingly good downwinding boards. They are easy to move around on and have a great shape.
If I hadn’ t invested in a downwind-specific board, I would have missed out. I just could not get the RS to do what I wanted – and could have resigned myself to being incompetent. But having a shape conducive to riding swells and catching waves has made a massive difference to my enjoyment levels.
For flat water paddling, an all water board can generally compete with a flat water board. However, a feeling remains that a specifically designed purpose will ultimately perform better than something designed for a wider range of conditions.