To Raceboard or Not

Standup paddling is a growing sport that tends to attract enthusiastic followers. And why not? It’s fun, not terribly expensive, and relatively easy. Plus owning a board is fun! People love their boards. Once you get one, you want another!

A typical progression of a flatwater paddler — one that doesn’t surf — is to go from an all-around board to a more specialized one. All-arounds are a great place to start, but they’re slow. When you get serious about paddling you probably want to paddle longer distances or go into tougher water. You might want to start paddling as part of your workout. That was my progression and so many others.

So what board do you pick? Lots of specialized flatwater boards out there. Lots. Usually they fall under two major categories: race boards and cruising boards. (Yes, there are other ways to categorize them, like by size, but stay with me here.) The choices can be pretty daunting, but I want to go over this and offer some suggestions.

Raceboards are paddleboards optimized for speed. Pretty much everything else is secondary, for good reason. You want to win your races, and you want a board that will help you do that. They are light, narrow, and great fun, as long as you have the skill level to paddle them. They used to run 12’6″ class and 14′, but now they tend to just run 14′. A raceboard will test your paddling ability deeply. If you want a real challenge to paddle and want to go as fast as possible, this is the board for you.

Raceboards are also temperamental beasts to own. First to consider is they are very narrow. How narrow? Competitive raceboard designs are typically around 25″ wide (give or take with some much narrower). They need to be, because every bit of width means more drag upon the hull of the board. With width the board becomes a compromise between speed and the ability of a paddler to remain standing on it, paddling at full speed. They require practice and can be difficult to handle in choppy conditions. Paddling a raceboard can be a great way to challenge your ability, but keep in mind that a board can be too narrow for its rider, especially an inexperienced one.

Raceboards are also very light. How light? There’s no absolute answer, but many approach 25 pounds or lighter. This is seriously light for something 14′ long, and for good reason. In terms of racing, weight = mass, and more mass requires more effort to move forward. The compromise is that race boards tend to be delicate. They typically dent on impact with anything hard. If speed is your primary concern, then this is something you must deal with, but it isn’t a minor issue. I have dinged a raceboard simply by putting it down on the grass when there was a pebble underneath. I have dinged a raceboard by falling on it! Put simply, these are fragile beasts.

Raceboards also have on more disadvantage — they are expensive. Typical race boards sell from $2,000–$3,000 and more! This is a lot of money for a board! If racing and winning is your thing, then this purchase probably makes sense. After all, you want the best equipment you can get in order to win. However if winning races isn’t your biggest concern, then this price may be a serious obstacle. (BTW, used race boards abound, and they can often be purchased in good condition for 50% of the original price.)

As you can probably guess by my tone, I’m not a huge fan of raceboards. I have no problem with them, but I don’t think they’re great for a lot of people. If you’re thinking about a raceboard, consider this basic question: “Do I want to invest in racing to win?” If winning is your goal, go for that raceboard. If you’re more interested in paddling, working out, exploring, and the occasional race, consider something else, a cruising board.

A cruising board has a lot in common with a racing board. It has a sharp nose and is usually found in 12’6″ and 14′ lengths, although there are other sizes. Cruisers are usually the same length as a raceboard and have similarly sharp noses for flatwater, but their design philosophy is different. They usually have flat decks for storing gear and inserts for bungie. Some race boards to come with attachment points in the front, but these are usually for small gear like a bag or water bottle. Many cruisers come with attachments fore and aft in order to carry gear for multiway trips. Even if a cruiser is only designed for day trips, it will still have enough storage for a everything you would need.

Cruisers are slower than race boards for two main reasons: they’re wider and heavier. Their width trends towards 30″ for stability and in order to carry gear. They’re heavier because the construction is biased more towards durability not low weight. Let’s face it, these kinds of boards might travel into rough environments so you want something that can take an impact. More durable materials tend to weigh more, which is a reasonable compromise to make.

But don’t worry, you can still go pretty fast on a cruiser, just not raceboard fast. You can still race your cruiser board, but you most likely won’t be be winning in elite races. You still have a great workout machine though, a board that can take the dings of everyday use and still be fun to paddle. Because cruiser boards are wider, they can also be easier to paddle in rough conditions.

Raceboards are sexy boards. No question they’re fast and a challenge to paddle. They make great rides if you have the skill to ride them and the ability to repair the inevitable dings. No matter how popular they are, they may not be the best choice for a beginner graduating from their first board. Cruisers can still offer a fast enough ride to go distances but is also easier to paddle than a raceboard and more suitable for rough water. Plus the tie-downs and more durable construction make this a great kind of board for daily use. Of course race boards can be a great challenge all on their own, but not always for daily use.