Ok so an update: the red paint on my 2020 RS is so easily scratched off that paddling over kelp this week has scratched it!
I used to think that if a board was built in the Kinetic factory, that was a guarantee of light, strong, and durable construction. However the 2020 SIC range shows that this is not the case. At the end of the day, building boards is a highly skilled job, and I'm guessing that some brands more often have access to the best artisans, and/or keep a closer eye on QC on the ground at the factory. Whereas Jimmy Lewis and Infinity are brands headed up by people who can actually build boards themselves, this may not be true now that SIC Maui is owned by BIC?
SiC Maui: please sort this out for 2021: the deckpad has to be made of a material that sheds dirt, not attracts it, and is not a ridiculously impractical colour for everyday use. And the paintwork has to be reasonably resilient. If necessary, the board could be a few ounces heavier to achieve this: 1 lb difference is not going to make or break a race result, but I cant buy a 2020 Bullet because I'm not going to spend my money again on something that has to be washed and primped and fussed over every minute of the day or else it looks like it belongs in a dumpster.
That response from Thierry Verneuil is the kind of arrogant and dismissive reply that you'd expect to get from a brand that is about to be left behind by its competitors: if he can't see user feedback as a chance to improve his product but instead only sees conspiracy, then he's in trouble.
I like the SIC brand very much, and have bought several of their boards. I have no connection to any rival brand or any other conflict of interest. Why on earth would I spend time here making observations that were "fake"?
To repeat: My 2020 RS sems to be quite stiff, unlike other reports about the Bullet here, but the paintwork is too fragile and there are some other minor construction issues that could be improved. What I'd like to hear from the brand would be "thanks for your feedback. What we intend to do to address these issues for 2021 include..." etc.
12'6" Bullet update. I sent an email to SIC regarding the new 12'6" Bullet looking nearly identical to the previous version and this is the response and pics.
The 12'6" models look closer to the previous version but not identical.On the BULLET 12.6 there have been less drastic changes in Outline and Rocker Line, however we went with the same hull shape principles as on the Bayonet.The nose Rocker dropped slightly, which also helps with the glide when paddled in flatter conditions, while the tail shape stayed unchanged.The overall nose got more Volume to reduce pocking when catching a glide. As on the 14ft the tail outline got slightly widened all the way to the board center to provide for better stability.
The Board Volume was increased by 28L from 237L to 265L, while the most significant changes in Volume are nose thickness profile and tail width.The rails got more squared up / boxy which also increased volume and lead to more stability. The goal was to make a more stable, versatile and performing board!
Here you can see an overlay to show some of the shape differences and hope this clarifies the changes.The yellow indicates the new 2021 shape and the red and black graphic shows you the former shape.