Dears, I am buying a new 12' 6" board for recreational racing and touring. I am upgrading from a 2014 naish Glide x 30. Which of these boards would you recommend: SIC Bullet TWC 12'6, SIC X12 TWC, Bark Competitor or the Naish Javelin 12' 6 x28 GX . I am 1,7m and weigh 105kg give or take. What are the main differences between the SICs bullet and X models ?

The SIC Bullets are planing hull type boards (i.e. more like surfboards) and the X models are displacement nose boards (i.e. like most flat water race boards). The Bullets have harder rails and concaves in the bottom to promote early planing, and the X models have softer rails and flatter bottoms to slip through the water with less resistance. Typically you'd choose the Bullet for downwinding and surfing small waves, and the X models for racing, especially on flatter water.

The Competitor is a nice all-round board and will probably be more stable than the others. You have been used to a very stable board, so you really should demo these new options before buying. Personally, I'd suggest that you get a 14ft board rather than a 12-6. The only main downside is carrying and transporting, but other than that, 14ft boards generally provide a nicer paddling experience.

Well in your position I'd sell the 12-6 and get a X14 SCC. But that's just my personal choice. It's a really great board in the conditions you describe.

The Bullets are generally for use in more wind than you get.

I don't think that you'd use the 12-6 once you got a 14. Hardly anyone goes back to a 12-6 after getting a 14. The only advantage of a 12-6 is in terms of surfing and occasionally in strong crosswinds. 12-6 boards are quite limiting otherwise, and outside of doing BOP-style races (and even perhaps then, if the rules allowed) they are less fun, IMO.

The weight does make a difference to the the paddling experience. The lighter board will feel definitely more "racy", and will be better to turn and surf. The degree to which it is faster in flat water and a straight line is a moot point. Sometimes a bit of extra weight can even be an advantage. A friend of mine who has the TWC X14 and will be closer to your weight than I am tried my SCC and said that somehow my board seemed to sit higher in the water and he definitely preferred it. The price difference between the SCC and the TWC is however huge, as you point out, and the SCC boards are as fragile as most other single-skin carbon boards out there.

I think most people would probably find paddling the X14 more rewarding than your current board, especially at your weight. 14ft boards just have more glide, and the X14 makes a good tourer too with the cargo net, and comfy recessed deck. It will be slightly less stable than your current board, but definitely faster in most conditions. The TWC X14 will probably be a similar weight to your current board. But the outstanding SIC handle and the carry loops on the X14 that allow you to carry the board with the paddle (I'm assuming the TWC has them like on my SCC) make loading and carrying the board much easier than for most boards that weight.

The Glide 12-6 is a nice stable board that suits bigger guys in particular. But if you are ready to progress now, I'd have thought the X14 TWC would be a sensible step up in terms of speed and paddling pleasure, without losing much in terms of stability and durability. However you should really demo the X14 before buying just to make sure it is what you want. Good luck with your choice.