S.I.C. Custom 14′ Bullet SUP Stand Up Paddle Race Board
Here are some pictures of the new S.I.C. Custom 14′ Bullet SUP race board. I just got this board on January 18 and I was able to try it out in glassy south shore conditions and waist high waves. My first impression is that the board surfs really well for a 14′ board and seems to connect small bumps but it’s hard to tell until I ride it in real downwind conditions.
Mark Raaphorst first told me about the Bullet 14 around the holidays and I was really excited to test it out. I really like the F-14 although it felt like the volume was just a tad bit short of floating my 200-210 lbs weight. The volume on the Bullet 14 seems much more appropriate and my feet are hardly getting wet, just like the 17′ Bullet. I like that. I will take this downwind once the trade winds come back.
The main difference I noticed compared to the S.I.C. F-14 is that the 14′ Bullet is thicker and has more volume. The tail looks a bit thicker too, making it easier for the following swell to lift it up which is important, especially for heavier guys:
Profile view of the custom 14′ Bullet fom the tail
It has 2 goretex air vents, 1 by the nose and 1 by the tail:
Goretex air vent located in front of the steering pedal
Leash plug and Goretex air vent located in behind the rudder assembly
The custom 14′ Bullet uses the same rudder system as the S.I.C. F-14 but placement is more forward on the 14′ Bullet:
The rudder
Another view of the rudder
More pictures:
Top view
The handle and steering pedal
The nose
Profile view from the nose
This board is a beauty. You have to see it in person to appreciate the paint job and fades that the S.I.C. team did. I can’t wait to try this on a downwinder. I’ll post the update and comments when I get in a real run.
Here are the specs and info for the 14′ Bullet SUP race board sent to us by Mark Raaphorst:
The new SIC Bullet 14,
A scaled down version of the Bullet 17
It is a fast, light and maneuverable downwind machine.Dimensions: 14′ x 27 3/8″ x 6″
2-tone fade paint job
Dual steering plumbed w/ lock-off plateAvailable: Spring 2011
Price: $2500
hey evan
is the 14′ bullet hollow?
Is SIC molding this board or custom only? Trying decide this model or F-14 for Heather.
Where is da follow up my brudda ?? This board looks GOOD !!!! Love to hear how it’s been working. I know there has been some wind since this was written
Aloha
Scott
Scott – I’m getting there. Been busy at work and waiting for good trade winds to pick up. So far it’s ok in small surf but I still need to test it in wind and bumps.
Scotty – The bullet 14′ I got is a solid core board.
Tony – I think these are currently custom only. If you’re going to ride the same board as Heather, the bullet is probably a better choice. At your weight, the F14 may seem a bit low in volume.
I finally got in a Hawaii Kai run yesterday on the Bullet 14. Too bad the wind was junk and I was fighting the tide. I got a general feel for the board and am pretty excited to get it in windier conditions. It’s similar in feel to the 17′ bullet but noticeably more nimble and easier to get up to speed with less muscle. The Bullet 14 feels more stable than the F-14 and the volume is much better for my weight. Ask any questions and I’ll post more when the wind picks up.
lets do a dw this sunday….conditions lookin pretty good…lmk
Evan,
Have you had a chance to get this board out in better conditions yet? What are your thoughts?
Casey – I’ve been waiting for some decent trade winds here on Oahu but we’ve been skunked for the past few weeks with Kona winds and storms. The forecast calls for trade winds next week so hopefully it comes.
Hey Evan
Did you get out there yet this week on the 14 bullet ?? Just wondering how it’s working?
Thanks
Scott
Scott – Finally got out on a run on Monday 3-7-11. I had a decent tide, the winds were around 15 mph but the bumps weren’t connecting that much. With no trade winds for so long, I was definitely out of downwind paddling shape. Bullet 14 (B14) is a bit different than the F-16 v2 and Bullet 17 (B17). It’s much more agile. One thing I like is the ability to get into bumps…I think the lower entry rocker helps that. It’s hard to say if I like it better than the F-16 v2 or Bullet 17. It definitely floats me better than the F-14. The B17 is harder to get going but keeps it’s momentum a bit longer. In lighter winds, I’d rather be on the B14 than the F-16 v2 but my first choice so far would be the B17 in light winds. For a lighter rider (185 lbs and below), the B14 may be easier to handle and for riders over 200 lbs that want to be on a shorter board, the B14 would also work.
Give thanks that the wind is back and Hawaii Kai runs are off the hook! From last Monday to today I only missed 2 days of downwind action. I initially thought that the Bullet 14 was for light to medium winds due to the rocker outline so I didn’t consider it for this past week of 20 mph winds.
After doing my fastest run to date on the F-16, I wanted to see how the Bullet 14 would do in high winds. Prior to this, I was kinda lukewarm with the Bullet 14 as a racing board as you can see above. The last 2 Hawaii Kai runs on the Bullet 14 changed my mind. I love this thing in high winds.
My kid’s baseball game ended around lunch time on Saturday and I got my wife to drop me off in Hawaii Kai. I wanted to give the B14 a shot since I hadn’t really gotten it in high wind conditions before. Two of my friend’s were on OC-1’s and I saw them unloading just as I passed by their launch area on the way to mine. I paddled out to the buoy before I saw them launch.
I was stroking at about 80% which is a lot for a day with 25 mph tail winds. I was thinking that this was too much work. Something wasn’t right. I should have been flying but I wasn’t.
My friends passed me around Kahala (1/3 or so of the way) and I decided to take it easy, work on my stroke and let the board do its thing. What a huge difference that made. This reminded me of my Pueo OC-1. The Pueo doesn’t like to be muscled, it likes finesse. Same thing for the B14 in high winds.
Once I backed off, relaxed and just let the board run, I started to fly effortlessly. I clocked 3 minutes slower than my best time a few days before on the F-16. Everything felt right during the second part of the run.
I went again on Sunday and the same thing happened although my time was slower. I didn’t feel like I worked harder and the tide and wind were still good but it just wasn’t that fast. The B14 was just as fun and easy to ride as the day before. Now when the wind is 20 mph , it’s a hard decision between the F-16 and B14.
Here’s a few things that really surprised me:
The B14 didn’t pearl much, even when going straight down the face of the bumps.
With the right timing, only a light tap was needed to catch bumps when the tail lifted.
The B14 followed bumps intuitively making heavy rudder use nonexistent.
Upwind is much more manageable compared to the B17 or F16 v2.
B14 may be the most “fun” S.I.C. in high winds due to the agility.
I still need to ride the B14 in an opposing tide and high winds to round out my thoughts. If it’s anywhere close to how it rides in a following tide, I may be spending more time on the B14 than the F-16.
ALoha, I wanted to know the difference between the stock weight of the board and your custom weight…mahalo…I use to have the X12 and it was custom made for Livio at 18 lbs. Just wondering how much heavier the 14′ bullet is.
Trying a friends B14 tomorrow and then up to SIC to order a custom. Can’t wait : )
Hi Evan,
Have you had the opportunity to compare the bullet14 with the Dennis Pang 14′. Also the boardworks version’s bottom shape is described differently than the hollow Tiger construction. I was wanting to know which board is more user friendly.
Thanks, Keith
Keith – The DP 14 was too low in volume and tippy for me to ride comfortably although I know lighter guys that like it. B14 is more stable, has a rudder and has more volume. I haven’t seen many DP boards lately. At the end, it all comes down to what you’re going to use it for and your preferences. You should call Robert at Blue Planet Surf and get his opinion. He’s familiar with both boards.