I think you need the 12'6 class for the ladies and lighter men. For me a 14ft board is to big for me to control and handle.

I want to race in some of the downwind races and can control a 12'6 specific board. I don't want to race on my SUp surfing board as it has no glide!!!!

Also depends if it is flat river paddling or ocean racing

Good call but what do you call stock Jacko ? Is my RH 12-0 gun stock ? I know which production boards are stock but what about if Dale Shaped me 12ft surf cruiser which was also very fast to paddle.

The 500 rule just won't work , you straight away eliminate any board made in Australia and that is something I would not support.

If you want the sport to grow in Australia we need to get behind companies like DC ,Laguna Bay & Stuey who in my opinion have already shaped some of the best Sups available on the market to date.

The good thing about the 12-6 class is the difference between something like a Starboard 12-2 and a custom 12-6 isn't massive and people who race this catergory aren't trophy hunters there just in it for the stoke , the serious racers will be in unlimited.

My 2 Bobs.

Rob

IMO, 12'6 14 and unlimited. As to question of limiting 12'6 class to stock only, I cannot see how limiting it would be beneficial for the sport, I think leave it as it is.

NewcastleSUP said...

I read somewhere ISA classify stock as minimum 200 produced worldwide of the same model.

So you'll have to retire the submarine mutant then, hey Sime?

Piros said...

The 500 rule just won't work , you straight away eliminate any board made in Australia and that is something I would not support.

If you want the sport to grow in Australia we need to get behind companies like DC ,Laguna Bay & Stuey who in my opinion have already shaped some of the best Sups available on the market to date.

I agree - you can't do stuff that'll be detrimental to the local shapers.

The 500 rule was just a stab in the dark.

I'm sure when the stock 12'6 class was made they had the idea that people would not need to buy a second board and could race there surfing board and that would make a lot more sense to me and then everyone is in with roughly the same chance rather than one or two guy turn up with a custom board and smoke everyone else

If you think you paddle a 12'6 race board better than you paddle a 14 then that's cool just enter the 14 foot class on your 12'6.

12'6 in my book equals Amature, if from there you want to get more serious then buy a 14 or unlimited but leave the 12'6 class for guys wanting to get in to the sport.

I have a lot of people say they wont go in to a event because there is no point because of people on the race boards.

Really it should come down to some one on the beach its pretty obvious if its a purpose built race sup or a surf sup that way your normal DC or Stuy can compete the same as a 11'6 Naish.

All i see is the big companys putting on these events, If these local guys want there fast boards to win then maybe they should put on some events???

These are all just MO and nothing will probly come of it but i think as Aussie's we are leaders not followers.

Jacko

with all the bs going on about this class the answer is simple,ONE DESIGN,other than that all i see is a retail opportunity for anyone in retail sup trying to get a production 12.6 this just limits custom shapers and is downright discriminatory.lets see the bigtime race boys turn up on chinese unlimited popouts.

so i want to compete.
I make my own boards or work with my local shaper..
Hang on, i have to go buy a mass produced pop out for $2000 by a big ass wind surf company.
dont think that will advance the design side of things!!!!

stop whingeing and start training

paul.j said...

lookielookie said...

so i want to compete.
I make my own boards or work with my local shaper..
Hang on, i have to go buy a mass produced pop out for $2000 by a big ass wind surf company.
don't think that will advance the design side of things!!!!

No race your stock board. That's the whole point if you want to get in to racing then make a race board but for the 14ft class its not rocket science.

Hey Hilly i know my spelling is pretty average but that one was spell checks fault

Everyone knows that these boards aren't designed by the chinese and that they are designed by some of the best shapers in the world and just copied by the chinese so that we can all ride these boards.
Jacko

who are the best shapers in the worldlet them design a one design race board at a reasonable price so we all can race where the best paddler will win,but then we will need one paddle design,there goes the sponsored racers,seriously tho,this topic is lame in oz because there just are not enough racers in any class of sup.

firstpoint said...

we could forgetting the most important part here,we all weigh different weights and volume is made custom for that reason,that even stuffs my one design theory,oh well,back to the drawing board.

Yeah i like the one this idea and give all the companies who want to compete a certain board, they make a exact copy and put there name on it all brands big and small can enter. Board weight issue could be sorted maybe by 70kg guys certain volume 80kg a bit more, gets a bit tricky i know but the ideas are there. Don't forget bigger guys should have a bit more power.
How dose it work for windsurfing one design with weight and that?

Is my 12'6 DC faster than my 12'6 Surfshapes ..... honestly ..... think they are the same when you put me on them, there might be about 1 minute or two over 8 klms. Jacko on the 12'6 Surfshapes and me on the 12'6 DC .... Jacko you would have me by about 15 minutes between Snapper and Currumbin. Still comes back to the motor. Alot of guys absolutely smashed me on Stock boards in the last Honolua and they were on stock 12 or less boards.

volume is fairly easy to govern,1.5 x kg = volume.one design as in nose width,center width tail width with volume governed by thickness,could work,my thought in that for the 12.6 class only to find a true champion,would work world wide,all companies could get involved,because of quanties made price could be affordable and it wont rule out the true best shapers in the world,even the windsurfing companies could have a crack.leave 14 and unlimited for the developement shapers,revise bottom shapes and design every 3-5 years.

I reckon this is a good discussion,
I raced the whalebone 5km a couple of weeks ago that was up to 12'6 boards. The guy who won it was a pro rider and was on a proto type 'stand up canoe'. It was seriously fast, but what was the point?
I don't think 'class rules' for a 12'6 class should be limited to stock/production boards, but the design criteria should be defined. (like the America's cup class yachts)
A possible starting point:
1. Length = 12'6
2. Width = 30" (at widest part of Board)
3. Flat deck - no concave, no hollowed out section (it's standup paddle "boarding"). Race classes 14 foot and up can go mad with scoop out/canoe decks.
4. Volume? - this could be left open so as to suit the rider and avoid the class being rectricted to a certain body type.
5. Rocker? - left open - flatter shapes will do well in flat water, but suffer on the ocean or in windy conditions, so it would be swings and round abouts - down to the engine.

Naish has the Glide and Starboard is about to release the Pin. It would be great to compare these boards. The custom board makers would simply comply with 'simple' design criteria mentioned above.

Just an idea, that was developed from reading the early posts and recent experience.

Cheers

Gooch

12.6 planing hull ,who would own one,you cant surf them because they would be dogs,they could only be used for cruising and noboby would own one for that so it seems 12.6 class is a raceboard.maybe it is the wrong number,perhaps it should be 12.0 surfboard shape be it gun,big longboard shape ie laird shape 12.0 but if it is going to be a stock board anyone should be able to shape one.this still reeks of brand domination by someone